Ipsos appoints Lifeng Liu Chairman and CEO of APAC

Ipsos has appointed Lifeng Liu as Chairman and CEO, Asia Pacific and China (APAC). The appointment takes effect immediately and puts its Asia Pacific and Greater China businesses under a single leadership structure. The market research company said the change is part of its work to simplify the organisation and deliver its Horizons strategy.

Liu will lead the new APAC region and remain Chairman and CEO of Ipsos in Greater China.

Current APEC CEO Hamish Munro moves into a global role as Global Head of Local Client Organisation.

Bringing the region together

Ipsos CEO Kelly Beaver said the merger would give the business a more joined-up presence in the region.

“Lifeng will now apply his proven leadership and commercial acumen to the region as a whole. By bringing these markets together, we will create a more integrated organisation with greater opportunities to align priorities and support clients operating across the region,” Beaver said.

She said Liu’s first step would be to meet regional leadership. “Over the coming weeks, Lifeng will spend time with leaders across APAC to deepen his understanding of the market priorities and their client needs.”

Liu described the merger as a chance to strengthen the business.

“I am honoured to lead the newly unified APAC region at such an exciting time for Ipsos. Bringing Asia Pacific and Greater China together presents a tremendous opportunity to build an even stronger organisation,” Liu said.

Who is Lifeng Liu?

Liu has worked in senior roles at Ipsos for more than 20 years. He was CEO of Greater China from 2007 to 2010, then CEO of Asia Pacific from 2011 to 2016. He has been Chairman and CEO of the China region since 2017.

According to Ipsos, both revenue and operating profit grew across the region during those tenures.

Liu holds a PhD in Communication from Peking University, an Executive MBA in Marketing from the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Beijing Technology and Business University.

Munro’s new role

Beaver said Munro’s experience will now be used across the global business.

“Hamish has made a significant contribution to our business across the APEC region over many years, and I am delighted that we will continue to benefit from his experience, client focus and leadership in this new global role,” she said.

Ipsos operates in 90 markets, employs nearly 20,000 people, and works with 5,000 clients. The company was founded in France in 1975 and is listed on Euronext Paris.