AD Agencies
Upbeat with ’16 billing, Dentsu Aegis aims to be No. 2 in ’17
MUMBAI: Large account wins and a number of acquisitions in creative, digital and PR segments, Dentsu Aegis Network is on a roll with an approximate 2016 billing of Rs 4,500 crore.
Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia chairman and chief executive Ashish Bhasin is upbeat about his target of dislodging IPG from the number two spot by 2017. Industry experts however believed that while Dentsu could be on a growth path, overtaking IPG might be a distant dream.
DAN has managed to beat British and American advertising conglomerates such as WPP and IPG in rapid acquisition. Now, its real challenge will be to ensure integration of acquired companies in its network.
Dileep Cherian-owned Perfect Relations was acquired by DAN last September for an estimated Rs 200-250 crore, followed by creative marketing agency Happy Creative acquisition for an estimated Rs 300 crore followed by experiential design studio Fractal Ink purchase for Rs 250 crore. DAN earlier acquired Milestone Brandcom, WAT Consult, Fountainhead-MKTG, Webchutney and Taproot.
Bhasin hoped that that 50 per cent growth would come from acquired businesses.
AD Agencies
Prakash Nair reportedly quits Ogilvy after 23 years
One of the agency’s longest-serving leaders has moved on, with his next destination still unknown
MUMBAI: After more than two decades at one address, Prakash Nair has left the building. The president and head of office, north at Ogilvy has moved on from the agency, according to highly placed industry sources. His next move remains unknown. Ogilvy did not respond to requests for comment.
Nair spent over 23 years at the agency, making him one of its longest-serving senior figures. He was elevated to lead the Gurugram office in April 2022, a role that put him at the helm of Ogilvy’s northern operations at a time of considerable churn across the advertising industry.
Before taking charge in the capital, Nair served as associate president at Ogilvy Mumbai, where he worked on some of the agency’s most prized accounts, including Mondelez, Tata Motors, and BP Castrol. Over the years, he built a reputation for driving modern, integrated, and award-winning work, the kind that wins metals at Cannes and keeps clients from straying.
His departure was marked in style. A farewell gathering was held in Delhi, attended by senior figures from across the advertising fraternity, a signal of the regard in which Nair is held in an industry that does not always pause to say goodbye properly.
Where he goes next is the question the industry is now asking. After 23 years at one of the world’s most storied agencies, the answer, when it comes, will be worth watching.
