Senior Interpublic Group executive Tim Sutton is now poised to relocate from London to Hong Kong to oversee the holding company’s communications agencies in Asia-Pacific.
Pirie, who has spent nine years at Weber Shandwick, confirmed that he will return to his native New Zealand, but would still retain a role with the agency that he has led with considerable success over the past four years.
Sutton, meanwhile, will take on an equivalent Asia-Pacific role to his current position as European chairman of IPG’s Constituency Management Group — the holding company division that houses its PR, public affairs, entertainment/ sports marketing and corporate/brand identity agencies.
In Asia-Pacific, this includes Weber Shandwick and GolinHarris, along with FutureBrand, Jack Morton, Octagon and Powell Tate.
Weber Shandwick chief executive officer Harris Diamond noted that Sutton’s move reflected the above-
average growth enjoyed by the CMG group agencies, adding that acquisition would form a key part of his responsibilities.
“The so-called below-the-line business has been growing faster,” he said. “Tim is going to be responsible for helping the brands grow.”
However, Diamond declined to discuss whether Pirie’s role would be filled. “All I can say is we’re still having those conversations.”
Pirie, for his part, pointed out that his decision to return to New Zealand was a purely personal one, adding that his new role may involve senior-level client servicing.
“I’m not arrogant enough to assume any structure is going to build a company around me,’ he said. “But I’ve been heartened and humbled by the desire from people that I continue in some role.”
Pirie departs leaving Weber Shandwick in considerably better shape than when he took on the regional president role in tandem with Emma Smith in 2002.
After securing sole possession of the position in 2003, Pirie added regional responsibility for GolinHarris in early 2004. A period of strong regional growth was reflected by Weber Shandwick’s first Network of the Year award at Media’s 2006 Asia-Pacific PR Awards.
Sutton, meanwhile, will arrive in Hong Kong with a reputation as one of Europe’s most respected public relations executives.
After spending 12 years at BMI British Midland, Sutton also led political campaigns for the UK brewing industry and helped to establish the successful Portman Group industry initiative.
