MAM
Dentsu Aegis bulks up; acquires Perfect Relations
MUMBAI: He has got ambition. Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia CEO Ashish Bhasin has been saying how he is going to get his group in the top two agency network bracket in India. He seems to be in a hurry to get there through the acquisition route.
Over the past two years, he has acquired at least three companies. Now, the next one is in his bag. Dentsu has announced the acquisition of the Perfect Relations group, one of India’s top-notch public relations communications firm. The price tag for this is not known, but estimates are that it is in the triple crore digit range.
The buy brings with it the parent company, Perfect Relations, and other agencies Accord Public Relations, Image Public Relations, Imprimis Life PR, India Media Monitor and Buzz. And an A-list of clients from the IT and tech sector and Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola, Nokia, Airtel and Honda across diverse sectors.
Perfect Relations Group has now become a member of Dentsu Aegis Network India, retaining its branding. This addition will strengthen Dentsu Aegis Network’s overall communications offering in this rapidly growing market.
Perfect Relations Group’s presence spans across 19 offices and 50 cities in India with over 500 associates, offering a full suite of core PR services including corporate reputation management, brand and marketing communications, media management and crisis management.
Perfect Relations promoter group managing director Dilip Cherian and CEO Pradeep (Bobby) Kewalramani will be joining the leadership team at Dentsu Aegis and report in to Ashish Bhasin.
Says Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific CEO Nick Waters: “The PR segment in India is forecast to grow at double digits annually and having a scaled business that is well integrated to our company enables us to build on our overall strength and reputation in the market. With Perfect Relations Group’s strong quality management and established digital capabilities, we are well positioned to support our clients in an increasingly convergent environment in the country.”
Adds Bhasin: “The joining in of Perfect Relations Group moves us a huge step closer towards achieving our mission of being the second largest group in this business in India. PR is an important and integral part of the advertising and communications business in India. We look forward with excitement to having them on board.”
“In order to accelerate growth and tap into the latest global platforms and tools, we wanted to partner with a great global network.A good cultural and strategic fit is a top priority in making the decision on who we would like to join. We are very pleased that Dentsu Aegis Network is our choice partner in taking Perfect Relations Group and our spectacular team to the next level,” expound both Cherian and Kewalaramani.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
