"Peter Emblin is currently on leave and I'm not able to say when he's returning," said Pirie. "(VP) Neil McCarthy is the acting GM in his absence, and it's business as usual."
A senior IPG source said Emblin's return to the IPG firm is "highly unlikely". The source added: "He's basically been put out to pasture, but he is not under investigation."
A senior IPG source said Emblin's return to the IPG firm is "highly unlikely". The source added: "He's basically been put out to pasture, but he is not under investigation."
Emblin's expected departure marks the latest upheaval at the agency, which entered Thailand through the acquisition of local heavyweight Presko in 1989. Previous CEO Justin Barnett -- currently Tesco Lotus senior VP for corporate affairs -- resigned in 2002, shortly after the acrimonious departure of local PR mandarin Sakchai Ruangkittikul. "It's had a patchy history from the days when it acquired Presko," said the IPG source.
Often tagged the oldest PR firm in Southeast Asia, Presko was founded by Esko Pajasalmi in 1961 and rose to become the leading PR consultancy in Thailand. At the time of Shandwick's acquisition, the firm was estimated to number over 100 staff.
The consultancy also served as a launchpad for such names as ex-CEO Norman Pajasalmi, who has since gone on to co-found PR & Associates with Ruangkittikul, along with current Bangkok PR managing director Hasan Basar and Hill & Knowlton Hong Kong MD Denise Maguire.
Upon Barnett's exit, former ING Barings MD and head of research Emblin was tasked with heading the office. However, the agency has faced increasing competition from smaller players such as Bangkok PR, 124 Communications and MDK Consultants. Said a source: "The successful agencies now blend a very Thai-focused understanding of media with a few expats and a network connection."
