The shortlist took the industry by surprise as it did not include the incumbent agency Leo Burnett , which has won several prestigious awards including a Cannes Lions for its advertising campaigns for Petronas, all of which were developed by ECD Yasmin Ahmad.
The oil and gas company initially invited eleven agencies to join the in the first round of the pitch.
In April, Petronas handed its international corporate account to BBDO.
The company recently launched a heavy-duty lubricant for diesel engines called Petronas Urania. In Asia, the focus for marketing the product will be China, India and Southeast Asia.
A M&C Saatchi spokesperson declined to comment on the news.