Manning Selvage & Lee Names Glenn Osaki President, Asia Pacific

Manning Selvage & Lee (MS&L) today announced that Glenn Osaki, most recently senior vice president and senior director, Asia Pacific, has been named president, Asia Pacific. His appointment is effective immediately.

Since his appointment to senior director in 2005, Osaki has been instrumental in the tremendous growth of MS&L’s operations in Asia, which include offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, and an integrated network of 20 affiliates and partner firms in 14 countries across the region. He has played a critical role in the region’s business development, spearheading several major new business wins including the agency’s global win of China-based Huawei Technologies and several leading multinational clients operating across Asia.

In addition to business development, Osaki has focused on hiring and training some of the region’s most talented professionals to strengthen the firm’s capabilities in corporate/B2B, technology, consumer marketing, healthcare, and a growing expertise in digital communications. MS&L’s capabilities have recently been showcased in numerous successful and high-profile campaigns including the launch of The Home Depot in China, Olympics activation campaigns for such sponsors as Atos Origin and Johnson & Johnson, and client support at the World Economic Forum’s “Summer Davos” conference in Dalian, China.

Osaki will continue to play a key role as a member of the agency’s global leadership team, helping the firm strategize and execute an ambitious expansion plan for China, India, Southeast Asia, and the overall Asia Pacific region.

“Glenn has been a key driver of our growth and success in Asia Pacific,” said Mark Hass, global chief executive officer of MS&L. “I’m very pleased to have him take on an even more critical role in leveraging the firm’s great momentum in Asia to fulfill our aggressive plans for business development and exceptional client service in the region.”

A 20-year veteran of MS&L, Osaki was managing director of MS&L’s Los Angeles office for five years prior to moving to Shanghai in January 2005. His Asia Pacific experience includes regional management for clients such as Philips, Sunkist, The Home Depot, Underwriters Laboratories, Beam Global Spirits & Wine and Procter & Gamble. Osaki also managed the high-profile trade missions of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to Tokyo in November 2004 and to China in November 2005.

“Asia represents the fastest growing and most exciting region in the world, for our clients, our agency, and our industry,” said Osaki. “There exists in Asia an unprecedented opportunity over the next decade to shape the global communications marketplace. At MS&L, we are making the right investments in people, geographies and digital to drive solutions and deliver the best results for our clients.”

The news of Osaki’s promotion comes on the heels of a recent Publicis Groupe announcement that it is strengthening its long-standing operations in Tokyo. As part of the announcement, MS&L Japan, which was previously managed as a division of Publicis Japan, will become a separate entity reporting into Osaki effective January 1, 2008. The move reinforces the strong performance of MS&L Japan in recent years, and its expected future growth.

About Manning Selvage & Lee
MS&L is one of the world's leading global public relations firms. Headquartered in New York, MS&L has 46 offices throughout North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia-Pacific, as well as an extensive global affiliate network. The agency meets the needs of global and local clients by providing best-in-class services in consumer marketing PR, healthcare PR, corporate communications and technology communications, as well as industry-leading work in digital communications. MS&L won PRWeek's Best Use of Internet/New Media Award in both 2006 and 2007.

MS&L is a member of the Publicis Groupe (Euronext Paris: FR0000130577 and NYSE: PUB), the world’s fourth largest communications group, and a global leader in digital and online advertising, media consulting, and healthcare communications. With some 42,000 professionals in 104 countries, the Groupe's activities cover advertising through three global advertising networks: Leo Burnett, Publicis, Saatchi & Saatchi, as well as through its two multi-hub networks Fallon Worldwide and 49%-owned Bartle Bogle Hegarty; media agencies with two worldwide networks ZenithOptimedia and Starcom MediaVest Group; and marketing services, including digital and interactive communications through Digitas, relationship and direct marketing, public and media relations, corporate and financial communications, multicultural communications, and event communications. The Groupe is also the world leader in healthcare communications. Web site: www.publicisgroupe.com.

###