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Tag: VML

  • VML appoints Babita Baruah as CEO of India

    VML appoints Babita Baruah as CEO of India

    Mumbai: VML has announced Babita Baruah will join as chief executive officer of India from March 1, 2024, and will partner with Saurabh Saksena, who has been elevated into the role of president.

    Baruah’s journey began at JWT/Wunderman Thompson India, where she spent two decades leading global and local brands such as PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestlé, Kellogg’s, Godrej, Kotak Mahindra, Reliance, and Aditya Birla.

    In 2017, she joined the GTB business in India as managing partner and moved to Bangkok in 2021 in a dual capacity role as WPP Lead for the Ford business across India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the Middle East, and South Africa, and executive director, VMLY&R Thailand.

  • VML announces new market leadership team for Asia Pacific

    VML announces new market leadership team for Asia Pacific

    Mumbai: Global brand, customer experience and commerce agency VML has announced its new in-market leadership team across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

    Uniting more than 5000 employees across 25 offices in 13 markets in APAC, the new structure has been designed to provide best-in-class support for VML’s clients across the region, featuring market leaders with robust local knowledge and deep expertise spanning customer experience, brand experience and commerce.

    The announcement comes as WPP creative agencies Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R unify to create VML – the world’s most advanced and largest creative company.

    VML works with a diverse range of blue-chip client partners across various industries in APAC, including Ford, The Coca Cola Company, HSBC, Unilever, Nestle, GSK, Zespri and more.

    Under the leadership of newly appointed VML APAC Co-CEOs Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay and with its regional principal offices in Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney, the restructure sees the appointment of the following market leaders (by region) from 1 January, 2024

    ANZ

    In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Tom Tearle, VMLY&R ANZ CEO is appointed to the role of CEO, VML ANZ. Gavin Bain, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Australia moves to the role of VML chief consulting officer, ANZ and Managing Director, Perth, Australia.

    Southeast Asia

    Singapore: Nimesh Desai, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Singapore, has been appointed as VML CEO, Singapore. Rhys Taylor, VMLY&R managing director, Singapore, takes on the role of VML Chief Client Officer, Singapore, focused on ensuring the new VML is providing the full suite of capabilities to its clients.

    Indonesia: Samir Gupte, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Indonesia, has been appointed CEO, VML Indonesia.

    Malaysia: Kenni Loh, CEO, VMLY&R Malaysia, has been appointed CEO, VML Malaysia.

    Philippines: Golda Roldan, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Philippines, has been appointed CEO, VML Philippines.

    Thailand: Parattajariya Jalayanteja, CEO Wunderman Thompson, Thailand has been appointed CEO, VML Thailand.

    Vietnam: Ha Nguyen, VMLY&R CEO, Vietnam, has been appointed CEO, VML Vietnam.

    East Asia

    In China, Kevin Zhu, VMLY&R China CEO, has been appointed CEO VML, China, and Carter Chow Wunderman Thompson CEO for Greater China, steps into the role of President, VML China.

    Hong Kong: Maggie Wong, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Hong Kong, has been appointed CEO, VML Hong Kong.

    Japan: Ichiro Ota, CEO, VML & Ogilvy Japan remains in his position; while Akira Suzuki, CEO, Wunderman Thompson Japan, moves into the role of COO, VML Japan.

    Taiwan: Even Teng, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Taiwan has been appointed CEO, VML, Taiwan.

    South Asia

    India:  India is a key market for VML and we are taking the time to ensure that our teams are led by the most capable leaders for our employees and clients. We will announce India’s leadership in Q1 2024.

    Commenting on development, VML APAC Co-CEO Audrey Kuah said: “We are thrilled to introduce our new APAC leadership team, who represent the cream-of-the-crop across two of the most awarded creative agencies in the region. As we unify our storied agencies, there is an exciting opportunity to redefine the possibilities of creativity and set the stage for more innovative and effective work.”

    “At VML we are dedicated to creating connected brands which matter to the consumer and drive growth for our client partners. Working closely with our leaders across our APAC network, we are well positioned to provide the best possible solutions to our clients’ most pressing business problems via an integrated suite of capabilities which are unsurpassed in the region, VML APAC Co-CEO,” Yi-Chung Tay added.

  • VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head

    VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head

    MUMBAI: Global digital marketing agency VML has announced the appointment of Venkatagiri Rao as Creative Head – India, as part of a significant step to solidify its creative capabilities. In his new role, Venkat will spearhead the office’s creative practice, which continues to form the foundation for the agency’s growth.

    Based in Mumbai, Venkat will report directly to Tripti Lochan, CEO – VML Southeast & India.

    “With the digital marketing landscape evolving rapidly over the years, we remain firmly committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and expanding our creative offering to serve brands with brilliant ideas,” said VML CEO southeast & India Tripti Lochan. “We are delighted to have Venkat on board, and are confident that his passion for innovation will drive the change brands need, and take our creative offerings a notch higher.”

    Venkat brings with him over 16 years of industry experience across agencies, most recently at DDB Mudra Group, Mumbai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for a period of five years. There, he handled notable companies and brands including Emirates, Volkswagen, Economic Times, Femina, Kalpataru Developers, Lonely Planet, Top Gear and Arshiya Logistics.

    Prior to DDB Mudra, Venkat held stints at Ogilvy, Ambience Publicis, Alok Nanda & Company and Fisheye Creative Solutions. He is best known for his work on Economic Times, Femina, Emirates, Victorinox, Tata Safari & Mid-day for which he has won various awards, including One Show, Effies, London- International & Abbys.

    Venkat commented, “As VML continues to gain momentum in Southeast Asia and India, I am honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of an agency that is strongly invested in creating awe-inspiring customer experiences that drive proven business impact. I am definitely looking forward to working closely with the India team to push new creative boundaries.”

    VML is a global marketing agency that delivers forward-thinking ideas and solutions for the world’s most influential brands, including: Castrol, Kellogg’s, ICICI Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, INSEAD, Ford, Changi Airport and Mattel.

    Founded in 1992 and globally headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., VML has more than 2,300 employees with principal offices in 26 locations across six continents. Regionally headquartered in Singapore, VML has offices in Jakarta, Mumbai and New Delhi. In 2001, VML joined the world’s largest communications services group WPP.

  • VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head

    VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head

    MUMBAI: Global digital marketing agency VML has announced the appointment of Venkatagiri Rao as Creative Head – India, as part of a significant step to solidify its creative capabilities. In his new role, Venkat will spearhead the office’s creative practice, which continues to form the foundation for the agency’s growth.

    Based in Mumbai, Venkat will report directly to Tripti Lochan, CEO – VML Southeast & India.

    “With the digital marketing landscape evolving rapidly over the years, we remain firmly committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and expanding our creative offering to serve brands with brilliant ideas,” said VML CEO southeast & India Tripti Lochan. “We are delighted to have Venkat on board, and are confident that his passion for innovation will drive the change brands need, and take our creative offerings a notch higher.”

    Venkat brings with him over 16 years of industry experience across agencies, most recently at DDB Mudra Group, Mumbai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for a period of five years. There, he handled notable companies and brands including Emirates, Volkswagen, Economic Times, Femina, Kalpataru Developers, Lonely Planet, Top Gear and Arshiya Logistics.

    Prior to DDB Mudra, Venkat held stints at Ogilvy, Ambience Publicis, Alok Nanda & Company and Fisheye Creative Solutions. He is best known for his work on Economic Times, Femina, Emirates, Victorinox, Tata Safari & Mid-day for which he has won various awards, including One Show, Effies, London- International & Abbys.

    Venkat commented, “As VML continues to gain momentum in Southeast Asia and India, I am honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of an agency that is strongly invested in creating awe-inspiring customer experiences that drive proven business impact. I am definitely looking forward to working closely with the India team to push new creative boundaries.”

    VML is a global marketing agency that delivers forward-thinking ideas and solutions for the world’s most influential brands, including: Castrol, Kellogg’s, ICICI Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, INSEAD, Ford, Changi Airport and Mattel.

    Founded in 1992 and globally headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., VML has more than 2,300 employees with principal offices in 26 locations across six continents. Regionally headquartered in Singapore, VML has offices in Jakarta, Mumbai and New Delhi. In 2001, VML joined the world’s largest communications services group WPP.

  • Mindshare sets up GEMS, promotes Deepika Nikhilender as CEO

    Mindshare sets up GEMS, promotes Deepika Nikhilender as CEO

    MUMBAI: Mindshare has launched a new full service media unit in Singapore called Growth and Emerging Market Solutions or GEMS, with Deepika Nikhilender as its CEO.

    GEMS will serve the needs of a number of companies who use Singapore and other Asian cities as their central marketing hubs for managing their emerging and developing growth markets across Asia, Middle East, Africa and others. GEMS will provide marketers who have responsibility for these regions with a broad spectrum of services including emerging class consumer activation, mobile marketing, category communications planning, ROMI, digital analytics, consulting, content development and management of quick data for insights. As specific sub-regional needs from clients grow, Mindshare will look to support the GEMS Singapore hub with talent based in China, India, Middle East, Africa and other developing markets.

    GEMS provides a simplified single-window access to clients looking for specialist planning skills and implementation partners in all the areas of marketing communications described above. It will house a team of client leaders along with specialists in these service areas who will help develop solutions for clients. GEMS is designed to be an open-source partner to its clients. It will bring in bespoke planning platforms and a real-time campaign data-tracking centre, which will facilitate open-source collaboration with various marketing communications partners to develop integrated marketing solutions. These partner companies will focus on word-of-mouth, activation, insights, data analytics and technology, and digital media – like Kantar, Geometry Global, Advocacy, VML and several others. In addition, GEMS will harness global partnerships with digital and mobile companies that Mindshare already has in place.

    Deepika Nikhilender previously led Mindshare Business Planning across Asia Pacific where she led and developed Mindshare’s offering in analytics, insights, strategy and data and technology solutions. She brings extensive experience on multiple product categories across Asia. In 2010 she was chosen Regional Client Leader for Mindshare APAC as recognition of her contribution to clients. In this role, Deepika will report to R Gowthman, recently appointed COO for Mindshare APAC. Deepika has been with Mindshare for 15 years.

    Deepika said, “At Mindshare, we have always kept our clients’ business at the centre of all that we do. Their expectations from Mindshare have also changed significantly in response to the changing marketing and media opportunities. We continue to evolve ourselves to stay ahead of market, while ensuring we stay relevant and competitive. Thanks to our clients who keep pushing us to raise the bar, inspiring us to open up new streams and encouraging us in all our new initiatives.”

    Ashutosh Srivastava, Chairman & CEO for APAC & Growth Markets at Mindshare, said “GEMS is part of an exciting new approach, using technology to create centres of excellence at a few hubs, look at data centrally and share precious talent across more markets when developing solutions. Hopefully this model will enable clients to use all their partners more collaboratively – to create more impactful solutions and drive growth, in markets where lack of experienced talent is currently a huge handicap. We are going to run GEMS like a start up – data and tech driven, fast and flexible, provocative and founded on collaboration, with ability to dial up and down for clients without tying up massive resource for clients.”

    Mindshare Asia Pacific’s GEMS unit and Deepika’s role are effective immediately.