Bempasciuto’s exit comes four months after Dean Taylor took over as Singapore CEO, and follows departures by business director Fred Eng and operations director Esther Yue, who is now GM of Hard Drive at BBDO/Proximity Singapore.
Bempasciuto was promoted to his current post in November to alleviate the workload of then-Singapore/Malaysia CEO John Foley. Foley left Singapore in January to head up Saatchi & Saatchi’s Australian operations, replaced by Taylor, who was managing director of the agency’s Auckland office at the time.
Bempasciuto was promoted to his current post in November to alleviate the workload of then-Singapore/Malaysia CEO John Foley. Foley left Singapore in January to head up Saatchi & Saatchi’s Australian operations, replaced by Taylor, who was managing director of the agency’s Auckland office at the time.
According to Bempasciuto, he will continue his work on Sony Ericsson, his main focus at Saatchi & Saatchi, first with the agency and then on a global project-by-project basis as a specialty consultant.
“The structure we’re looking at will be work on a number of global campaigns for Sony Ericsson throughout the year in a role that is a global lead suit. I’ll be engaged on a project-by-project basis as a global business head leading campaign efforts,” he said, adding that he did similar consulting work for Heineken during his time at Bates.
He will officially leave Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore in August, he added.
Taylor said that Saatchi & Saatchi Singapore is being refashioned, and while Bempasciuto’s reasons for departure are unrelated, he does expect the agency to see “natural attrition” as the company shifts focus to a more digital and CRM-based operation.
“Focus is going to change dramatically anyway regardless of Robbie’s departure. It’s not going to be just a traditional advertising agency, as clients are increasingly looking for creatives with a wider skill set,” Taylor said, adding that the agency will be looking to hire talent “outside the advertising industry”.
“Our young people are really embracing this. They’re stimulated and say they find it absolutely fascinating,” he continued, noting that employees who are more comfortable working in more traditional media may choose to leave the company during the shift.
Taylor added that the agency has already seen positive results in its efforts to broaden its advertising scope. He pointed out that in January, Saatchi & Saatchi instituted a voluntary pay cut, which has now been rescinded. The agency has also shifted its priorities from a commission-based payment to an hourly rate with its clients.