MxMIndia

Tag: Amplifi

  • To lead Investment Management, Media Trading and Content

    Dentsu appoints Saagar Sethi to lead Amplifi

    By Our Staff

     

    Saagar Sethi
    Saagar Sethi

    Dentsu India has announced the appointment of Saagar Sethi the President of its supply side management platform, Amplifi. In his new role, Sethi will lead the network’s Investment Management, Media Trading (Media Owner Services and Principal Buying) and Content (Original Partnerships & Entertainment) businesses in India. He will also have responsibility for helping drive the continued growth of The Story Lab and Posterscope, two specialist agency units within Dentsu which focus on entertainment production and Out of Home (OOH) capabilities, respectively. Sethi will report into Divya Karani, Media CEO, Dentsu – South Asia and work closely with the global Amplifi leadership.

     

    Divya Karani
    Divya Karani

    Commenting on the appointment, Karani said: “We are excited to have Saagar join our management team as we consolidate and prepare for the next stage of growth. In today’s increasingly complex media market, the experience he brings to the table will help us increase our client delivery skills in India.”

     

    Added Sethi:  “I have always been passionate about media. The timing of this opportunity could not have been better. This role complements my transformation experience and passion. I am committed to creating synergies and incremental value for all our clients, stakeholders, and partners, underpinned by the need of driving compliance and transparency. Truly, it is an exciting time to be at Dentsu India.”

     

  • Anita Kotwani joins Carat India as CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Carat India, the flagship media agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN), has roped in Anita Kotwani as its chief executive officer (CEO). 

     

    Kotwani was until recently at Mindshare India where she held the position of Senior Vice President, New Business and Client Lead, The Walt Disney Business. In a career spanning more than two decades, 16 of which have been with Mindshare, Kotwani has been instrumental in leading client relationships for brands such as the ABG, Kellogg, ICICI Group, Facebook, Byju and The Walt Disney Company amongst others, for the West zone. Additionally, she has also helped build diversified offerings across data, digital and content, driving exponential growth for Mindshare India over the last two years.

    Kartik Iyer
    Kartik Iyer

    She will report to Kartik Iyer, President Media Brands and Amplifi and will be responsible for the agency’s strategic progress and business growth, nationally. She will also focus on developing and leading significant tools and capabilities within Carat to help deliver enhanced integrated solutions to clients. Speaking on her appointment, Iyer said: “I am delighted to have Anita Kotwani join our team at Dentsu Aegis Network India. In her new role, Anita will help futureproof Carat India as the agency gets ready to take on the new opportunities that the changing market dynamics has to offer.” 

     

    Anand Bhadkamkar
    Anand Bhadkamkar

    Added Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO, DAN India: “Anita is an industry veteran. She is known for her dedication and diligence and has worked across multiple categories including consumer durables, financial services, FMCG and other MNC brands. I wish her all the luck as she charts fresh new path for Carat India, beginning now,” 

     

    Elaborating on her mandate, Kotwani said: “Carat was the world’s first media agency to form with the belief that media has the power to transform businesses and this holds true even in today’s times. It is indeed Redefining Media. With DAN’s unique operating model under its single P&L structure, one can draw on the capabilities of its sister companies – including that of its dedicated OOH, Digital, Performance, Marketing Effectiveness and Creative agencies, to access world class specialisms and create bespoke teams to meet client specific needs. There is scale, specialisation and integration at the core, and with my expertise in leading client relationships and growing diversified offerings, I am super excited to lead the Carat brand for India.”

  • Kartik Iyer to head media biz. Rajni Menon to helm Carat, Joydeep Raha is CEO Carat Context & Himanka Das as CEO, Vizeum as Shripad Kulkarni moves on

    Dentsu Aegis Network rejigs top deck

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Aegis Network has restructured its top deck in media agencies group across Carat and Vizeum. Kartik Iyer has been elevated to President, Media Brands and Amplifi.

     

    Rajni Menon will be CEO of Carat and Joydeep Raha will be CEO of Carat Context as Himanka Das will take over as CEO, Vizeum. Shripad Kulkarni has announced his decision to move on from the group by end-December to pursue his own interest. The move does not impact Dentsu X headed by Divya Karani so far.

     

    Ashish Bhasin

    Said Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO South Asia – Dentsu Aegis Network: “To enable a more future ready product for our clients, our media agencies have been reorganised for the rapidly changing market environment under the unified leadership of Kartik Iyer who has been leading our fastest growing media agency, Carat, for over eight years now. He will be responsible for enabling the continued fast track growth of the brands and will provide senior executive council level oversight to the media brands, in addition to his Amplifi responsibilities.”

     

    Speaking on his appointment and on the next steps for the Media Brands, Iyer said: “I am delighted to have been given this opportunity and look forward to working with the agencies in their growth path over the years. Carat is future proofing to take on the new opportunities that the market dynamics have provided in order to be able to provide world class service to our clients… Rajni is a true blue One DAN exponent. In the past 8 years that Rajni has been with Carat, she has led some of the agency’s most significant developments in capabilities, especially in the area of ICP, CCS, CCS Planner, Multiscreen planning (TV Stack) and Digitizing of Carat, which has enabled the entire group to deliver more consumer focused and business oriented solutions and is best placed to drive it to the next level. Joydeep has been a pillar in the growth path that Carat has seen over the years, particularly in the South markets. With his focus on business growth backed by delivering integrated solutions, he has constantly been adding business for the group. Further, Himanka Das will be taking over as CEO of Vizeum. Himanka has been a part of Dentsu Aegis Network Media leadership for the last 5 years and has a proven ability in managing and growing client relationships both Multinational and Indian,” Iyer added.

     

    Shripad Kulkarni

    Speaking on Kulkarni’s exit, Bhasin said: “Shripad has contributed significantly to the growth of Vizeum in India.  His focus on business and managing client relationships has enabled Vizeum to grow from strength to strength in the last two years. We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.”

     

    Speaking on the future, Iyer added: “The leadership of our media group will continue to focus on delivering Business Outcomes and Digitally Ahead solutions. Over the next few weeks, each of the agencies will be setting up their plans for the coming years and you can expect some very significant initiatives in this area by each agency. Rajni, Joydeep and Himanka, as leaders of their respective media agencies, will continue to innovate the way brands are built.”

     

  • The media investment arm will comprise four specialisations – Investment Management, Global Media Partnerships, Amnet & The Story Lab

    Dentsu Aegis Network to flex its buying muscles with Amplifi

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the India launch of Amplifi, its media investment arm that comprises four specialisations – Investment Management, Global Media Partnerships, Amnet and The Story Lab. Kartik Iyer, President Media Agencies and Amplifi will spearhead the initiative.

     

    Ashish Bhasin

    Speaking on this launch, Ashish Bhasin Chairman & CEO South Asia said: “We are excited to launch Amplifi in India under Kartik’s leadership and bringing together the four key capabilities under one structure. In today’s world, our media partners have much more to bring on table for our clients, than just media inventory.  Amplifi’s is uniquely placed to drive this supply-side convergence by harnessing data, technology, insight and content to help all members of the Dentsu Aegis Network operating model.”

     

    Added Iyer: “Our constant endeavour has been to bring best in class solutions for our clients that enable their business growth. The launch of Amplifi is another step in that direction and I am very excited with this opportunity.”

     

    Sujata Dwibedy

    As part of this launch, Sujata Dwibedy takes over as Group Buying and Trading Head from Harsha Joshi who is moving on. Said Bhasin on Joshi’s exit: “Harsha, with her vast experience, has been a huge contributor in the growth of the media group. We wish her all the very best for her future.”

     

     

    Kartik Iyer

    Speaking on Dwibedy’s appointment, Kartik said, “Sujata, with over 20 years of media trading and strategy experience, has extensively worked across sectors such as FMCG, telecom, airlines, finance, alcohol and beverages and has led teams in the areas of planning, research, buying and strategy. Her holistic perspective will enable a better integration of all buying and trading functions across the group, in both online and offline media. Sujata will be supported by Prashant Nandan who has over 10 years of expertise in strategic digital marketing, media planning, media buying and content marketing across agencies like Isobar, Maxus and Motivator. Over the past three years, he has been leading buying for Isobar and now moves to Amplifi to deliver the digital buying and trading expertise to the group.”

     

    Speaking on her appointment as Group Buying and Trading Head, Dwibedy said, “I am delighted to have been chosen for this responsibility to drive ROI and deliver value to Dentsu Aegis Network clients. In today’s rapidly changing media marketplace, I look forward to working with our agencies and media partners to deliver this value across media to our clients.” The Story Lab, launched in 2015 in India, will continue to operate as part of Amplifi under the leadership of Sunil Kumaran.