UM names Simon Woodward as its new China CEO

Woodward will replace Manpreet Singh, who has departed UM to pursue other interests.

“I have built my career around delivering tangible results for clients in all media,” said Woodward. “I am particularly proud of the results I have achieved in China and the opportunity to lead UM China is not to be missed. It is a platform to further build on my experience and achievements gained with clients and local partners during the past nine years of working in the market.”
 
Mark Patterson, CEO at GroupM Asia-Pacific, said he was pleased for Woodward as the opportunity represents a real career progression.

“We are also genuinely sad to see him leave us,” he added. “We will miss his drive, passion for media and his ability to inject humour along the way in his own inimitable style. He has made a real and positive contribution to the group and MindShare and UM China will be richer for taking him on."

Tajer said that UM’s investment in talent for its China operations was not stopping with Woodward’s appointment. “While we now have the best executive in Simon to lead our China operations, one executive alone cannot create the levels of client success we plan to generate. We are keeping our options open on this.”

Woodward’s decision to join UM is Tajer’s second major personnel move since taking over as president of Asia-Pacific. In September 2009 he hired Clinton Simpson to be managing director of UM’s Singapore operations.