MxMIndia

Tag: Gustavo Martinez

  • For J Walter Thompson CEO Gustavo Martinez, the 2020 agenda is about growth, work, new kind of talent and a new way of working

    Why India is a key office for JWT

     

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    Gustavo Martinez, the new global CEO of J Walter Thompson (JWT), says India will have to play a big role in pushing the advertising agency’s global growth rate to 6%-7% a year from less than 4% now. Mr Martinez, who spent about a year to know the network offices and set a growth agenda for 2020 before officially taking over as global CEO on January 1, 2015, started out by announcing new management structures in two of JWT’s biggest offices – New York and India.

     

    “I spent about 11 months to define and understand the company, to create and plan and now it is time to implement,” Mr Martinez said. He said the 2020 agenda is about growth, work, new kind of talent and new way of working. “I think we need to grow at least 6-7% per year globally between organic and inorganic,” he said. “Non-organic is clearly through acquisitions in new capabilities like digital, social content agency, content agency, digital platforms …. Organic is trying to expand our portfolio of clients.

     

    And that’s why it is important for people like Colvyn Harris to join my growth global team to specially deliver the organic growth,” Mr Martinez said. He expects India to be one of the biggest growth providers for the firm, adding he will be happy if JWT grows at about 8% rate in India. “India is a continent. It’s a region in itself,” he said. While JWT is still the largest agency network in India, industry estimate reveals that the JWT India suffered severe revenue losses of about Rs 55-60 crore, in the last two years. Mr Martinez denied this. “The facts are wrong. JWT India is still one of our largest companies and one of the most profitable companies we have in the organisation,” he said.

     

    “I also don’t want to measure JWT one year or the last six months performance. I will see the whole trend of the organisation. Clearly, in order to deliver the growth, we have set very ambitious targets and India needs to push the envelope.

     

    And therefore we are… reinforcing and reenergising the organisation.” On Tuesday, the firm had announced Tarun Rai as the new CEO of JWT South Asia, replacing Colvyn Harris who has been promoted as executive director, global growth and client development.

     

    In terms of improving skillset in JWT, Mr Martinez said ‘shopper marketing’ is an avenue that needs to be built in India. “Retail is still very traditional in India. I think because of the implementation of the new laws, the regulations it will catch up with the rest of the world. Shopper marketing will definitely become one of the fastest growing disciplines within our communication portfolio,” Mr Martinez said.

     

    He said that while global investor sentiment is positive towards India, the government needs to simplify regulations and processes as they are currently “extremely complex”. “My clients are definitely willing to increase their investments in the country. There was some kind of bitterness before because India didn’t crystallise enough.

     

    I think after the formation of the new government the sentiment is up again,” he said. Mr Martinez listed lack of infrastructure and legal problems among the hurdles that stopped big investment flow into India. “That for me will be the big challenge. It exactly what happened with Mexico two or three years ago. The new president put in the right changes and the laws but the problem was implementation.

     

    In India, the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) will be successful only if he can implement his plan,” he said. He also said mobile phone will play a dominant role in the future. “We are already becoming a multi-screen kind of consumer. Everything is going to be mobile. Data is going to fundamental and third is creativity. How can be more creative taking advantage and leverage all the new resources and channels that we have?” Mr Martinez said.

     

    To deal with this kind of challenges, Mr Martinez is introducing a new style of management in the system that he called “channel agnostic”. “Focus on how we can deliver the new demands of the clients. More focus towards digital orientation and technology orientation. We need to have a management ready to embrace the challenges and try to even foresee those challenges and to readopt the structure in a nimble way for these changes,” Mr Martinez said.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2015, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The outgoing WWM CEO will take over from Colvyn Harris who will assume a global role

    Change of Guard at JWT. Tarun Rai is new CEO South Asia

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    There is a change of guard at JWT in India. Gustavo Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of J  Walter Thompson Company,  announced that Tarun Rai will succeed Colyvn  Harris as CEO,  J. Walter Thompson South Asia, beginning early 2015. Mr Harris, 57, who has had a longstanding tenure with the company, will assume the role of Executive Director, Global Growth and Client Development, reporting to Martinez.

     

     

    In the role of CEO, Mr Rai will lead J Walter Thompson South Asia, which includes India,  Sri Lanka and Nepal, as well as J. Walter Thompson’s Indian companies, including  Contract Advertising, Hungama Digital Services, J. Walter Thompson Mindset, Encompass and Social Wavelength. He will report to Gustavo Martinez, and will work closely with Nick Romas, J Walter Thompson Asia Pacific CFO.

     

    “I am thrilled to welcome Tarun Rai back to J. Walter Thompson,” said Mr Martinez. “Tarun has the global business acumen and pioneering spirit needed to lead J. Walter Thompson South Asia. He was an important part of our, and now he will be a critical part of our future.”

     

    As was reported by MxMIndia on Monda, Mr Rai, 51, has announced his decision to leave Worldwide Media, where he held the role of CEO since 2008.

     

    “It’s wonderful to return home to J Walter Thompson during this pivotal time in the company’s history,” says Mr Rai. “Being away for a few years has given me an invaluable ‘outside-in’ perspective of the advertising business. Having a chance to head J. Walter  Thompson South Asia and work with Gustavo Martinez as he leads J. Walter Thompson into the next 150 years is a huge honour.”

     

    During his last tenure at J Walter Thompson, Mr Rai worked with clients like Hindustan Unilever, Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline, Pizza Hut, De Beers, ITC, Tata Steel, Nestlé, Hero, Godrej and Kellogg’s amongst others. He is someone who understands and reflects J. Walter Thompson’s values and ethics, notes a communique Mr Rai is an advertising and media professional with more than 25 years’ experience. He holds a business degree and is an alumnus of the London School of Economics.

     

    Mr Harris, who has spent 35 years at J. Walter Thompson, has been CEO of Contract Advertising and Managing Director of J. Walter Thompson Colombo, as well as holding various industry leadership roles and board positions, including President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India.

     

    Under his leadership, JWT has built a formidable reputation with a diverse spectrum of traditional, mainstream, activation, events and digital marketing services capabilities, including the acquisitions of Encompass, Hungama  Digital Services, Mindset and Social Wavelength, adds the communiqué. The agency also won its first Cannes  Grand Prix and first Titanium Lion under his leadership, and was the highest awarded Indian agency at Cannes 2014.

     

    “Every day has been an opportunity across my professional career at J. Walter Thompson,” said Mr Harris. “Building our capabilities to meet the ambition of our clients’ brands has been my relentless passion and purpose. I have worked with the most amazing and talented team one can ever hope for, and the bluest-of-blue chip clients across every category one can dream of. I am proud to have sustained and grown our client partnerships, and that our clients continue to be leaders in their respective categories for the ideas we have delivered for them. I look forward to being an integral part of the global client development team.”

     

    “I am deeply grateful for Colvyn Harris’ longstanding leadership and commitment to J Walter Thompson,” said Mr Martinez. “Colvyn has been a real asset and a great support during my first 11 months in the company. He will continue to help me further the growth of the company in this new role.

     

    “2015 will be a big year, especially for J Walter Thompson South Asia under Tarun’s leadership and vision,” he added.

     

     

  • JWT has announced a yearlong program of innovative events and activations to highlight its pioneering spirit and rich history around the world

    JWT – celebrations unlimited @ 150

    By a correspondent

     

    150 years is a long time and surviving the market odds and dishing out consistent growth performances year-on-year is indeed an achievement in itself. As part of its 150th anniversary, advertising hotshop JWT has announced a yearlong program of innovative events and activations to highlight its pioneering spirit and rich history around the world.

     

    “JWT’s 150th is much more than just a birthday. This is a platform to galvanize our employees around our pioneering roots and spirit of inventiveness, and to share our mission with our clients and the world,” said Chairman and CEO Bob Jeffrey.

     

    “Every day is an opportunity to reinvent tomorrow, and together with our pioneering clients, we will continue to seize that opportunity for the next 150 years,” added Jeffrey.

     

    To kick off the anniversary celebrations, the agency unveiled a commemorative logo that revives the original historical mark from JWT’s earliest visual branding: the Owl and the Lamp. The owl, long a symbol of wisdom in many cultures, and the lamp, an emblem of light and clarity of vision, together symbolize that experience and knowledge lead to success.

     

    Additional 150th celebrations that will take place throughout the year include the commodore challenge – an internal contest in search of the three most pioneering ideas for the world, with cash prizes; Cannes seminar on pioneering and innovation; pioneering Influencer Series with clients, alumni and industry icons; Helen Lansdowne Resor Scholarship for female creatives; interactive historical timeline; historical content series highlighting JWT’s first and best stories from around the world and the JWT Intelligence 150th Initiative.

     

    Over the decades, JWT has maintained a number of the industry’s longest-standing client relationships including: Unilever (109 years), Kimberly-Clark (84), Nestlé (81), Kellogg’s (80), Rolex (68), Ford (67), U.S. Marines (66), Johnson & Johnson (51) and Shell (49).

     

    In celebrating the agency’s rich history of pioneering, JWT drives forward in its mission and vision for the future to invent pioneering ideas that people want to participate in and spend time with.

     

    “It is an honor to join JWT during such a momentous time. This is an agency with pioneering DNA – the brand, the clients and the people,” said Gustavo Martinez, Global President for JWT Worldwide. He added, “Our strategy for growth in the year ahead as a company will also draw its strength from our spirit of pioneering.”

     

    From hiring the first female creative director and pioneering magazine advertising to being the first agency to expand overseas and the first to send a Kit Kat into space, JWT has pioneered in the world of advertising with groundbreaking ideas that are bold and engaging, and introduced many of the world’s most memorable communications.

     

    In 2013, JWT’s innovative work won a number of accolades at global awards shows including the preeminent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. JWT’s “Fakka” for Vodafone brought home numerous awards, including a gold lion and was also the most awarded piece of strategic work in the industry last year. Additional award-winning campaigns were JWT Beijing’s “Missing Children” app for Baobeihuijia.com and JWT New York’s “Yes, Virginia the Musical” for Macy’s.

     

    In 2014, JWT will continue to reinvent and bolster its digital capabilities. Actively managing digital change, JWT touts more than 2,000 nontraditional specialists dedicated to delivering digital work for clients. The agency will continue to acquire pure-play digital agencies, with a special focus on emerging markets – recent acquisitions include Thomas Idea in Thailand, Post Visual in South Korea, Designercity in Hong Kong and Lemon Sky in Poland – while expanding existing digital networks.

     

    New business growth is an important signal of JWT’s contemporary relevance, as it often involves attracting clients from newer industries. The agency was recently named global agency of record for PUMA, confirming JWT’s credibility in the booming sectors of sport and fashion. Other new business wins included Energizer personal care brands, Air Canada and The Singapore Tourism Board.

     

  • If the appointment of PR honcho Harris Diamond as Chairman & CEO of McCann Worldgroup is a success, we could well see a new leadership order in adland

    Diamonds are wherever…

    Left: Harris Diamond, Right top: Gustavo Martinez, Right bottom: Luca Lindner

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Imagine the head of a large Indian PR agency being appointed CEO of his network’s well-known creative agency? You can’t dream of such an eventuality in India, but not so in the United States of America, where public relations hasn’t hit the bottom of the pyramid as it has here in India.

     

    On Tuesday, November 13, the Interpublic Group announced a series of top management changes at McCann Worldgroup:  Harris Diamond was moved from being Chairman and CEO of IPG’s Constituency Management Group (CMG, which includes Weber Shandwick) to a similar role at McCann Worldgroup, replacing Nick Brien. A new, three-person office of the Chairman has been created which will have Mr Diamond along with Luca Lindner and Gustavo Martinez who have assigned bigger roles with geographic and operational responsibilities.

     

    McCann Erickson is the dominant unit of McCann Worldgroup which also includes UM, Weber Shandwick, Momentum, MRM, Craft Worldwide, McCann Health and Future Brand.

     

    Prasoon Joshi

    What does this mean for India? Not much. Except that until Tuesday, Prasoon Joshi as head of McCann in South Asia reported directly to CEO Nick Brien will now relate with Mr Martinez who takes charge of Asia-Pacific in addition to Europe. Mr Diamond told a Campaign Asia journalist that he had been in touch with Mr Joshi.

     

    Part of the reason why the office of the Chairman has been created is reportedly Mr Diamond’s background of being a Public Relations maven. Widely regarded as among the top 10 PR practitioners in the world, Mr Diamond role at CMG and Weber Shandwick specificially has received several accolades.

     

    His appointment to McCann is significant as he’s possibly the first true blue Public Relations professional taking charge of a large, global creative advertising company.  For IPG, industry observers say, it’s all about managing a communications firm, keeping costs under control, maintaining  a disciplined organization and most importantly: get in sync with the customer’s future strategy.

     

    Reasoned a former colleague David Brain: “In the era of enfranchised consumer and stakeholder and when everyone now ‘gets’ the need to engage and change strategy based on the long term needs of stakeholders and consumers, it is PR thinking not advertising thinking that is best placed to succeed.  Note, I’m labeling advertising thinking as the problem, not necessarily advertising agencies.”

     

    Mr Diamonds work appears cut out. Along with Messrs Lindner and Martinez plus Linus Karlsoon and Daryl Lee, global creative and strategy officers respectively who will take charge of the day-to-day operations of the agency, he needs to first ensure that people do not use ‘ailing’ as a descriptor for McCann Erickson.

     

    PR Week magazine reports on how in the 11 years that Mr Diamond led Weber Shandwick, he created a “powerhouse that had other shops looking over their shoulders”. The magazine’s website notes: “Contemporaries in the industry said he was a visionary who led his firm to be one of the most successful in the country.”

     

    Mr Diamond has the reputation of being cost-conscious and Mr Brain has this view: “My top tip for anyone at McCann who will be meeting Harris in the next few days and weeks is make sure you know how to forecast your revenues; make sure you know your cost base; make sure you are intimately connected with your clients and their needs and make sure you do quality work, because he can sniff BS a mile away!”

     

    Will Harris Diamond shine where Nick Brien didn’t. After all, Mr Brien too came with the reputation of being a successful Universal McCann captain and very customer-focussed. Guess time will tell.

     

    There are many people watching.  The success of this appointment could well see winds of change blowing across adland and the entire world of marketing communications.

     

    And to the world of PR professionals in India: fingers crossed. It could well be your time soon!