MAM
WPP’s Geometry Appoints Jesse Lin as New APAC CEO
MUMBAI: Geometry, WPP’s end-to-end Creative Commerce agency, appoints Jesse Lin as its APAC CEO, effective immediately. A 25-year industry veteran, Jesse will lead over 1,100 employees across 17 cities to deliver creative solutions and experiences that drive commercial growth everywhere commerce touches people’s lives. Based in Shanghai, he will report directly to Global CEO Beth Ann Kaminkow.
Commenting on the appointment, Beth Ann Kaminkow stated, “I am thrilled to welcome Jesse to Geometry at a critical moment in our agency’s story. With a proven track record of driving transformation for other world-class organizations in the APAC region, he’s perfectly suited to deliver growth locally and globally for those clients navigating the new retail opportunities that the region presents. Jesse’s passion for commerce and his home-base of Shanghai places him in our priority China market which is leading in retail innovation.”
Jesse succeeds Diana Cawley as she leaves the company to seek new opportunities.
“We’d like to thank Diana for her genuine commitment to Geometry these past four years. Diana has been a master operator of a complex regional landscape. Under her leadership, the region has become a strong and connected network focused on nurturing creativity to drive commercial growth for clients. We wish her all the best on her next adventure.”
Commenting on the appointment, Ranjit Raina Chief Executive Officer, Geometry Encompass, “We are glad to welcome Jesse Lin as part of our Geometry family. He is a seasoned and accomplished professional who has been responsible for great work in the past and I’m sure his extensive expertise will be a huge contributing factor to our growth.”
Jesse brings to Geometry over 25 years of experience across business management, brand marketing, digital marketing, and communications. He joins Geometry from Edelman where he served as APAC CEO, successfully transforming the traditional PR agency into a modern communication organization with brand and digital capabilities.
Before Edelman, he worked for McCann Greater China as CEO, and prior to that held senior positions at DDB Shanghai, Wieden + Kennedy China, and Leo Burnette Hong Kong.
On his new role, Jesse comments, “Today the relationship between brand and consumer is increasingly dynamic and fragmented, particularly in retail. To maintain relevance and drive business growth, marketers are constantly seeking out fresh and effective solutions from their agency partners. Geometry has demonstrated a willingness to innovate through its vision of commerce as a ripe canvas for creativity. I am very excited and honored to join this entrepreneurial team. APAC is full of energy, optimism, and opportunity. I look forward to partnering with our Asian teams driving more innovation and success from this region.”
MAM
Lessons from global media markets on building enduring content franchises
Rose Audio Visuals COO and CFO Mitesh Patel.
MUMBAI: The global media landscape has undergone a fundamental shift. Success today is no longer defined by a single hit show. It is defined by the ability to build intellectual property (IP) that travels, evolves, and compounds over time.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this shift is central to how we think about content pitching and creation. We are no longer in the business of just making shows. We are in the business of building IP ecosystems.
From Hits to Franchises
Globally, the most successful content is designed to extend beyond its first outing. It travels across: Seasons, Platforms (TV → OTT → Digital), Formats (series → spin-offs) Shows like Stranger Things and Money Heist are not just successful series they are multi-layered franchises with global recall, fan engagement, and long-term monetisation. The key learning is simple: If content cannot scale beyond one season or one platform, it remains a project not a franchise.
Local Stories, Global Impact
One of the most powerful global trends is the rise of culturally rooted storytelling. Platforms today reward local authenticity combined with universal emotion. Stories that are deeply regional are no longer limited by geography they are amplified by it. Consider the global impact of Squid Game or India’s own Sacred Games. The takeaway is clear: The more authentic the story, the greater its potential to travel if the emotion resonates universally.
Monetisation Begins After the First Window
A critical global learning is that the true value of content is not realised at launch, it is realised over time.
Strong franchises unlock multiple revenue streams: Licensing, International remakes, Brand integrations, Digital extensions , Events and immersive experiences
Global players like The Walt Disney Company have mastered this approach, turning content into long-term ecosystems that extend far beyond the screen.
The first window is just the beginning. The real value lies in what follows.
At Rose Audio Visuals, we increasingly evaluate projects not just on commissioning value, but on their long-term franchise potential.
The Rise of Creator-Led Franchises
An important global shift is the emergence of creator-led IP ecosystems.
Creators today are not just content producers they are building full-scale franchises across platforms, formats, and businesses.
A powerful example is MrBeast. What started as YouTube videos has evolved into: Multiple content formats, Global audience scale , Brand extensions and businesses, High-impact experiential content This is a fundamentally different model digital-first, audience-owned, and infinitely scalable.
This model is still in its early stages in Indian but it represents a massive opportunity.
The next wave of Indian content franchises may not come from traditional studios alone but from creators who think like media companies.
Balancing Data with Creative Instinct
Streaming platforms today are deeply data-driven. Data helps Identify emerging genres, Predict audience behaviour , Inform commissioning decisions However, global experience shows that data alone does not create hits. Data informs scale, but storytelling creates impact.
Talent is the Foundation of Franchises
Enduring franchises are rarely accidental they are built through long-term creative partnerships. Globally, there is a clear focus on nurturing Actors, Writter, Show runner and director. Franchises are not built on scripts alone they are built on creators. This is an area where we continue to invest deeply building long-term relationships with talent rather than project-based collaborations.
Multi-Platform Thinking from Day One
Content consumption today is inherently multi-platform. A successful show must be designed not just for its primary platform, but for: Short-form extensions, Social media amplification, Digital-first engagement. Every show today needs a second life beyond its original format.
India: A Market at an Inflection Point
India today stands at a unique moment in its content journey.
We are seeing significant opportunity in Regional markets (Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and others) Emerging formats such as micro-dramas, Scalable, franchise-driven fiction IP
India does not lack stories. What we have historically lacked is structured franchise thinking something that is now beginning to evolve.
The Way Forward
The biggest lesson from global markets is this: The future belongs to companies that do not chase hits, but systematically build franchises. Because while hits may deliver immediate success, franchises create long-term value, recall, and compounding growth.
At Rose Audio Visuals, this belief shapes how we develop, greenlight, and scale content across platforms.
For content companies today, the question is no longer “Will this show work?” It is: “Can this become a franchise?”
A Personal Note
Having worked across content, business, and strategy, one thing has become increasingly clear to me, the most valuable companies in our industry will not be those that create the most content, but those that create content that endures.
Building a franchise requires patience, conviction, and a long-term lens something that the industry is only now beginning to fully embrace.As we continue this journey at Rose Audio Visuals, our focus remains simple: to move from volume-driven creation to value-driven storytelling. Because in the end, stories may start conversations but franchises build legacies.
