engage Wunderman in the near future, after wrapping up existing projects last December. It is believed that locally, Microsoft has been actively reviewing agencies to handle future below-the-line briefs.
However, according to Charlene Chian, Microsoft Asia-Pacific PR manager, Microsoft Singapore does not have a local AOR. "All the projects we were working on with Wunderman have ceased, but it doesn't mean we won't work with them again in the future," she said. "We award projects to different agencies based on need."
She could not confirm if an agency review was planned.
Meanwhile, Wunderman Singapore has shed nearly its entire creative and IT departments over the last year, which also saw the departure of general manager Bob Houldsworth and his successor, Joyce Moy, along with long-time account directors Mohammad Sirajudeen and Bruno Tay.
However, last June, Wunderman transferred Gregory Birge from France to head the regional Microsoft account and, shortly thereafter, Birge was promoted to GM when Moy left.
Regional EVP Stephane Faggianelli denied losing Microsoft's Singapore business and called the movement part of a restructuring process to service its regional clients - namely Microsoft, Citibank and Ford - better. "We are acquiring something which will be announced in the next three to four months."
Last November, when global CEO Daniel Morel talked to Media, the agency had just acquired two Microsoft AOR agencies in Korea.
Singapore would remain the hub for Microsoft's regional account team, Faggianelli added.
This month, Morel admitted that Microsoft hadn't produced "the kind of revenue we wanted" while confirming plans to rebuild in Asia - "but not with existing clients. We have to grow and acquire companies and win new business."
Morel also pointed to stronger ties with fellow WPP agencies: "Our strategy is one of partnership with WPP agencies, like Ogilvy or JWT. We'll exchange resources, perhaps share budgets."
