MAM
Happy mcgarrybowen appoints Mani as ECD & Madhavdas as SVP
MUMBAI: Happy mcgarrybowen, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has added creative and account management muscle in the team with the appointment of Rajesh Mani and Kunal Madhavdas as the agency’s first ever ECD and Sr. VP respectively.
Armed with over 18 years of rich experience across agencies like BBH, Ogilvy, Leo Burnett and Commonwealth, Rajesh arrives at Happy to take up the Executive Creative Director role.
Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy mcgarrybowen, said, “Creative leadership is not just about the talent but more about having the maturity to nurture ideas. In Rajesh we found the natural energy to further that culture.”
Having worked on many landmark campaigns, such as Vodafone’s Blackberry Boys, The Zoozoos, Lenovo’s Sumo film, many noted pieces on Marico, Chevrolet, Bajaj, Titan and more, Rajesh will head a few of Happy mcgarrybowen’s prime accounts – Ola, Suzuki and Jabong.
Mani said, “The decision to join here felt like a natural progression. The mandate was simple and clear; to keep the creative flag flying high and that’s what I aim to do.”
Meanwhile Kunal Madhavdas landed at Happy mcgarrybowen after stints at Lowe Lintas, JWT and McCann Erickson in a career that is 14 years in the making. Having overseen multiple blockbuster campaigns for Flipkart, TVS, Myntra, Fastrack, Britannia, Tata Tea, bagging multiple Effies and a couple of AME’s in the process, Kunal joins as Senior Vice President, working closely with Kartik Iyer and Samarjit Choudhry, COO, Happy mcgarrybowen.
Madhavdas commented, “The intent and the capability to crack and execute integrated campaigns that work effectively across mediums is something most brands look for in their advertising partners today. Happy mcgarrybowen has consistently done that. I can sense happier times ahead, so keep watching!”
The new hires mark a distinct upsurge in direction and ambition from Happy mcgarrybowen on its tenth anniversary and serves as another example of how the agency is investing heavily in the finest talent in India to deliver the best for its clients.
Samarjit Choudhry, COO, Happy mcgarrybowen, said, “With Kunal and now Rajesh, we have people who come from the same mindset.”
MAM
McDonald’s India CBO Arvind RP exits after seven years
The chief business officer exits after a stint that took him from marketing to leading South India operations.
MUMBAI: Arvind RP is out. The chief business officer of McDonald’s India has stepped down from the fast-food giant after more than seven years, and is currently serving out his notice period.
It is a significant exit. Arvind joined McDonald’s India in 2019 as director of marketing and communications, a fairly conventional brief, but steadily accumulated responsibilities until he was running the profit and loss for the company’s entire South India operation, with store operations, new outlet development, marketing, human resources and training all falling under his remit.
In a LinkedIn post, he was characteristically warm about his time there. “Looking back, many of the moments that stand out in my career aren’t just about outcomes or milestones; they’re about the incredible people who were part of the journey,” he wrote, adding that he had been “lucky to be surrounded by fantastic team members.”
Before McDonald’s, Arvind spent six years at skincare chain Kaya, where he led marketing and analytics, overseeing brand-building, product innovation and digital and customer relationship management. His career spans a remarkable sweep of Indian industry: retail at Levi Strauss & Co, consumer goods at Britannia Industries, and automobiles at TVS Motor Company, where he also took an international posting in Jakarta.
With 25 years of experience across quick-service restaurants, beauty, fashion and FMCG, Arvind will not be short of takers. The only question is who moves first.
