CAREERS: Thaw to shake up planning at Burnett in S'pore

John Borzi, managing director at Leo Burnett Singapore, said: "This (appointment) will change the structure of how things are done and will put a focus on planning. Her (Thaw) goal will be to change the way we operate.

He said the agency had in the past operated without a planning director due to economic conditions.

"We had always intended to have someone in this role of planning director, but due to the economic downturns over various periods it was not a priority - due to the money side, we never had a resident head of planning."

The agency looked at candidates from Singapore, London and Sydney before deciding on Thaw. "It's also difficult to get someone in this role as there are varying skill levels out there and not many (candidates) to choose from,

added Borzi.

Thaw joins the agency from Young & Rubicam Sydney, where she worked as planning director. She has also worked in New York and London. This will be her first stint at an agency in Asia.

Thaw said she was attracted to Burnett because of its brand building philosophy and methodology - Brand Belief System - which was rolled out recently in the region.

"The way Burnett thinks about brands and searches for the truly unique bond a brand can have with all its believers,really appealed to me. We all believe in different things for different reasons - it's finding out what engenders one's belief that's fascinating,

she added.