GM ODC, Batey Consulting part company

Singapore - General Motors Overseas Distribution Corporation (GM ODC) has dropped Batey Consulting from its PR roster and invited Bang PR, Manning Selvage & Lee and Weber Shandwick to pitch for the business.

Manager of PR and communications for GM ODC, Joon Chyi Huey, said that following a review of the business, a change in direction is needed for the year ahead and the selected agency will work on all communications for corporate and consumer brands such as Chevrolet.

Newly promoted CEO for Batey's regional PR operations, Beth Kennedy, responded to speculation put forward to her by Marketing on the status of clients such as Apple and Sun Microsystems, saying that aside from GM ODC, Batey had not lost a single piece of business under her watch.

Joon would not be drawn into commenting on the recent staff movements within the agency as the cause for GM ODC's decision, only saying that she understood Batey was undergoing restructuring.

Kennedy confirmed with Marketing that in the last three months five staff had departed leaving a team of around nine to run the business. Among the five included former MD Sally Chew who left in the beginning of October, citing a difference of opinion on strategy for the agency going forward, as reported by Marketing. However, Kennedy says several new hires will join the agency in early 2008.

GM ODC worked with Batey for over a year.