Women to Watch 2020: Maggie Cheung, DDB Group Hong Kong

Maggie Cheung

Group business director
DDB Group Hong Kong
Hong Kong

Described by her boss as the “engine” of DDB Hong Kong who always shows up “ready to rock ‘n roll”, Cheung joined the big agency network in 2017 mid-career, and soon took charge of its largest account, McDonald’s.

Representing one of the world’s most recognisable brands is no easy feat but it speaks volumes about Maggie Cheung’s capabilities. The account—feared for its pace and pressure—has an in-agency team of 42 and covers a range of offerings from in-store material, business strategy, CRM modelling, to daily social posts and Hong Kong’s largest TV commercial output.

In just two years, Cheung completely turned around the team’s working culture in what was previously a more traditionally run account. Leading with people management in mind, she focused on building close ties by understanding team members’ goals and expectations. The result is an enviable team culture, rescued relationships, industry accolades, and unprecedented business success for both the client and agency.

To boot, she expanded account revenues by aggressively pushing social media, leading to winning all Facebook & Instagram assignments without a pitch. Along with that, she initiated the development of DDB’s social content production unit with McDonald’s as an anchor client. During Covid-19 when sales declined, she proactively developed a strategic consultancy framework called C.A.R.E which has since been adopted across McDonald’s globally.

All of this, of course, recently resulted in a well-deserved promotion to her current role of group business director. Not that you needed added proof of Cheung’s clout but Randy Lai, chief executive at McDonald’s Hong Kong, said: “In my 20 years working with agencies at McDonald’s, I have yet to see an account lead who can operate at Maggie’s level.”

With 20 years of experience in a varied career, working with brands, agencies and publishers, Cheung has been able to apply considerable skill at moving projects forward with fewer resources but at a quicker pace. Instead of being jaded by traditional processes, she has found energy in changing them, helping to integrate new Gen-Z talent along the way while noticeably reducing her agency’s overall attrition rate. Little wonder then, why Cheung was selected for the DDB Phyllis Program, a global training initiative for senior women leaders across the network.