MAM
JWT strengthens presence in Finland; acquires majority stake in Activeark Oy
MUMBAI: Continuing on its acquisition spree, global media communications giant WPP has acquired majority stake in Finnish digital ad agency Activeark Oy through its global agency network JWT.
Following the deal, Activeark‘s staff of 80 people will merge with JWT Helsinki‘s staff of 30 to become Activeark JWT Oy. The Activeark operations in the UK and India will also assume the new name.
Activeark Oy is a nine year-old full-service digital agency based in Helsinki and has operations in the UK and India.
JWT said in a statement that this is one of the most significant European acquisitions for JWT in recent history and will create a new brand for clients seeking an exciting proposition for their communication.
JWT Europe CEO Toby Hoare said, “This is a major step towards us achieving our ambitions in Finland. The merger catapults Activeark JWT to a top three marketing agency in Finland and brings together a respected global, well-established brand expert with a leading, fast growing, digital marketing agency. We know we will do great and exciting things together as one team.”
According to the new structure, Activeark Markus CEO Hakala will become Activeark JWT Oy CEO, while JWT Helsinki MD Jean Gallen will be chairman of the Board and will operatively be in charge of client service. Activeark founder Robin Bade will be responsible for development and overall quality of the service offering and all the current owners of the digital agency will continue in their operational positions.
Hakala added, “The merger is a natural answer to client requests and needs. It‘s time to stop talking about digital and traditional roles. Consumers‘ media consumption is rapidly and constantly changing, and brands need to cope with this to survive. In our new set-up we will be able to deliver customer experiences in all channels, both online and offline.”
Bade added, “Market change requires transformations at the agencies. I believe we are now in a strong position to provide holistic business solutions to our clients and to design superior experiences for consumers. I am therefore delighted for us to join such a network as JWT and together build a story around our complementary skills.”
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
