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Rahul Thappa takes over as dentsu Media managing director Singapore
MUMBAI: He’s shuffled between jobs in the south east Asian region and in India. Between being on the media side and on the broadcast side.
Rahul Thappa, however, is now on the media side as he has taken over as managing director of dentsu Media based in Singapore from 1 January 2025.
His remit: looking after investment and management for dentsu’s regional and global accounts out of Singapore and growing the agency’s customer experience capabilities (CX) with Merkle.”
Merkle is dentsu’s technology-enabled, data-driven CX management company.
Thapa was last the managing director of Vista Equity Partners-backed global centre of excellence Naviga for the past three and a half years based in Gurugram. He took a shot at self-employment by setting up a consulting firm VDO Focus Consulting for a year and half advising start ups to manage their digital campaigns and strategy between January 2020 and July 2021.
Between July 2013 and September 2019, he made south east Asia his home base – first in Astro in Malaysia as VP data analytics, trading & sales enablement and then at Fox network group in Singapore as SVP ad sale strategy, sales operations.
A short stab at entrepreneurship preceded that which ended in in six months. As did his assignment with Mindshare in Gurgaon in the leadership team where he stayed for around a year. He hopped on to Mail Today as COO, but could continue there for only nine months between April 2011 and December 2011.
A mathematics graduate and post graduate diploma holder in marketing communication from Mica and PGPX in general management from IIM-A., Rahul sent six years and six months at Mindshare Malaysia rising to become managing partner.
AD Agencies
Publicis Groupe to acquire 160over90 from WME Group
Deal aims to build data-led platform linking brands, fans and culture at scale
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has agreed to acquire 160over90 from WME Group, in a move that signals a major push into the fast-growing world of sports and culture-led marketing.
The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, will see Publicis combine its existing Publicis Sports capabilities with 160over90’s global footprint to create what it calls a unified, end-to-end platform connecting brands with audiences through sport, entertainment and culture.
Founded as a division of WME Group, 160over90 has built a reputation for delivering high-impact campaigns across some of the world’s biggest sporting moments, including the Super Bowl, Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. With over 670 employees across the US, UK, EMEA and Apac, the agency works with global brands to create experiences that resonate both on and off the field.
The acquisition reflects a broader shift in marketing, where sport has become a central pillar of premium media. With the global sports media market estimated at $150 billion and sponsorships crossing $90 billion, brands are increasingly looking for more integrated ways to engage audiences.
Publicis is betting that a data-led approach will be the differentiator. By integrating 160over90 with its own capabilities, including the Epsilon identity ecosystem and Influential network, the company aims to offer marketers a seamless way to plan, activate and measure campaigns across media, sponsorships, live events and creator partnerships.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun said, “After building our industry-leading position in identity resolution, commerce, and creators, our next big bet is sport. In the age of AI, it has become one of the most high-value channels for clients.”
He added that combining 160over90’s expertise with Publicis’ data and technology stack would help “connect brands to fans in ways that are both meaningful and measurable”.
Echoing the sentiment, Publicis Connected Media CEO Dave Penski said, “Sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community,” highlighting the growing need to treat sports marketing as a measurable channel rather than just brand-building.
As part of the deal, Publicis will also enter into a strategic partnership with WME Group, enabling closer collaboration on talent, content and brand partnerships. WME Group president Mark Shapiro said the tie-up would open up new opportunities for talent and brands to scale their ambitions globally.
Post acquisition, the combined Publicis Sports entity will report to Suzy Deering, while Robbie Henchman will remain with WME Group to oversee the ongoing partnership.
The move builds on Publicis’ recent investments in the space, including acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025 and a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, underscoring its intent to dominate the intersection of sport, culture and commerce.
As brands chase both attention and accountability, Publicis’ latest play suggests the future of sports marketing may be less about moments alone and more about measurable impact at scale.
