INTERNATIONAL: Incepta increases SE Asia presence with Image buy

SINGAPORE: Top five global marketing services company Incepta Group

has boosted its presence in South-East Asia with the acquisition of

Image Public Relations and Image Marcom.

The agency, which has a potential valuation of pounds 3 million, will be

renamed Citigate Dewe Rogerson Image. It was bought for a mixed cash and

share offer.

Led by Elaine Lim, the firm has launched nearly 100 IPOs. Its clients

include McDonald’s, Mobil, SmithKline Beecham, Canon and Lego.

Incepta chief executive David Wright said: ’Elaine dominates the IPO

market in Singapore and the outlying regions She is head and shoulders

the best in that part of the business.’

Wright confirmed he was still looking for acquisitions in other regions,

particularly the US and Europe. The group’s recent acquisition trail has

seen it net Frankfurt-based Alexander Demuth, a Citigate affiliate, in

January, and Dewe Rogerson in the UK a year ago. Its attempt to take

over rival Lopex during the summer (PR Week, 9 July), however,

failed.

- Citigate regional managing director for Asia, Felix Miao, has quit to

become MD of Burson-Marsteller’s Hong Kong office. Miao founded Dewe

Rogerson’s Hong Kong office in 1995. At B-M, he will report to

Asia-Pacific chairman and CEO Clifton Kagawa.