International news: IPAN joins Hill & Knowlton
By Adnews Staff
WPP has transfered the management of Indian public relations agency IPAN from JWT to Hill & Knowlton. As a result, the firm has been renamed IPAN Hill & Knowlton. IPAN, which has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Calcutta, will service Hill & Knowlton clients in the Asia Pacific region. The agency's existing management and staff of 140 will remain in place. "India is a key market in the new world economic order," said Vivian Lines, president and COO of Hill & Knowlton Asia Pacific. "We have worked with IPAN as an associate for 20 years. Now we have the opportunity to fully integrate them into the Hill & Knowlton network and to grow business together in what is one of the most vibrant business markets globally. We believe our international client base, as well as our clients in India looking outbound to the world will gain tremendously from the strength of the combined Hill & Knowlton and IPAN brands." IPAN's client list includes Citigroup, Hindustan Lever, Goldman Sachs, the Swatch Group, Continental Airlines, ITC, HP ProCurve, Alstom, ESPN, Kingfisher Airlines, Turner International, British Telecom, Max New York Life Insurance, Monsanto, Viacom Colors, the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association and Hyundai.