Thomas leaving Saatchi Japan to return to the UK

TOKYO: Long-time Saatchi & Saatchi executive Graham Thomas has

resigned as chief executive of its agency in Japan and will return to

the UK by year end.

Chris Foster has been promoted to take over from Thomas, who set up the

new Saatchi office in Tokyo in late in 1999 after the jointly-operated

Saatchi/Bates operation was de-merged.

Foster joined the agency three years ago as regional director for

Procter & Gamble and was responsible for the launch of Ascend, rated as

one of the best launches by the consumer goods company.

Thomas opened the agency with five clients and followed up by winning

accounts from Pernod Ricard, Transitions Optical and United Airlines.