Sir Martin Sorrell was first to take the platform today and share his experience of the current climate for marketing services at the PRCA and CorpComms Conference at Mill Bank Tower, London.

“I don’t see a recovery. I’ll declare victory when year-to-year revenues are better, not less worse. Confidence needs to transfer into cheque signing,” said Sorrell.

“PR will be down like-for-like in 2009,” he said.

PRCA chairman and Ketchum boss David Gallagher was more upbeat.

“Although there is still a quarter to go, member agencies are reporting anecdotally that 2009 will either be flat or slightly up,” he said.

“It feels better and we may be more confident but we’re not yet out [of the recession]. There is no lift in the top line. Like other agencies we are controlling our costs effectively,” said Sorrell.

As global economies emerge from recession Sorrell urged agency leaders to head East.

“There are no growth prospects in Western Europe and the US. Asia and India are the markets that offer the greatest potential for growth,” he said.

In addition to developing its geographic reach WPP under Sorrell’s leadership is focussed on increasing its digital reach from 25 per cent to a third of the business – and build its consumer insight expertise.