MUMBAI: Marketing communications firm, FCB Worldwide, is replacing its regional-centric structure, in both the US and international operations, with what it is calling, global centers of excellence.
The company says, that the new structure will increase the autonomy of the operating offices while producing significant cost savings that can be reinvested in areas of the business that will enhance FCB's offering to clients and help generate growth in the individual offices. Importantly, the new structure will help foster and facilitate an overall focus on the quality of the global creative product.
The FCB Centers of Excellence will initially include India, Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the UK and other countries. All the FCB Centers of Excellence meet the overall criteria of 1) Global client base. 2) Fully integrated offering. 3) Strong local market position. 4)
Excellent creative product. 5) Superior local management.
FCB Worldwide president and CEO, Steve Blamer, says, "Today's global marketplace is changing rapidly. Old school agency networks and structures simply don't work anymore. Agency networks need to adapt. Our global clients want better integrated creative solutions and a delivery system that makes it happen. The most significant element of this new structure is that it will allow us to target our resources closer to where they're of most value to our global and local clients."
In conjunction with the restructuring Blamer has named, Rafael de Guzman, as FCB International president and CEO who will report directly to Blamer. Gene Bartley, CEO of North America,will be retiring in January 2006 as planned. the Asia/Pacific & Africa CEO, Ben Barnes, and Europe/Middle East CEO, Scott Hollingsworth, will be leaving the company to pursue other interests.
The company says, that the newly established Centers of Excellence outside of the US will be overseen by de Guzman. . Blamer will directly oversee all US operations. Blamer added, "Rafael's past successes have clearly demonstrated that he has the energy, vision and skill base necessary to lead FCB's global efforts going forward".
The leaders of the Centers of Excellence will form an international management board reporting directly to de Guzman and will help coordinate global and regional clients and pitch new ones.
