With effect from October 2, 2025, Ji Watson will be replaced as Representative Director & CEO of McCann Worldgroup Japan by Takashi Aoki, Representative Director & President of McCann Japan.
Aoki will also take on the position of Representative Director & CEO of McCann Japan on the same day.
After a protracted stay in Asia, Watson will return to the US to be with her family. The company claims that the change in leadership was purposefully planned to improve McCann Worldgroup's standing in Japan by highlighting its integrated offering and capacity for the future in a market that is changing quickly.
Aoki contributes over 25 years of expertise in integrated, digital, and creative marketing. He started out as a writer and content planner before working for WPP for 18 years, including more than seven years at J. Walter Thompson Shanghai, where he contributed to the expansion of brands throughout Asia.
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He joined Publicis Groupe in 2018 and oversaw the establishment of a digital transformation agency for a major international automaker. He then held important leadership positions, such as Managing Director of Media.Monks Tokyo and General Manager of Saatchi & Saatchi Tokyo.
Under his direction, agencies in China and Japan won awards like Campaign Magazine's "Agency of the Year" in the categories of production, new business, and creativity.
Since taking over as President of McCann Japan and Craft Japan in October 2023, Aoki has accelerated business growth by emphasizing strategic integration, innovation, and operational excellence. In addition, he is a member of the Advertising Week Asia advisory group and the board of the Japan Advertising Agencies Association.
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Aoki continues to serve as Representative Director & President of Craft Japan, but this promotion places him in a more expansive leadership position across McCann Worldgroup's Japan operations, further consolidating the group's production, digital, and creative skills under a single strategic vision.
Speaking on his new appointment, Aoki said: “I feel greatly honored to be appointed as Representative Director & CEO of McCann Worldgroup Japan as Ji’s successor.
Over the past two years, the evolution and agency transformation program that Ji and I have driven together have yielded tangible results, positioning us as a powerful and agile organization in this time of dynamic change. Moving forward, we will continue to expand our capabilities and integrate our solutions, further enhancing our value as an iconic agency and delivering outstanding solutions to our clients.”