The move follows WPP's set-up of a second-tier agency - Conquest - in
Hong Kong to enable J. Walter Thompson to retain Hang Seng Bank after
the agency group won the Standard Chartered business in a global
realignment.
Ben Barnes, FCB Asia-Pacific president and chief executive, said the network found itself confronting growing numbers of client conflict issues.
"The typical case of conflict would be in alignment cases where you have
a very satisfied local customer. Then there is also the situation of
staff competing for key positions. We didn't want to lose key staff,"
said Barnes.
Interface's Hong Kong operation will be led by managing director Dionne Kung, while senior partners Tan Ong Hoe and Melina Chua, will head the Singapore office. Interface will roll out China and Taiwan operations by early March.
Managing director T. Renganathan will head the Malaysia office, while Interface Taiwan will be led by general manager Hudson Yang.
Interface will employ between 350 to 400 staff and will be skewed towards local clients, while FCB will handle multinational accounts.
