MAM
James R Heekin III named Grey Worldwide chairman and CEO
MUMBAI: Grey Global Group has named James R Heekin III as chairman and CEO of Grey Worldwide.
He will assume global responsibilities for Grey Worldwide immediately and will report to Grey Global Group chairman, president and CEO Edward H Meyer.
Heekin III served as Euro RSCG Worldwide chairman and CEO from 2004 until his resignation in early August.
Meyer said, “Jim Heekin is a world-class leader on the global advertising stage and a giant in our industry. His arrival opens an exciting new chapter in the growth and development of Grey Worldwide. Jim and I have known each other for years. I have long respected him for his personal qualities and business achievements, and I look forward to working with him. This is a great day for Grey Worldwide, our clients and our people.”
Heekin said, “The opportunity to lead Grey Worldwide is the high point of my professional career. I look forward to partnering with Ed Meyer and the accomplished people working across the network in 83 countries. Our goal is to make Grey the global leader in talent; powerful branding ideas grounded in consumer understanding and superlative creativity and delivery in every channel for our clients. These have been, and will continue to be, the cornerstones of Grey’s growth.”
Heekin III had joined Euro RSCG Worldwide in late 2003 as president and COO.
Heekin is credited with spearheading the revitalisation and growth of the global network. Under his leadership, Euro RSCG Worldwide dramatically transformed its business development efforts, winning in excess of $700 million in new business and adding such blue-chip accounts as Charles Schwab, Jaguar, Glaxo SmithKline’s Advair, Schering-Plough’s Claritin, Heineken USA’s Dos Equis Beer, Lacoste and LG Electronics in Europe.
At Euro RSCG, Heekin launched the company’s global marketing services brand, Euro RSCG 4D, the world’s largest digital network; energised the agency’s management ranks with new account, creative and planning talent and elevated creative standards, making it one of the top five Lion winners at Cannes 2005.
Earlier in his career, Heekin served as chairman and CEO of McCann-Erickson WorldGroup and McCann-Erickson Worldwide. Under his leadership, McCann was named “Global Agency of the Year” in 2001 by Adweek magazine.
In 1998, Heekin was named to the London-based post of Regional Director of Europe/Middle East/Africa for McCann.
Heekin began his advertising career in 1975 in the Research and Planning Department of J. Walter Thompson. After a brief stint in brand management at General Foods, he joined Bozell Worldwide in 1980 as executive vice president, management director on Chrysler. He returned to JWT in 1985 to lead the Miller and Burger King accounts. In 1988, he was appointed General Manager of JWT New York and, together with his creative partner, James Patterson, led the agency to unprecedented new business success. In 1993, under Heekin, J. Walter Thompson New York was named “Agency of the Year” by Adweek.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
