HSBC’s global head of marketing Amanda Rendle raised eyebrows after claiming that ad agencies are facing a threat from management consultancies pitching to brands. Rendle, admitting that KPMG had offered its services on advertising to HSBC “for nothing” up front on several occasions, warned that agencies must ensure that they bring “true value” consistently to brands or face being dropped. Speaking exclusively to Marketing Week she explains why agencies should not be seen as suppliers but partners.