INNOCEAN has appointed Ung A Kim as its first-ever female Global CEO, succeeding William Lee. A long-time creative leader, Kim will focus on elevating creativity, integrating AI as a creative amplifier, and fostering cross-border collaboration. She aims to expand INNOCEAN beyond traditional advertising into future-ready global business models.
INNOCEAN has appointed Ung A Kim as its new Global Chief Executive Officer — marking the first time a woman will lead the global marketing and creative network. She succeeds William Lee, who has helmed the company for the past five years and will remain on as Senior Advisor during the transition.
A veteran insider, Kim has been with INNOCEAN since 2006 and most recently served as Chief Creative Officer of its Korea operations. Over nearly two decades, she has been instrumental in shaping the agency’s creative identity and expanding its footprint internationally, earning recognition for world-class campaigns across markets.
In her new role, Kim will anchor INNOCEAN’s global strategy around three priorities: making creativity the core driver of business growth, harnessing AI as a tool to amplify human imagination and efficiency, and cultivating an open, collaborative, cross-market culture that attracts diverse creative talent.
“I’m deeply honored to take on this responsibility,” said Kim, adding that her ambition is to protect the essence of creativity while pushing INNOCEAN beyond the boundaries of traditional advertising into new business models and future-facing creative arenas. “My goal is to stay true to the essence of creativity while continuously expanding beyond traditional advertising to build new kinds of businesses that will position INNOCEAN as a leading global marketing company.”
Kim brings a formidable track record to the role. Her portfolio includes award-winning work for Hyundai Motor Group, Hanwha Group, Google Korea and Domino’s Pizza. She notably led Hyundai’s Cannes Lions Grand Prix–winning campaign Night Fishing, one of the brand’s most celebrated achievements on the global stage.
Her leadership signals a bold new chapter for INNOCEAN — one that blends creative excellence with AI-driven innovation, while accelerating the agency’s evolution into a global strategic powerhouse in the marketing and brand experience space.
