JWT has also commenced legal action, with lawyers evaluating the merits of the case before proceeding. Wang has been unavailable for comment, with Media's attempts to speak with him through an intermediary proving unsuccessful.
It is believed the drama began several weeks ago, when Wang was told by management he would be moved across to head up Conquest, JWT's smaller sister agency set up to handle conflict accounts.
It is believed the drama began several weeks ago, when Wang was told by management he would be moved across to head up Conquest, JWT's smaller sister agency set up to handle conflict accounts.
"Certainly, our plan for him was that he would play a more appropriate role at Conquest, in terms of him and the entire agency," said Steve Lin, managing director of JWT Taiwan.
After receiving the news, it is believed Wang then registered a new agency and actively pursued current staff and accounts, although Lin stopped short of labelling the move a retaliatory gesture against JWT. Industry sources said JWT chiefs tapped Wang's phones and monitored emails in a bid to gather evidence, although Lin would not confirm how JWT came across the information. "It wasn't like it had happened all at once," said Lin. "It had been happening step by step and, eventually, there came a point where we found it had become urgent and was causing damage to the agency."
A JWT letter sent to trade publications and agencies in Taiwan regarding the termination and legal proceedings was aimed at showing the industry JWT would not tolerate what it called 'unethical' practices.
Lin said Wang had since displayed a more conciliatory tone, by de-registering the agency and giving an undertaking he would not approach current staff and clients. Lin added while legal proceedings were on hold for now, JWT reserved the right to restart the action.
