INTERVIEW: VML Qais chairman Keith Timimi on the new partnership

Founded in 2004, Qais Consulting has officially become VML Qais following VML’s acquisition of a majority stake in the Singapore-based full-service digital agency.

Chairman Keith Timimi says that having been part of a close-knit team, the fit felt right with VML – especially as that agency had itself gone through an acquisition by the WPP Group back in 2000. He says the decision to seek a global partner stemmed from the aspiration to expand further upon its already successful operation in Southeast Asia, and its burgeoning business in India – as well as opening up staff career opportunities on a regional, if not global scale.

The decision to go with VML, which is part of the Y&R Group, is already seeing results, with a significant pan-regional win - having been named AOR on the Dell Partner Direct business across Asia Pacific and Japan. Timimi says that the win is testament to strong teamwork between VML Qais, the VML team in the US, and Y&R Asia Pacific.

Conceding that the structure is a little complicated at the moment, Timimi is confident that shared good practice, shared idea and shared resources will bear more fruit for all concerned, and ultimately clients, moving forward.