New territories for FutureBrand

FutureBrand Worldwide has extended its global reach with the opening of new offices to service Asia Pacific and South American country Venezuela.

Matthew de Villiers becomes regional managing director of the new office in Singapore, from which the group hopes to target the Asia Pacific area. He was previously with IBM, with which FutureBrand recently set up an alliance in the US and where he set up an e-mail business.

According to FutureBrand Worldwide chief operating officer John Elkins, an identity project for Can TV has “spearheaded” the opening of the office in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, headed by Gonzalo Brujo. But FutureBrand is also working for the country’s largest paint manufacturer, he says.

FutureBrand boosted its presence in South America earlier this year through a deal with Argentinian identity group Idemarque (DW 3 March). It already had offices in Chile and Mexico. At the time of the Idemarque deal, which gave FutureBrand a 75 per cent stake in the Buenos Aires consultancy Elkins said the group has its sights set on Brazil.