CAREERS: Y&R revives strategy training for team

<p>SINGAPORE: Dentsu Young & Rubicam (DY&R) will be spending Sdollars </p><p>300,000 (USdollars 165,426) this year on three seminars to help middle </p><p>managers in its Asia-Pacific offices learn about a new strategic </p><p>planning process called 3D Planning. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Most multinational agencies have systems in place so their strategy </p><p>planners around the world use the same techniques and methodologies to </p><p>evaluate brands and develop marketing strategies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"In the past Y&R never had one strategy philosophy," says Brian </p><p>Harrison, chairman of DY&R in Singapore. Harrison is responsible for </p><p>introducing 3D Planning to DY&R offices in this region. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"But we decided to not just teach a new way of doing strategy but also </p><p>revive some of the training programmes we had in the past." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition to 3D Planning, the seminars cover agency remuneration and </p><p>how to be a "good leader". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Seminar attendees have been with Y&R for two to three years and hold </p><p>middle management positions in either strategy planning, creative, </p><p>account service or media. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>They have proven to be committed to staying at Y&R, said Harrison. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Many have also just made the move into management and now have people </p><p>reporting to them. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's important they know how to manage people and understand about </p><p>agency finances because at the end of the day we are a business that </p><p>needs to turn a profit," said Harrison. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He said the investment in training is also being made to boost staff </p><p>morale and to reduce staff turnover. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"When people come back from the training seminars their enthusiasm </p><p>spreads throughout the agency. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"People want to work in an agency that is exciting and where they feel </p><p>they're being helped to progress in their careers," he added. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The first seminar was held in Bangkok at the end of March and the next </p><p>two are scheduled for July and October. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>About 29 middle managers across the region attended the first seminar, </p><p>which included lectures and workshops. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Lecturers included: Mickey Donnelly, Y&R head trainer based in New York; </p><p>Harrison; Zareen Desai, Y&R regional director for strategic </p><p>intelligence; Keith Oliver, DY&R chief financial officer; Michael Jones, </p><p>executive media director for Y&R's media agency The Media Edge; David </p><p>Jenkinson, Y&R regional planning director; Patrick Low, DY&R executive </p><p>creative director in Singapore and Dolchai Boonyaratevej, DY&R Thailand </p><p>chairman and chief executive. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>