Batey to keep name as Red Cell expands

<p>SINGAPORE: Batey Ads will retain its name in Asia even though the </p><p>group has been incorporated in WPP's fourth agency network Red Cell, </p><p>which has appointed an Asia-Pacific chief operating officer, Jorg </p><p>Dietzel. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In a separate development, the Batey Group has promoted two of its most </p><p>senior executives to run its Singapore agency. Nick Marrett, currently </p><p>chief operating officer, and Robert Kay, brand communications director, </p><p>have been named joint chief executive officers and will share </p><p>responsibility for improving creative standards, agency profitability </p><p>and the office's long-term growth. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Dietzel's key responsibility will be to build the Red Cell brand and </p><p>spearhead regional expansion, chiefly into north Asia through </p><p>acquisitions. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Red Cell expects to have its first office in Shanghai. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We have two European clients who want to move into China," said </p><p>Dietzel. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"Chances are we're going to acquire an existing agency because we want </p><p>to be a network that has global reach but local knowledge." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said the new agency is likely to be branded as Red Cell rather than </p><p>Batey. "It's an interesting challenge dealing with two brands - Red Cell </p><p>and Batey. We have to tread very carefully because we don't want to lose </p><p>the equity in the Batey brand but we have to find ways to build up a new </p><p>network in the region." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The global network is an amalgam of the Batey Group in Asia, Conquest in </p><p>Europe, US agency Cole & Weber and UK agency Perspectives. "Batey and </p><p>Conquest joined Red Cell to gain global capabilities because previously </p><p>they only had regional offers," said Dietzel, who reports to Rod Pullen, </p><p>Batey Group CEO. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Dietzel, who was managing director of DDB's Berlin and Beijing offices, </p><p>said his latest position was the result of a chance encounter with </p><p>Pullen. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"When DDB moved me from Beijing to Germany, I went but I wasn't too </p><p>happy about leaving China after about 15 months," he said. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>On the Batey front, Kay -- who is also brand communications director - </p><p>will continue to lead the Singapore Airlines and SilkAir accounts, but </p><p>is now responsible for agency administration, human resources, </p><p>information technology and new business development. Marrett, who </p><p>remains chief operating officer and leader on the StarHub account, will </p><p>now oversee the other brand teams as well as agency production and </p><p>strategy planning. Batey didn't previously have a CEO role; the job was </p><p>previously filled by MD, Addison James, who left in early 2001 to head </p><p>Lowe Lintas & Partners Singapore. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>