MAM
Publicis Groupe acquires Malaysian interactive agency Arachnid to bolster Saatchi & Saatchi digital offering in APAC
MUMBAI: France-based Publicis Groupe has acquired 100 per cent stake in Malaysian digital agency Arachnid.
Established in 1996 in the capital city Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian agency today employs a team of more than sixty digital communications specialists. It has roots in digital and interactive marketing the agency‘s service offering has evolved to cover all forms of interaction-oriented touch-points. Its portfolio of clients includes Dutch Lady (dairy), Lexus, MINI, Petronas (oil and gas), Reckitt Benckiser, and Toyota. Arachnid serves over 25 markets across North America, South America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Post the acquisition, the agency will be rebranded Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid, and will become a part of the Saatchi & Saatchi network in the Asia-Pacific region. Arachnid founder and CEO Chin Weng Keong will continue to lead the business as Saatchi & Saatchi Arachnid, and will now report to Saatchi & Saatchi Asia Pacific Chairman and CEO Chris Foster.
With this buyout, the Publicis Groupe now has more than 600 full-time employees in Malaysia through its networks Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide, Saatchi & Saatchi and VivaKi. At the end of June 2012, Publicis Groupe employed nearly 13,000 people across the Asia-Pacific region.
Fosters said, “Today‘s transaction signifies a major scaling up of our digital capabilities across the Asia Pacific region, in order to provide our clients with the best possible solutions across the full multitude of consumer channels. The acquisition of Arachnid will further enhance our ability to deliver powerful integrated campaigns for our clients in this strategically important region and to unleash the ‘unreasonable power of creativity.‘ “
Weng Keong added, “We‘ve been exploring becoming part of a global group for a while and we‘ve received a number of offers. We‘ve finally found the right fit with Publicis Groupe. We share a common vision and strategy with the Saatchi & Saatchi teams, and our excellent rapport promises a wide range of synergies. This is an opportunity for us to evolve beyond pure-play digital, and to integrate our capabilities into a new generation agency well positioned for an exciting future.”
Brands
Tech Mahindra names Jeetu Anandani VP & country head – enterprise & strategic accounts
Veteran tech leader to drive enterprise growth across Australia and New Zealand
MELBOURNE: Jeetu Anandani has stepped into a larger leadership role at Tech Mahindra, taking charge as vice president and country head for enterprise and strategic growth across Australia and New Zealand.
Based in Melbourne, Anandani will steer the company’s enterprise portfolio in the ANZ region, focusing on expanding business across high-growth sectors such as retail, energy and utilities, health insurance and logistics. The move signals Tech Mahindra’s intent to deepen its presence in one of the world’s most competitive enterprise technology markets.
In his new role, Anandani will lead growth initiatives, build strategic partnerships and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders across industries. His mandate also includes accelerating business development efforts in sectors such as manufacturing, travel and logistics while helping clients navigate digital transformation and AI-led change.
The promotion caps a steady rise within Tech Mahindra. Anandani most recently served as communications, media and entertainment head for BPS across the Asia Pacific and Japan region, where he worked on expanding enterprise deals and strategic partnerships. Before that, he held the role of account director, managing key client relationships and delivery programmes.
Prior to joining Tech Mahindra in 2020, Anandani spent nearly eight years at Telstra as country manager in Mumbai, overseeing operational growth and partnerships. His earlier career includes leadership stints at Tata Consultancy Services, Vodafone and JPMorgan Chase.
With more than two decades of experience across telecom, banking and IT services, Anandani now takes the helm of Tech Mahindra’s enterprise push in ANZ, a region where demand for AI, digital transformation and large-scale technology partnerships continues to gather pace.
