Grey M'sia appointed regional HQ for SEA

<p>Grey Malaysia has been restructured to be the regional headquarters </p><p>for Southeast Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The agency's Kuala Lumpur base aims to be the centre of excellence for </p><p>its area of responsibility which consists of Singapore, Cambodia, </p><p>Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei as well as Malaysia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Grey Malaysia managing director John Burbidge said the restructuring was </p><p>about centralising resources for more efficient and effective use. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"The aim is to establish a resource centre for use anywhere in Southeast </p><p>Asia. It is more than a line management thing," he told MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Mr Burbidge said that Kuala Lumpur was chosen over Singapore because the </p><p>cost of running an operation is significantly less in Malaysia compared </p><p>with its southern neighbour. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>He added that the new regional hub was important because "volumes are </p><p>not high enough to make full service operations viable in places like </p><p>Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The Kuala Lumpur base will house all the top-end specialists who could </p><p>service clients anywhere in the region". </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Under the restructuring, divisions such as public relations, direct </p><p>marketing, healthcare, promotions and merchandising, advertising and </p><p>media will be turned into 100 per cent owned partner companies. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In addition, Grey Malaysia has been renamed Grey Worldwide, Southeast </p><p>Asia. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Grey Malaysia, meanwhile, has rebounded strongly from the financial </p><p>storms of the late '90s. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Capitalised billings for this year are estimated to total US$27.5 </p><p>million, sharply up from US$14.5 million in 1999. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The figure is forecast to jump to US$41.5 million next year. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The healthier outlook has been spurred on in part on increased </p><p>assignments from existing MNC clients, BAT, P& G and Oracle. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The agency has also been helped by new business wins including Time, </p><p>Maybank, Glaxo, Pfizer, Perodua and Petronas. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>

Grey Malaysia has been restructured to be the regional headquarters

for Southeast Asia.



The agency's Kuala Lumpur base aims to be the centre of excellence for

its area of responsibility which consists of Singapore, Cambodia,

Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei as well as Malaysia.



Grey Malaysia managing director John Burbidge said the restructuring was

about centralising resources for more efficient and effective use.



"The aim is to establish a resource centre for use anywhere in Southeast

Asia. It is more than a line management thing," he told MEDIA.



Mr Burbidge said that Kuala Lumpur was chosen over Singapore because the

cost of running an operation is significantly less in Malaysia compared

with its southern neighbour.



He added that the new regional hub was important because "volumes are

not high enough to make full service operations viable in places like

Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar.



The Kuala Lumpur base will house all the top-end specialists who could

service clients anywhere in the region".



Under the restructuring, divisions such as public relations, direct

marketing, healthcare, promotions and merchandising, advertising and

media will be turned into 100 per cent owned partner companies.



In addition, Grey Malaysia has been renamed Grey Worldwide, Southeast

Asia.



Grey Malaysia, meanwhile, has rebounded strongly from the financial

storms of the late '90s.



Capitalised billings for this year are estimated to total US$27.5

million, sharply up from US$14.5 million in 1999.



The figure is forecast to jump to US$41.5 million next year.



The healthier outlook has been spurred on in part on increased

assignments from existing MNC clients, BAT, P& G and Oracle.



The agency has also been helped by new business wins including Time,

Maybank, Glaxo, Pfizer, Perodua and Petronas.