Thoughtful Media hires ex-DDB Tim Schlick to expand in Asia-Pacific

Schlick, who is now based in Shanghai after relocating to DDB Group in 2010, has now moved on to a newly created role at Thoughtful Media, which is based in the US but has been active in the Chinese market since 2010.

He will be responsible for establishing a presence for the company in the rest of Asia-Pacific, particularly in key markets like Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, where social media and digital spending are rising significantly.

“One of the key challenges for almost every brand I have worked on is the struggle to get both exposure and engagement with consumers," Schlick said. "I have found Thoughtful Media having the perfect answer to how brands stand out in the currently most important market on the planet like China, and I simply had to be part of this."

A German native, Schlick began his career as a management consultant at Accenture in 1997, where he became proficient in business process re-engineering and CRM. In 2000, he joined McCann Erickson to help launch its digital agency Zentropy Partners, which subsequently merged into MRM Worldwide.

In 2003, McCann Worldgroup asked him to drive the integration of its group agencies and develop through-the-line strategic planning capabilities. He then started to manage McCann Momentum, a division specialising in retail marketing, promotion, sponsorship and branded entertainment, in 2006.

In China, he has been a frequent public speaker and has authored numerous white papers and industry articles, specifically about marketing and strategic integration in the mainland.