JWT strengthens Nokia China account team

BEIJING - JWT has moved to bolster its Nokia account servicing team in China, hiring a new planning ahead amid speculation that will also appoint Saatchi & Saatchi executive creative director Polly Chu to lead creative on the newly-won account.

Chu refused to deny speculation that she will join JWT to head creative for Nokia, but Saatchis China CEO Pully Chau said: “I will be very surprised if that is true.”

JWT representatives declined to comment. Chu joined Saatchis China five years ago, when her previous agency D’Arcy was shifted into Publicis Groupe.

Meanwhile, JWT has also named Charles Frith to head planning for the Nokia Greater China account. Frith joins from JWT London, where he worked on the agency’s global team.

“We look forward to Charles applying his intellectual creativity to the challenge of building a sustainable and large-scale Nokia brand in China,” said JWT China CEO Tom Doctoroff.

The developments come with JWT Shanghai set to win kiwifruit brand Zespri International’s creative business in mainland China.