Independent agencies, F5 Shanghai in China and Leagas Delaney, with offices in London, Hamburg, Milan, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Los Angeles and Cape Town, are deepening a years-long collaboration into a closer cross-border creative alliance. The alliances aims to help Chinese brands build global meaning while helping international and premium brands grow with greater cultural relevance in China and across Asia.

The move comes as Chinese brands shift from exporting products to building global brands, while international brands look for deeper cultural relevance in the Chinese market. Rather than forming a traditional agency network or licensing arrangement, the two independent agencies will collaborate where their capabilities are most complementary.

The partnership will span global brand strategy and positioning, creative platforms, premium and luxury communication, cross-cultural campaigns, AI-enabled creativity and content, and local execution across China and selected international markets.

F5 becomes Leagas Delaney’s licensed creative agency for Asia and Tim Delaney has officially been appointed as F5’s international creative consultant.

Adams Fan, founder and chief creative officer of F5 Shanghai, stated, “China has probably never had a stronger generation of companies with global ambitions. But going global is no longer just about getting products onto shelves in another country. The next challenge is getting people in another culture to understand you, desire you and eventually believe in you. I don’t believe Chinese brands need to become less Chinese in order to become global.”

Jimyi Xu, marketing director of F5 Shanghai, added, “The F5–Leagas Delaney model is designed to sit between the two: senior global strategic and creative thinking, direct access to decision makers, deep understanding of China, and a working structure built for speed rather than hierarchy. The partnership will span areas including global brand strategy and positioning, creative platforms, premium and luxury communication, cross-cultural campaigns, AI-enabled creativity and content, and local execution across China and selected international markets.”

Tim Delaney, founder and creative director at Leagas Delaney, commented, “I’ve known Adams and F5 for several years, and we have already had the opportunity to work together. What I value is that they understand China deeply but think beyond China. They are independent, entrepreneurial and interested in ideas rather than process for its own sake. When a Chinese client needs global strategic and creative thinking, or when an international client needs genuine understanding of China and Asia, we can bring the right people together. Each agency contributes something different, and that is where the value lies.”

The F5 Shanghai-Leagas Delaney partnership underlines a shift in how independent agencies operate across borders – pairing global creative experience with local cultural fluency to help brands build lasting relevance, rather than relying on the scale of traditional networks.