CReATION: Chiu to combine tech and marketing savvy at e-MPI

<p>Mr Conrad Chiu's arrival at e-MPI in September will see the digital </p><p>marketing solutions provider start staffing up from its current payroll </p><p>of 30 to 80 by October. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Launched six months ago by Hang Lung's Chan family under their </p><p>privately-held Morningside Technologies umbrella, e-MPI will offer </p><p>clients a new business model, one that melds digital capabilities with </p><p>communications and consultancy expertise, according to Mr Chiu, who </p><p>recently announced he had quit as MD for JWT Hong Kong and south China </p><p>and vice-president of international operations. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Several new hires have already been made in marketing and communications </p><p>as well as in the business strategies side, which he said would be </p><p>announced shortly. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Chiu's arrival will also free managing director Winnie To from </p><p>day-to-day responsibilities. Ms To has since assumed the executive </p><p>director's position at Morningside. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision to switch sides was an easy one for Mr Chiu, who admitted </p><p>to being "obsessed with the digital world". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With the electronic world spawning more businesses, despite a forecast </p><p>shake-out for the industry, Mr Chiu believes the time has come to bridge </p><p>the chasm between digital companies and their traditional marketing and </p><p>communications counterparts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"A lot of digital companies have focused on the technology part, while </p><p>ad agencies have strong marketing and communications expertise, but lack </p><p>the tech side," said Mr Chiu. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"It's a gap I would like to integrate at e-MPI, by bringing in strong </p><p>consumer insights and understanding to the tech capabilities already </p><p>available at the company." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>His goal is to develop e-MPI into a Scient or Sapient-type business, US </p><p>companies which have successfully evolved new business models by </p><p>bridging the digital and communications/consultancy divide between old </p><p>and new economy firms. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Chiu expects his knowledge and understanding of the new technology, </p><p>which he picked up during his days at JWT, will help him bridge the </p><p>digital divide. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"When I took over as managing director (at JWT), there were two </p><p>directions I had before me - either rebuild the agency to its former </p><p>glory or anticipate the future and evolve the company," said Mr </p><p>Chiu. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"My team - it was not just me - chose the latter option. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We decided to focus very much on preparing to become an agency, which </p><p>met the market's future requirements, chiefly in Web technology and </p><p>service." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The decision was made about four years ago, well before the Internet </p><p>emerged as a key business driver in Hong Kong, he said, crediting the </p><p>team's foresight and effort in working on telecommunications and </p><p>technology accounts. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Painful though the evolution was, he said JWT's transformation put the </p><p>agency in better shape to withstand, even grow, during the financial </p><p>crisis that hit Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>