Tom Doctoroff has enjoyed a love affair with Shanghai for more than a decade, but getting to run in the local section of the Beijing Olympics torch relay was possibly his most cherished moment.

American Tom Doctoroff fell in love with Shanghai when he first visited the city in 1995. Now after 10 years of residence, he has just bought a longtang (lane) house on Ruijin Road "to finally own a piece of Shanghai's charm."

Working in the advertising industry, Doctoroff is used to frequent business trips, creative ideas and media exposure. He has appeared regularly on CNBC, NBC, Bloomberg and National Public Radio.

He has also been invited to speak at many conferences and symposiums on advertising and on doing business in China.

Considered an expert in advertising in China, he is the author of "Billions: Selling to the New Chinese Customer." He is also the recipient of the Magnolia Government Award, the highest honor given by the Shanghai Municipal Government to expats.

But the highlight this year for Doctoroff has nothing to do with his work. The Detroit native was selected as an official bearer for the Beijing Olympics torch relay and ran as one of three expatriate torch bearers in Shanghai.

"It's an honor and one I'm delighted with," Doctoroff tells Shanghai Daily.

He says his family has always been passionate about what the Olympics represent in terms of shared human values and opportunities to bring different cultures together as equals.

In fact, his brother Daniel is deputy mayor of New York City and actually initiated a plan to bring the Olympics to NYC in 2012. Unfortunately for him, London won the bid to be host.

Doctoroff, who keeps fit by going to the gym, was delighted when Lenovo, a customer of JWT - the advertising company for whom he serves as Northeast Asia area director and Greater China CEO - recommended him to become a torch bearer.

He says he felt very proud to run but the biggest surprise was how much his carrying the torch meant to friends and colleagues.
"Everyone at the company was moved. They are proud that JWT was represented and they are so much more passionate that I ever expected," he says.

Doctoroff still remembers everything from the day back in May very clearly: Everybody including policemen and workers wore the same expression of excitement, but he was particularly amazed by "the determined optimism that unified everybody on the street."

He also recalls how the room where torch bearers gathered was filled with pride, excitement and passion. "We all felt it," he says.

"For Chinese people, that was a statement of resolution which marks the accomplishments and ambitions of the nation and its people. That flame is really holy for them," says Doctoroff. "I can't imagine the same degree of passion anywhere else."

Doctoroff was first attracted to Shanghai during a business trip back in 1995. "I was seduced by the city's combination of charm and dynamism," says Doctoroff.

He was based in Hong Kong at the time as regional business director for JWT but after that visit finally settled in the city in 1998.

"From the very beginning, I thought Shanghai had some special characteristics that drew me here,"says Doctoroff.

He particularly likes the former French Concession area where "life is so close to the street." He loves the little shops, classical architecture and the hardworking people going about their daily lives he sees when he walks his local streets.

(Shanghai Daily July 22,2008)