Standard Chartered tipped to select TBWA and Tequila

Industry sources have revealed that TBWA and Tequila are poised to scoop Standard Chartered's global advertising account after outgunning BBDO and Publicis in the final round of the account review. The relationship is expected to be formalised next week, after a multi-agency pitch process that began in July. Standard Chartered will reportedly consolidate all of its above and below-the-line communications for Asia, Africa and the Middle East with TBWA and Tequila. The pitch was called after HSBC handed its global advertising business to the WPP Group, making JWT -- which previously handled the bulk of StanChart's Asian business -- the lead agency on the account.