Originally from Mumbai, Deboor's appointment as director of strategic planning is the first in a series of planning hires the agency intends to make, according to Hong Kong CEO Desmond So. "Since 1997, the economic situation did not encourage the development of the planning function in Hong Kong," said So. "But now we want to make planning big again for JWT, an agency which is strongly associated with planning."
The agency previously utilised the skills of the regional and Greater China planning teams, but So said a growing client portfolio and their demands had resulted in the reinvestment. "HSBC is keen for the Hong Kong team to beef up the planning function," he added.
Deboor's shift comes after almost three-and-a-half years on Unilever and coincides with the consumer goods giant restructuring its food division by folding it into its home and personal care business.
"I will basically lead all planning coming out of JWT Hong Kong -- within this, the regional component is HSBC and Rolex and there is a local component," said Deboor, who has been with the network for 16 years.
With Hong Kong facing a serious shortage of planners, Deboor said the agency would look at a different route, including staff training, to sow a strong planning culture in the office.
"I am keen to have a senior planner who speaks Chinese, and there are people who are creative in the agency who can be trained up," he noted.
"As there are always a small number of planners in an agency to go around every piece of business, it would be good to raise the overall planning skills of the agency."
JWT shifts regional planner to HK job
JWT has shifted its regional planning director on Unilever, Anant Deboor, to a Hong Kong-based role as the office restaffs its planning department.