MAM
Dentsu International announces Merlee Jayme as CCO-APAC
MUMBAI: Dentsu International on Thursday announced the appointment of Merlee Jayme as the chief creative officer, Asia Pacific (APAC), with immediate effect. She will be responsible for creative excellence across dentsu’s creative and experience agencies in the region. These agencies include Isobar, dentsumcgarrybowen, and creative agencies under the house of dentsu, such as dentsu One, Dentsu Webchutney, and Taproot Dentsu.
Jayme will report to dentsu global CEO-creative, Jean Lin and dentsu Asia Pacific CEO Ashish Bhasin. Merlee will continue as part of the core team in the global creative experience council at dentsu and sponsor of the region’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) programme.
Welcoming Merlee on board, Jean Lin said, “At dentsu, we bring together brand and experience around the organising power of an idea. Dentsu wants to be the most integrated agency network in the world, and compelling ideas and cultural insights play a pivotal role in achieving this vision. Merlee’s inclusive creative leadership, Asian roots, and global experience work brilliantly to deliver idea-led transformation in Asia Pacific – one of the most vibrant playgrounds for business creativity. We have an ambitious plan for the Asia Pacific and are thrilled to have Merlee focus on the region she calls home.”
Jayme is one of the most awarded Asian creative leaders and entrepreneurs in the industry, who joined the group through dentsu’s acquisition of her creative agency, JaymeSyfu. She was previously dentsumcgarrybowen’s global co-president. Merlee is a passionate advocate for the power of ideas in changing the world and DEI, and recently served as Jury President for Radio & Audio at Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2021.
On her new role, Jayme commented, “My global role at dentsumcgarrybowen has opened my eyes to the integrated opportunities we can create to push creativity and innovation, solving our client’s problems with all creative capabilities across dentsu. I am excited to be back in my home region, working hand-in-hand with our amazing colleagues in Asia Pacific to create great work that matters for our clients.”
Ashish Bhasin said, “Merlee’s creative ability speaks for itself and when the opportunity arose to give her a broader remit across the region, it was a no-brainer. Her entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and innate ability to get the best out of the people she works with make her truly unique, and I am excited to see her instill further excellence across our agencies and unleash the potential of our Creative business, driving deeper connections with our clients and the consumers they’re talking with.”
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
