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Tag: GolinOpinion

  • GolinOpinion appoints Asheesh Malhotra as ED

    MUMBAI: Asheesh Malhotra has parted ways with advertising to pursue a career shift. He leaves his role as president at Bates CHI & Partners to join GolinOpinion, the PR division of PointNine Lintas, as the executive director. This marks a significant shift for Malhotra, who’s spent his entire career in creative agencies, as he ventures into the landscape of PR. At GolinOpinion, he will lead the strategic planning function and oversee the agency’s social media centre-of-excellence, the Bridge.

    PointNine Lintas CEO Vikas Mehta said: “Convergence of marketing disciplines is here to stay. An omni-channel marketing plan today is incomplete without elements like advocacy and conversations. To stay relevant, PR firms need brand practitioners in addition to PR experts. Asheesh has built blue-chip brands while working with India’s two most respected agencies, Lowe Lintas and Ogilvy. We’re delighted to have him back in the Lintas family and look forward to his contribution in further strengthening PointNine Lintas’ PR service-stack.”

    Asheesh joins GolinOpinion from the Ogilvy group where he was the president, Bates CHI&Partners heading its Mumbai and Delhi offices. He was earlier a unit head looking after a large Unilever portfolio as well heading a global hub for Castrol and BP at Ogilvy. A new business junkie, he was also leading the growth agenda for Bates. Prior to that, he spent fruitful eight years in the Mumbai office of Lowe Lintas, leading the ICICI Prudential and J&J businesses.

    As the executive director, Malhotra will report to Ameer Ismail – GoinOpinion president & PointNine Lintas chief growth officer. Ismail said, “A senior professional, strategist and well-respected leader who has worn many hats in advertising is going to lead this audacious vision.”

    Malhotra said, “Credibility of brands, people and institutions is being challenged every day. In this thin-skinned world, PR holds a huge responsibility of being both, a shield and the statesman that shapes conversations, communities and culture.”

    Responsible for a national mandate, Malhotra has joined GolinOpinion with immediate effect and will be based out of Mumbai.

  • Ameer Ismail promoted as GolinOpinion president

    MUMBAI: PR veteran Ameer Ismail has been promoted to President by MullenLowe Lintas Group, effective immediately. He has led the group’s PR firmGolinOpinion (formerly LinOpinion) for over 20 years and built the agency into one of the top players in the PR industry. He was also instrumental in bringing Golin on-board as JV partner in India in 2014. GolinOpinion operates as a part of the marketing services offerings of MullenLowe Lintas Group.

    Ameer continues to report to Vikas Mehta – Group CMO & President, Marketing Services for the group. Announcing this elevation, Vikas said “Ameer is just the right mix of Vintage and Vision. In a time when the practice of PR is more important than ever, but the business of PR is getting highly commoditized; he’s the kind of leader the industry needs. PR is an integral part of our re-bundled offering and GolinOpinion occupies a great position in the market today. Reinventing yourself from a position of strength is a rare & valuable opportunity and I’m delighted to have Ameer lead that agenda for us.”

    Founded in 1996, LinOpinion was amongst the first PR offerings by a communications group (Lintas) in India, and remains the most successful of any agency’s PR offerings to date. Since 2015, the agency has been on a journey to evolve its model, structure, and offerings. The agency is now fully structured around Golin’s world-renowned G4 model. It was also one of the first PR firms in the country to offer a social media practice in the form of brand newsrooms, called the Bridge™.

    Speaking of the promotion, Ameer Ismail, says, “I am so proud to be a part of this great institution – the MullenLowe Lintas Group and am looking forward to this new phase in my journey with a renewed focus and dedication towards delivering great work. GolinOpinion is recognized as a premium and leading player in the PR industry. We have today some of the best brands represented in our portfolio. As the business evolves, I am tasked to work closely with our management team to takeGolinOpinion to even greater heights by building scale and new competencies that will continue the brave work that has been our trademark so far.”

    GolinOpinion manages the PR mandate for some leading global and Indian companies and brands including TATA Starbucks, Dubai Ports World, Budweiser, Texas Instruments, HUL (multiple brands), Seiko, Etihad Airways, Marriott International Inc, Porsche, Lamborghini, Cinepolis and Sony Pictures Networks India.

    Ameer is a part of the Golin global leadership group and works closely with the regional and global MDs. He serves on the advisory committee board of several management forums. He has served as a jury for several award shows including SABRE and GoaFest. He has worked with the Centre of Change Management in successful seminars like International Brand Summit and The Asia Pacific HR Conference. He was also awarded the CMO Asia Award for Outstanding Contribution to Corporate Communications in Singapore in 2011 and recently named one of the top 10 leaders in the PR industry in India by Reputation Today magazine.