MAM
Saatchi & Saatchi appoints Ashutosh Karkhanis as ECD- Mumbai
MUMBAI: Saatchi & Saatchi India has announced the appointment of Ashutosh Karkhanis as executive creative director-Mumbai.
In his new role, Karkhanis will be heading the creative team in Mumbai.
Karkhanis is currently serving his notice period at Ray and Keshavan, The Brand Union where he was working as the creative director. He will join Saatchi & Saatchi from 3 May.
Saatchi & Saatchi- India NCD Ramanuj Shastry said, “Ashu is an awesome talent. I worked with him at Rediffusion Y&R and in the process became a fan of his work – be it advertising, design, digital or photography. He will bring with him new energies and new thinking that is invaluable.”
Saatchi & Saatchi GM Mumbai Nisha Singhania said, “Ashu will be a critical driver of transformation at Saatchi & Saatchi. Having worked with Ashu both at Grey and at Rediffusion, I find his passion for ideas absolutely infectious. His experience in design and digital gives us the edge that we need to succeed in today’s VUCA world.”
On his new role Karkhanis said, “Today when I see my young sons playing on the ipad, I realise that digital is the future. Meeting with the Saatchi team confirmed my belief. With Saatchi & Saatchi I have found the perfect match.”
Karkhanis comes in with over 20 years of experience and has spanned advertising, design and digital.
Prior to joining The Brand Union, he has worked with Lowe, Enterprise, Ambience, Grey, Contract and Rediffusion Y&R. He has worked with clients such as Britannia, Unilever, Kotak Mahindra, HSBC, Asian Paints, Taj Hotels, Economic Times, Kingfisher Airlines, Himalayan Water, Tata Nano and Tata Sky.
Digital
Kausik Misra joins BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president- strategy
Content veteran from Zee to steer strategy at independent agency
MUMBAI: Kausik Misra is switching from prime-time hits to brand playbooks. The former non-fiction content head at Zee Entertainment Enterprises has joined BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president–strategy, as agencies race to pair storytelling with hard business outcomes.
Announced in Mumbai, the hire adds a 15-year content and marketing hand to BigTrunk’s leadership as it courts brands seeking cultural relevance and measurable returns. Misra spent years shaping tentpole shows on Zee TV, helping build franchises such as Dance India Dance, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Zee Rishtey Awards and Zee Cine Awards, and pushing them across television and digital ecosystems.
At BigTrunk, he is expected to tighten strategic planning, deepen audience insight and refine narrative frameworks for clients chasing long-term brand equity. Misra pitches the move as a chance to blend consumer insight, storytelling and commercial discipline in one shop.
Founder and ceo Akhil Nair is betting on content DNA to fuel growth, arguing that brands now demand culture-literate strategy, not just media weight.
Founded in 2013, the agency operates from Delhi and Bangalore, with outposts in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Its client roster ranges from Warner Bros. and H&R Johnson to Unibic Foods, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited, ORRA Jewellery, Saraswat Bank and Discovery Kids.
As brands hunt attention in a crowded market, agencies are raiding the content world for talent. Misra’s bet is that sharp stories still sell—and that strategy, like television, is a game of hits.
