An incredibly odd decision to make in 2010

First of all, I've nothing against FCB, I don't really know many FCBers (Rob Sherlock is a great guy), I don't know Mark Pacchini and I don't know Anil Kapoor - I'm sure they're all fine folks.  However, this announcement concerning the appointment of a new head of FCB Asia is astonishing to me.

First, how, in this day and age, can you run an Asian operation of a big network out of Chicago? And second, how do you get away with a supporting comment like "Mark has an extensive knowledge of the APAC region having travelled there frequently over the last 17yrs"? I'd rather just say nothing and let people presume you'd lived there at some point or another. To me this is a press release/announcement that didn't need to be made - at least not in the press!!!

Anyhow, best of luck. It's hard enough getting clients in China to take you seriously if you are based in Central HK, let alone Grosse Point.