The Publicis Group network has promoted its assistant managing directors Atipol Ithavatan and Preeyada Vuttipakdde as MDs of Starcom and Media-Vest respectively. A graduate of the company's first Top Gun training scheme for the region, Atipol takes over from Triluj Navamarat, who was earlier named Indochina managing director.
Key brands have been split based on the agency the staff handling them have moved to, according to D Sriram, Starcom Southeast Asia/India CEO.
Starcom will handle General Motors, Mead Johnson, the Sony AOR, Western Union, Procter & Gamble, Buena Vista and ICI Paint, while MediaVest will take over the Red Bull AOR, Heineken, Tiger Beer and PTT. "Conflict hasn't come up as an issue, but from time to time we have gone into pitches where a client is a conglomerate that has small foot in a category where we have another client," said Sriram.
But Sriram added that the move was also undertaken to provide clear career developments paths for its key staff. "We need to give these two individuals bigger roles and a clear future in the network."
