Global Digital Creative Star, Natalie Lam, Joins McCann NY as Executive CD

NEW YORK, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Natalie Lam, whose honors include Cyber Grand Prix and Titanium awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, is joining McCann NY as Executive Creative Director. 

Lam comes to McCann from OgilvyOne, where she was Regional Creative Director Asia and Executive Creative Director of OgilvyOne Shanghai. 

In announcing the news, Linus Karlsson, Chairman, Chief Creative Officer of McCann NY and London, said: "We're going to new places, and we couldn't be happier that Natalie is joining the new creative collective here. Natalie is one of the most inspiring and accomplished creative leaders in the world. Her work is always beautiful, smart and innovative, and she has a unique global perspective and leads with grace."

Lam will work across agency accounts but also leading the charge to further strengthen all digital capabilities into a world-class digital creative offering at McCann.

Lam is the third high profile creative talent recruited by Karlsson since he began with McCann in February 2011. The others, both of whose posts were announced in May of this year, are Matias Palm-Jensen, who joined as Chief Innovation Officer for McCann Europe based on McCann London, and Andreas Dahlqvist, who joined as Vice Chairman, Executive CD for McCann NY. The other ECDs in the NY agency are George Dewey, Craig Markus, Steve Ohler and Leslie Sims.

Lam, an international creative executive who combines an integrated and digital expertise, has worked in New York, China and Asia. In New York, she was with R/GA, named by Adweek as "Digital Agency of the Decade," from 2003-2008, most recently as Creative Director on the global and U.S. Nike+, NikeiD, Nike running accounts.

In 2008, Lam, a native of Hong Kong, moved back to China to join OgilvyOne and became the first female and youngest regional creative director for OgilvyOne Asia, a multiple winner of Digital Agency/Network of the Year by Campaign Brief Asia.  

A graduate of The Cooper Union for the Advance of Science and Art in New York, Lam began her career in 1995 working at design firm, Frankfurt Balkind Partners. She later started a creative group for technology consulting giant, Cambridge Technology Partners, and ran the creative department of an independent interactive agency, Iconixx.

Her experience has spanned packaged goods, financial, automotive, beverages, cultural institutions, publishing, fashion, technology, retail and sports. In addition to Nike, her clients have included MasterCard, Motorola, Sony, Volkswagen, Coca-Cola, Target, Procter & Gamble and Unilever.

"McCann is an iconic institution that is going in a fresh new direction. To join the agency at this time and be part of the team that is shaping its future is an amazingly rare opportunity," said Lam. "The opportunity to work with Linus, and the great team at McCann was irresistible. I love the ambition and the vision, and I want to be part of it."

In addition to her Cannes Grand Prix Lions, Lam has won a Black Pencil at D&AD, Best of Show at the One Show Interactive, Digital Campaign of the Decade from Ad Age, the Grand Clio and Best of Show at the Clio Awards, Best of Show at the International Andy Awards, a Gold Cube from the Art Director's Club and a Gold at the London International Awards, among her many other honors.

About McCann NY and McCann Worldgroup:

McCann NY is the flagship and single largest company of both McCann Erickson Worldwide and McCann Worldgroup. Comprised of a collaborative roster of best-in-class agencies that emphasize creativity, innovation, and performance, McCann Worldgroup includes McCann Erickson Worldwide (the world's largest advertising agency network); MRM Worldwide (digital marketing/relationship management); Momentum Worldwide (event marketing/promotion); McCann Healthcare Worldwide (professional/dtc communications); WGEXP (global production); UM (media management); Weber Shandwick (public relations) and FutureBrand (consulting/design). McCann Worldgroup delivers marketing solutions that transform brands and grow businesses.

SOURCE McCann NY