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Tag: Chris Foster

  • Publicis ropes in Saatchi’s Chris Foster as SVP global clients

    Publicis ropes in Saatchi’s Chris Foster as SVP global clients

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has appointed Saatchi & Saatchi worldwide chief operating officer Chris Foster to the newly created role of senior vice president global clients.

     

    “Our clients are facing serious challenges due to technology and innovation in this ever changing world. Chris Foster will help our clients to extract the best from our talents and our formidable assets through integrated solutions. Chris has been deeply involved in the strategy and operations of several Groupe clients. His track record for growth and collaboration has defined his tenure and makes him perfectly suited for this role at this time,” said Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Maurice Lévy.

     

    Foster will report to Publicis Groupe chief strategist Rishad Tobaccowala and will begin in his Paris-based role on 1 September, 2015.

     

    Currently responsible for the performance and operations for seven of the top 10 countries in the Saatchi & Saatchi network, and for significant global client relationships and management. He has been a senior leader at Saatchi & Saatchi since 1999 in North America, Asia Pacific and Greater China, as CEO of Fallon USA 2008-11, and as a member of the Global Leadership Team since 2011. He is an economics and philosophy graduate from the University of Western Ontario.

     

  • Publicis Groupe acquires Malaysian interactive agency Arachnid to bolster Saatchi & Saatchi digital offering in APAC

    MUMBAI: France-based Publicis Groupe has acquired 100 per cent stake in Malaysian digital agency Arachnid.

    Established in 1996 in the capital city Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian agency today employs a team of more than sixty digital communications specialists. It has roots in digital and interactive marketing the agency‘s service offering has evolved to cover all forms of interaction-oriented touch-points. Its portfolio of clients includes Dutch Lady (dairy), Lexus, MINI, Petronas (oil and gas), Reckitt Benckiser, and Toyota. Arachnid serves over 25 markets across North America, South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.

    Post the acquisition, the agency will be rebranded Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid, and will become a part of the Saatchi & Saatchi network in the Asia-Pacific region. Arachnid founder and CEO Chin Weng Keong will continue to lead the business as Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid, and will now report to Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific Chairman and CEO Chris Foster.

    With this buyout, the Publicis Groupe now has more than 600 full-time employees in Malaysia through its networks Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi and VivaKi. At the end of June 2012, Publicis Groupe employed nearly 13,000 people across the Asia-Pacific region.

    Fosters said, “Today‘s transaction signifies a major scaling up of our digital capabilities across the Asia Pacific region, in order to provide our clients with the best possible solutions across the full multitude of consumer channels. The acquisition of Arachnid will further enhance our ability to deliver powerful integrated campaigns for our clients in this strategically important region and to unleash the ‘unreasonable power of creativity.‘ “

    Weng Keong added, “We‘ve been exploring becoming part of a global group for a while and we‘ve received a number of offers. We‘ve finally found the right fit with Publicis Groupe. We share a common vision and strategy with the Saatchi & Saatchi teams, and our excellent rapport promises a wide range of synergies. This is an opportunity for us to evolve beyond pure-play digital, and to integrate our capabilities into a new generation agency well positioned for an exciting future.”