FCB restructures Greater China ops

FCB Worldwide has restructured its Greater China operation with

former Bozell regional director Gary Tse taking the helm of the

newly-merged operation.

Taking charge of the five offices in Hong Kong, Taiwan and China, Mr Tse

was named Greater China CEO and chairman, reporting to Asia-Pacific

president and CEO Ben Barnes, based in Hong Kong.

As part of the restructuring, FCB has terminated its venture with China

partner Megacom, while the newly-merged offices stay with Bozell's local

affiliate partner.

Megacom president and ECD Louis Wong will run the Megacom offices in

China following the break-up of the FCB partnership.

"There're no sour feelings (about the break up)," said Mr Wong, noting

that Megacom has bought back the shares sold to FCB.

Accounts previously held by FCB and Bozell have been split, with FCB

taking international-allied clients and Megacom looking after its

locally-won business.

Despite the downsizing of staff and billings, Mr Wong said the new

arrangement may be profitable to Megacom, because it now had a free hand

to develop business without having to worry about the constraints of

international business alliances.

As an independent agency, Mr Wong said Megacom was eyeing local blue

chip companies and medium-size foreign marketers, which had yet to line

up with multinational agencies.

FCB's three mainland offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are now

headed by former Bozell managers: Kenny Chang, David Chow and Michael

Ngan respectively.

In Taiwan, the new operation continues the partnership with Bozell's

affiliate headed by Mr Henry Yang, the former Bozell Taiwan

chairman.

Former Bozell head of creative Ronnie Wong is now the ECD taking charge

of the Hong Kong and China offices.

Mr Tse said the newly-merged FCB agency has opted to offer a total

integrated communications service under one roof by combining the forces

of BSMG for PR, AFM for film production and FCB Direct for marketing

services.

FCB's direct marketing arm will be relaunched - although the name has

not yet been finalised - and it will be headed by former FCB Direct

general manager David Robertson.

Meanwhile, former FCB Hong Kong managing director Carol Cheung will take

a regional role in the Asia-Pacific operation.

In the media sector, former Bozell executive media director Noelle Chiu

will keep the same post in the merged operation and former FCB media

director Poney Wu is now the buying director.

Grant Advertising, Bozell's boutique agency, remains an independent

subsidiary of holding company True North.

The new FCB office in Hong Kong now has a total staff of 180 people, and

Mr Tse admitted people had left the company in the wake of the

restructuring, including some supporting staff who had been laid off. He

added, however, the agency was still hiring new staff.

Client conflict was not a major issue in the merger.

The merger has actually given the agency the opportunity to restructure

and strengthen its services with the combined know-how. "The merger is

not a bad thing as we can build up a stronger and more efficient

operation," said Mr Tse.