FOCUS: YEAR-END REVIEWS - Exceptional rewards, but still a way to go

<p>This was an excellent year for BBDO. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBDO was named the most creative network in the world in the latest Gunn </p><p>Report, going one better than last year's second place, and Asia-Pacific </p><p>played its part in achieving this. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>With 32 awards at the two top Asian shows, Asian Advertising Awards and </p><p>Adfest, BBDO Asia-Pacific won more than any other agency network. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>What's encouraging is the honours were spread around the network with </p><p>Hong Kong, Singapore, Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Bangkok all </p><p>contributing. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Although there's still a way to go before we catch up with our </p><p>illustrious sisters elsewhere, BBDO Asia-Pacific's creative product is </p><p>growing from strength to strength. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBDO Hong Kong capped another stellar creative year with a dominant </p><p>showing at the 4As - the Sunday campaign confirming it's position as </p><p>contender for the most famous and effective campaign of recent </p><p>years. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBDO Singapore was voted Agency of the Year, and BBDO Thailand shone </p><p>again. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In the Philippines, BBDO Guerrero Ortega continued its push for creative </p><p>leadership, winning Campaign of the Year for our Bayer client and </p><p>leading the successful Visa pitch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBDO/Komunika also delivered a strong showing at the Indonesian awards </p><p>winning more golds than all except one. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The year saw every office delivering strong revenue growth with </p><p>excellent performances in our younger offices. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>New business performance was exceptional. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>BBDO won perhaps the single largest new business assignment in the </p><p>region when Visa International moved its account after a three-way </p><p>pitch. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Allianz followed in October. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>New assignments from existing regional clients like Fedex, Bayer and ICI </p><p>combined with significant domestic wins, such as Maxis in Malaysia, made </p><p>2000 a terrific year for new business growth. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Our merger and acquisition team has been active and we expect their </p><p>labours to bear fruit in the coming year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>On the people front we strengthened our pool with some significant new </p><p>hires as well as rewarding from within. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Patrick Wilkerson, who led the successful Visa pitch, moved from Japan </p><p>to Singapore as regional director for that business, and May Song joined </p><p>the company as regional account director reporting to him. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Arto Hampartsoumian took on the newly-created role of regional client </p><p>services based in Hong Kong, taking the responsibility for co-ordinating </p><p>the company's key regional clients and regional new business. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>John Roberts took over the helm at BBDO Singapore and brought in Simon </p><p>Winterflood as creative director. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Melissa Crucillo will move from Manila to Singapore to take on the </p><p>regional account director role on Bayer. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>We have a solid base of proven professionals who are either Asian or </p><p>have depth of experience in Asia, located at the business points where </p><p>our clients need them. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>So a great year, but there's still along way to go. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>