MxMIndia

Tag: Kelly Clark

  • E-Commerce to grow 15 per cent in 2018, representing 10 per cent of Retail

    GroupM report predicts online media surpassing Linear TV in 2018

    By A Correspondent

     

    GroupM has released a new report, ‘State of Digital’ offering intelligence on consumer media consumption and advertising investment trends worldwide. The  new report focuses on the impact of technology and digital capabilities on consumers and advertisers.

     

    GroupM tabulated consumers’ time spent with each media format, globally, and calculated average time spent with media overall. In 2018, consumers will spend an average 9.73 hours with media, up from 9.68 hours in 2017 (figures weighted by media investment). Additionally, GroupM predicts time spent with online media will overtake time spent with linear TV for the first time, globally, in 2018. Online will have a 38 per cent share, TV 37 per cent, and the balance spread primarily across print and

     

    Increased time spent with online media supports ongoing e-commerce escalation. Thirty-five countries supplied 2017 e-commerce data to GroupM revealing cumulative transactions worth $2.105 trillion, growth of 17 per cent over the prior year. GroupM predicts 15 per cent growth in 2018 to $2.442 trillion or about 10% of all

     

    For the report, GroupM also examined programmatic (automated) ad investment trends. On average across reporting countries, 44 per cent of online display investment was transacted programmatically in 2017 versus 31 per cent in 2016. This will rise to 47 per cent in 2018. For online video investment, programmatic is smaller; 22 per cent in 2017 versus 17 per cent in 2016 and predicted to rise to 24 per cent this

     

    GroupM also surveyed WPP’s network to better see the forest for the trees on industry hot topics.

    Blockchain: So far, there is scant evidence of practical application. “Blockchain’s main attraction is its distributed ledger which tells everyone everything and thus presents the opportunity to reduce inefficiency or cheating. However, its Achilles’ heel is the need to keep every participating computer updated with everything all the time, and that’s too slow for a real time world,” states Adam Smith, GroupM’s Futures Director.

     

    AI: Conversely, respondents reported ample development and scaled deployments with Artificial Intelligence (AI). “Arguably, today’s most advanced marketing tools are the advanced algorithms helping brands analyze which creative or media placement is performing the best, at scale and speed,” states Smith. “Among many future applications, we expect AI to helpfully emerge in fighting fraud that evades conventional rules-based

     

    Data: Regarding marketer application of data to media investment, respondents cited ample room for improvement. Clients are increasingly aware of the value of owned/acquired data, but are often risk-averse to harvesting, storing and distributing it. In many smaller countries, available data is poor. Most U.S. clients are using first-party data to activate digital media, and they’ve frequently invested in enterprise data management platforms (DMPs). Other markets are not so far along for varying reasons. Marketers most often using first-party data are performance-oriented, e-commerce driven, and typically in auto, travel, hospitality, banking, or sometimes supermarkets with well-managed end-point of sale

     

    Digital video competition: Because measurement of premium video audiences across platforms is woefully inadequate in every market, GroupM asked respondents to simply estimate the share of TV incumbents versus digital insurgents. Legacy TV players are believed to hold three-fourths of all video hours but less than a third (29 per cent) online video hours.

     

    Metrics & viewability: GroupM believes that effective advertising must be in view and/or in hearing, and we take a leading position in setting industry and commercial viewability practices. Constituents reported some industry works-in-progress to enhance measurement of omni-platform video audiences. As this progresses, viewability continues to be debated with some contrarians suggesting 100 per cent in-view ads in mobile environments can sometimes be intrusive and can be negative to consumer experience and thus brands.

     

    In-housing: Respondents said this is more often talked about than done, but several countries reported hybrid arrangements – typically, clients taking on strategy but leaving execution to agencies. Most inhousing involved the biggest clients doing the simplest programmatic functions.

     

    Price inflation: Respondents cited two inflation drivers: high demand for premium, brand-safe content and poor measurement of OTT and mobile platforms; the scarcity of measurable inventory drives up prices.

     

    The duopoly: No look at the global digital landscape would be complete without acknowledgement that Google and Facebook continue to be the key growth drivers. Google search is critical to clients, and YouTube is increasingly important for scaled, premium video. Concerns over the quality of programmatic inventory in the Google Display Network persist, but remedies are being pursued. Facebook’s success is partly due to the delivery of younger audiences via Instagram. The surge in large-advertiser investment in 2016-2017 also helped double Facebook’s share of digital investment ex-

     

    “Automation and talent are the big themes in advertising’s current revolution.” said Kelly Clark, CEO, GroupM Global. “One of the downsides of specialization is the increase in specialists who know more and more about less and less. We have to use automation to liberate brain-power, so talented people can look across the entire media ecosystem to help clients optimize short-term results and create long-term brand value.”

     

     

  • The new merged entity will be unveiled in Jan 2018 with global clients like L'Oreal, Vodafone and Colgate-Palmolive

    MEC + Maxus = Wavemaker

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The announcement has been name. The new billion-dollar revenue, media, content and technology agency to be created from the merger of MEC and Maxus will be named Wavemaker. The brand mark Wavemaker reflects the agency’s heritage, born from WPP and GroupM.

     

    Said Tim Castree, Global CEO of MEC and Wavemaker: “Our purpose is to provide advertisers with the power to transform and grow their business through our Purchase Journey obsession; and importantly to do this through the integration of Purchase Journey insights and data with [m]PLATFORM, GroupM’s proprietary global audience technology.  Our Wavemaker brand and positioning is a compelling manifestation of that purpose.”

     

    Added Kelly Clark, Global CEO of GroupM: “Wavemaker is an exciting new global agency brand with a powerful proposition for clients. Tim and his team have the full support of GroupM’s scale, resources and expertise.”

     

    The brand, along with a new visual identity, will go live locally as the merger completes in each country, to be finalised by January 2018. Wavemaker will have offices in 90 countries and over 8,500 employees. Major global clients include L’Oreal, Vodafone, Marriott, Colgate-Palmolive and Paramount.

     

    While senior appointments have been announced – including that of Kartik Sharma who will helm Wavemaker in India, the reorganisation of the rest of the teams has still not been announced.

     

    Globally, it is said that there will be redundancies, though the status in India is still not known.

     

  • She remains a member of GroupM's global executive committee, reporting to Kelly Clark, Global CEO of GroupM

    Lindsay Pattison is now Chief Transformation Officer, GroupM. Will stay as Maxus Global CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lindsay Pattison

    GroupM has announced the appointment of Lindsay Pattison as Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). She will lead change initiatives across GroupM and its agencies, and with other WPP companies will create tailored and flexible models that serve clients better in the extremely competitive business environment. She will continue as CEO of GroupM agency Maxus and will perform both roles.

     

    According to a communique, Pattison will lead a number of change programmes to support group and agency structures, talent and leadership development, culture and diversity, as well as WPP’s horizontality strategy. She remains a member of GroupM’s global executive committee, reporting to Kelly Clark, Global CEO of GroupM.

     

    “Clients need us to think differently and work smarter,” said Clark. “Lindsay will help us deliver on those challenges. I’ve worked with her for many years. She’s a force, and holds the respect of clients and colleagues. She will make a huge impact with her smarts, energy and warmth.”

     

    Sir Martin Sorrell

    Said WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell: “GroupM and its agencies are key to WPP’s horizontality strategy. Lindsay will play a crucial role in accelerating our delivery of new and innovative service structures for clients.”

     

    “When we look at the broader business context, the transformation we are experiencing is profound,” Pattison said, adding: “The WEF calls it the ‘fourth industrial revolution,’ a technological revolution and one that requires two key skills to succeed: collaboration and agility. New thinking is required across the board, and I’m delighted to take on this new transformation role.” It may be recalled that Pattison was named Global CEO of Maxus in October 2014.

     

  • Motion will invest and partner with the world's leading talent, producers and distributors to fund, develop, produce and distribute premium content

    GroupM unveils content investment and rights management company, Motion

    By A Correspondent

     

    GroupM has announced the launch of Motion Content Group (Motion), a new global content investment and rights management company, to meet the ever-growing market demand for new economic models for premium content across the entertainment and media marketplace.

     

    Motion will invest and partner with the world’s leading talent, producers and distributors to fund, develop, produce and distribute premium content. It will also consolidate and diversify GroupM’s content investments and operations to-date, as well as utilise GroupM’s & WPP’s global network of relationships and content expertise for scale and competitive advantage.

     

    Richard Foster, currently the head of GroupM Entertainment, has been appointed CEO of Motion Content Group, which will be headquartered in London and Los Angeles.

     

    Said Martin Sorrell, CEO, WPP in a statement: “With new content companies such as Netflix and Amazon growing rapidly, the competition for premium content is heating up across the globe. WPP is investing in Motion Content Group to strengthen our content creation and distribution capabilities, to help meet evolving viewer needs, and to help advertisers continue to reach consumers in high qualitycontent environments.”

     

    Added Kelly Clark, GroupM CEO: “We have always used our global scale and reach to find innovative approaches that strengthen the media ecosystem for advertisers and media partners alike. Motion is a major commitment by GroupM to expand on these efforts.”

     

    And this is what Richard Foster, CEO, Motion Content Group had to say: “Our objective is to help create and support editorially and commercially vibrant premium content for the benefit of our content partners and advertisers. We will achieve this by continuing to invest into the content industry and lead the development of new models, commercial content structures and partnerships with media networks, platforms, talent, producers, and distributors.”

     

  • Brian Gleason named Global CEO of [m]Platform

    GroupM goes step further on pan-media audience addressability, unveils [m]Platform

    By A Correspondent

     

    GroupM, the media investments arm of WPP, has announced the global launch of [m]Platform, an advanced technology suite of flexible media planning applications, data analytics and digital services. The platform will improve an advertiser’s ability to use audience-defining insights from hundreds of data sources to find and communicate with their consumers across all media. It will make it possible for media planners at GroupM agencies to use detailed consumer data to achieve results for their clients. It is supported by a team of data scientists, technologists and digital practitioners from across GroupM specialist companies and Xaxis. According to a communiqué, [m]Platform unifies data analytics and digital services including search, social, mobile, digital ad operations and programmatic into one team delivering a completely open and fully transparent data and technology architecture.

     

    Brian Gleason, most recently Global CEO of Xaxis, is named CEO of [m]Platform, a products and service organization within GroupM. He will lead the continuous development of market-leading technology to ingest any data important to identifying a client’s audiences and applications that efficiently engage them on any platform. For clients, [m]Platform will deliver objective insights and the power of choice across data, technologies and key performance indicators in their GroupM agency’s scope of work.

     

    “Marketers are under tremendous pressure to deliver results from media investments. This flexible platform approach enables us to focus $7 billion worth of investments we’ve made in data and technology over 10 years to help them realize a marketplace advantage,” said Kelly Clark, CEO GroupM Global. “Our agencies will now have deeper consumer insights and the most robust technology in the market.”

     

    Meanwhile, GroupM is building a global organisation to support [m]Platform. Four regional presidents will report to Gleason. Recently named President of Platform Services in North America, Phil Cowdell is now President [m]Platform, NA. Lucas Mentasti is named President, [m]Platform, LATAM. Presidents in EMEA and APAC will be named shortly. Also on the [m]Platform global leadership team is Nicolle Pangis, Chief Operating Officer; Jack Smith, Chief Strategy Officer and Bob Hammond, Chief Technology Officer. Pan-regional collaboration will ensure consistent information and experience to global clients, but with the bespoke strategic point of view of their selected GroupM agency, the communiqué adds.

     

    “The rise of digital and mobile technologies, media fragmentation and expanding ecommerce create a pivot point in marketing where the scientific application of data to media strategies is essential. Today, marketers have to know their customers in richer detail than ever before, or else they won’t reach them. [m]Platform is an audience-centric approach enabling our agencies with individualised consumer insights and technologies to reach audiences without boundaries,” said Gleason.

     

    “The technology development teams reporting to Brian demonstrate his ability to continuously innovate winning solutions for clients,” said Clark. “Now, the best of our technologies, whether built, acquired or partnered are consolidated under his remit to enable our agencies with an unparalleled ability to reach audiences and deliver outcomes for their clients.”

     

  • He has been working with the WPP group since 1988

    Kelly Clark is new Global CEO at GroupM

    By A Correspondent

     

    Kelly Clark

    Kelly Clark is the new Global CEO at GroupM. Making this announcement on Thursday evening India time, the media investment group of WPP also informed the media that Dominic Proctor was stepping down from the role to work on strategic projects.

     

    Clark most recently served as the CEO of GroupM in North America from 2012 to 2015.  He stepped aside last year to spend more time with his family. Prior to that role, he was the Worldwide CEO for Maxus between 2008 and 2012. He served as GroupM’s CEO for Europe from 2005 to 2008, and earlier he held CEO roles with Mindshare in the UK and in Asia Pacific. Clark began his WPP career at J. Walter Thompson New York in 1988.

     

    “Kelly has demonstrated inspiring leadership at every turn in his career, and he has earned the respect of our clients and our people,” said GroupM’s Global Chairman Irwin Gotlieb. “He has broad experience in North America, Asia and Europe and is focused intensely on delivering advantage to our clients.  I am looking forward to working with him to build on our momentum.”

     

    Meanwhile, Proctor will remain with WPP to work on strategic projects. His exact role has not been defined. “Dominic helped make Mindshare and GroupM the successful global businesses they are today.  It has been a great pleasure to work side by side with Dominic over many years and we all wish him the very best,” said Gotlieb.

     

    And this is what Clark said in a statement issued: “GroupM is in a great position to help our clients win in an incredibly competitive marketplace. Our investments in data, technology and most importantly, our talented people will help us achieve that ambition. It will require a lot of change and a united focus, so I can’t wait to get started with Irwin and our leadership team.”

     

  • The timing of his appointment to Global CEO of Maxus couldn't have been better as the agency's HQ will shift to India + Dominic Proctor on Sakhuja

    India Shining with Vikram Sakhuja

     

    By Johnson Napier

     

     

    Proctor on Sakhuja

     

    Exclusive to MxMIndia: Dominic Proctor, President of GroupM Global on Vikram Sakhuja’s appointment to the position of Global CEO of Maxus and the relocation of Maxus’ Global Heaquarters to India

     

    Vikram has been selected as he is the best candidate for the job, not because he lives in India. The fact that he does live in India is an additional bonus because it spreads the management of Maxus around the world, consistent with the new world order. It also reflects the fact that much of our global senior talent resides in Asia and I fully expect that more of that talent will move into global positions in the years to come. Not just in GroupM agencies but business in general.

     

    The world has become a smaller place and boundaries are no longer barriers. Maxus does not have a single HQ so there is no plan to move more people into the market. Indeed the agency will continue to grow and develop as a very global business.

     

    Vikram will join the global management team of GroupM and I am really excited by the opportunity to work with him more closely. He will bring a different and interesting perspective to our business as we continue to grow. The fact that he is coming from a fast growing market will also be a benefit as we plan to grow quickly everywhere!

     

    I can’t think of anybody as qualified as Vikram to build on the great work that Kelly Clark and his team have done in establishing Maxus as the world’s fastest growing agency.

    As India celebrated her 66th Independence Day, the headquarters of the world’s fastest growing media agency is to be shifted to the country. And Vikram Sakhuja, currently Group M’s CEO for South Asia, has been appointed Global CEO of the media advertising network’s Maxus agency.

     

    Proctor Dominic

    Mr Sakhuja’s appointment was part of a series of senior-level changes announced on Wednesday by Dominic Proctor, President of GroupM Global. “The world has become a smaller place and boundaries are no longer barriers,” Mr Proctor told MxMIndia. “Maxus does not have a single HQ so there is no plan to move more people into the market. Indeed the agency will continue to grow and develop as a very global business.” Said Mr Sakhuja, “It’s very exciting and humbling at the same time… It’s still sinking in.”

     

    In the first move, GroupM North American CEO Rob Norman becomes Chief Digital Officer for GroupM Global, a new position at the company.

     

    Rob Norman

    “Our activity in digital will define our future success and we are truly fortunate that Rob will step into this crucial role full time,” Mr Proctor said in a communiqué issued earlier, announcing the movements.  “There is nobody better suited or more experienced than Rob to lead our teams into the future.”

     

    Mr Norman has extensive experience in the digital arena having served as CEO of GroupM Interaction since 2006.  Mr Proctor said his responsibilities will be significantly expanded in his new role.

     

    Kelly Clark

    At the same time, Mr Proctor said Kelly Clark, currently Global CEO of the GroupM agency Maxus, will succeed Mr Norman as CEO of GroupM North America.

     

    “Kelly has had wonderful success with our companies in Asia, the UK, and Europe and most recently at Maxus globally,” Mr Proctor said.  “His broad experience and track record will bring a great boost to our business in North America.”  Prior to taking over Maxus in 2008, Mr Clark served as CEO of GroupM Europe, Middle East and Africa.

     

     

    Talent and leadership is sitting everywhere: Vikram Sakhuja

     

    The new Global CEO of Maxus spoke to MxMIndia hours after the news of his appointment was announced

     

    Congratulations… has the news sunk in yet?

    It’s very exciting and humbling at the same time. It’s a very vibrant and exciting agency to be with. All I can say right now is that I am thrilled with the news. It’s still sinking in.

     

    In a sense you’ve piped some favourites to the job…

    I really have no idea on how the contender things work. It obviously involves the system and you’ll have to ask that to the bosses at Group M.

     

    We’ve seen the stellar work that you have done for Group M but personally, what would you attribute your ascent to the top to?

    I can’t really say what is it that has worked in my favour. One needs to introspect such things, I guess. Something great has obviously worked for me. But one has to work things up and have a gameplan and get people together to move things in a particular direction. The ability to have a vision and the ability to drive it are the things that I have tried to do as the Group CEO for Group M South Asia. And if that has worked, then it’s great.

     

    How big a challenge is it to fit in the shoes of Kelly Clark, who’s been promoted to CEO of Group M North America?

    Kelly’s shoes will be very large to fill. I remember that I joined the system when he was the APAC head at Mindshare and was transitioning between UK and Europe handling several roles for the agency before he moved to Maxus. Hats off to Kelly for the sheer intrusiveness and energy with which he has driven the agency. I am a big fan of his.

     

    What are the immediate changes that will be seen on ground?

    Not sure on when the new change will come into effect and will be clear only when a successor has been decided. These things take time and it is still work in progress.

     

    In a sense you become the first global CEO of a media agency to be based out of India. And Dominic Proctor too has highlighted the emergence of an APAC market as being the driving engine for the future. What do you have to say about this?

    It so happens that you got talent and leadership sitting everywhere. I have been fortunate enough to be picked out of here but at the end of the day, we are living in a pretty global world and the new reality is that communication barriers are slowly fading away. In our earlier system, people used to be running the system out of Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong but suddenly where you sit is not central to what is called the ‘headquarter concept’. In my case too, it just so happens that I am going to be based in Mumbai. But I won’t read anything too much into saying that Asia Pacific has emerged as a hot favourite – it’s great to hear that but at the end of the day we have been part of the global network for years and it feels that way. I don’t see it as APAC being suddenly recognised. If you see Ashutosh Srivastava, the Mindshare APAC head also has taken up a global responsibility…so there are Indians all over the place. It just shows the ability of the system to look at APAC as the global hub rather than elsewhere.

     

    Will it be a challenging task to lead global operations out of India?

    It’s just that I am going to be based in Mumbai and I will be travelling as the other global CEOs do. A global CEO’s job doesn’t automatically mean that everything is decided by a bunch of team sitting at some headquarter and running the entire set-up, it doesn’t work like that. You’ve got to work through a network, you’ve got to create a team and drive a certain agenda. It doesn’t require physically handling a bunch of people in one place.

     

    One of the challenges will be to see that Maxus continues to achieve the 20 per cent growth trajectory in the coming future as well…

    I have no idea how I’ll continue to keep it at that. But it will be an interesting challenge. I look forward to my role at Maxus.
     

    Vikram Sakhuja interviews on mxmindia.com

     

    Interview with Anil Thakraney

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/06/ creative-agencies-have-allowed-themselves-to-be-dumbed-down-vikram-sakhuja/

     

    Text and MxMIndiaTV interview at FICCI-Frames 2012

    http://www.mxmindia.com/2012/03/ff12-integrated-media-is-the-best-way-forward- vikram-sakhuja/

     

    MxMIndiaTV interview at World Magazine Congress 2011

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSS2j9PQMkU& feature=player_embedded

    Maxus was named the 2011 “Media Agency of the Year” by Adweek and last month the agency was named the fastest-growing global media services agency in the world for the third consecutive year by RECMA, the independent organization that measures media agency sector operations.

     

    Taking Mr Clark’s role at Maxus will be Mr Vikram Sakhuja, currently CEO of GroupM India and South Asia. “Vikram is the perfect candidate to take on the Maxus role from Kelly,” Mr Proctor said.  “Maxus has a great management team and a lot of momentum.  I have no doubt that Vikram will continue to build a great agency.”  He added that Mr Sakhuja will remain in his current role until his successor is announced (See ‘Proctor on Sakhuja’ in box alongside).

     

    All three will report to Mr Proctor and the new roles begin later this year.

     

    Mr Sakhuja’s appointment is the second global level appointment made by Maxus in recent times. Earlier this year, Madhvi Pahwa moved from a Group M responsibility to that of Global Talent Director. Ms Pahwa was to be based in India.  But now, Maxus has become the first global media agency to have its headquarters in not just India, but also Asia. Said Mr Proctor on the relocation of the HQ: “It also reflects the fact that much of our global senior talent resides in Asia and I fully expect that more of that talent will move into global positions in the years to come. Not just in GroupM agencies but business in general.”

     

    Lynn de Souza, chairman and CEO of Lintas Media Group, believes that it’s a welcome recognition for Mr Sakhuja and India. “It shows that Indian talent is appreciated and not that it needs to be exported out of India to do good work. That is the essential story that comes out of this,” she said. Added Mona Jain, CEO, Vivaki Exchange: “India has been consistently delivering healthy growth numbers for several agencies and is also one of the fastest growing markets in the continent. So it is only fitting for them to consider India as the hub for managing global operations.”

     

    For Mr Sakhuja, it’s a significant move as he moves to Group M global management team directly and not via the Asia-Pacific route. However, he doesn’t think there’s an all-new focus on APAC. “It just so happens that I am going to be based in Mumbai. But I won’t read anything too much into saying that Asia Pacific has emerged as a hot favourite – it’s great to hear that but at the end of the day we have been part of the global network for years and it feels that way,” he said.

     

    The successor to his current position as CEO, Group M South Asia hasn’t been announced yet. Once that’s done and the transition happens, Mr Sakhuja will take on the global role at Maxus in right earnest.

     

     

    INDUSTRYSPEAK

     

    Lynn de Souza, Chairman & CEO, Lintas Media Group

    I think it is a fantastic development both for Vikram himself who has really done a very good job ever since I have known him and it’s an appreciation for all the good that he has done and the potential that he has. So I am very happy for him. Also, for the industry itself, it shows that Indian talent is appreciated and not that it needs to be exported out of India to do good work. That is the essential story that comes out of this.

     

    Certainly, Maxus is a great agency; I have always said that. It’s excellent news; the recognition for Vikram as well as for India is really very good.

     

    Divya Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Media India

    This epitomizes India as a key, growth engine for most brands and marketers across the globe.
    It also augurs the emergence of India as a strategic global and regional hub for management and control of network businesses.
    I wish Vikram success.

     

    Mona Jain, CEO, Vivaki Exchange

    The agency has always been rated highly. It’s great news that the CEO should be from India which shows that the country is becoming very critical in the entire global scheme of things for agency networks. Also, India has been consistently delivering healthy growth numbers for several agencies and is also one of the fastest growing markets in the continent. So it is only fitting for them to consider India as the hub for managing global operations.

     
     

    Maxus Global Factsheet

    > Launched in late 2008, is part of GroupM, the world’s largest media investment management group that serves as the parent company for all of WPP’s media agencies, and which buys over one third of the world’s media every day.

    > Rated world’s fastest growing global media agency network

    > Talent base 1,400 people across 67 locations worldwide

    > Global clients include Barclays, SC Johnson, NBC Universal, Fiat Group, Nokia, Vodafone, Church & Dwight, Nestle and L’Oreal

    >Services include Communications strategy, Media planning and buying, Digital marketing, SEM and SEO, Direct response media, Data analytics and Marketing ROI evaluation

    (Information source: Factsheet, www.maxusglobal.com)

     
     

    Rise and Rise…

     

    Vikram Sakhuja

    Twitter @VikramSakhuja

     

    Education:

    IIM Calcutta (1988)

    IIT Delhi (1984)

    Modern School, Delhi (1979)

     

    Work:

    Group M

    CEO South Asia (earlier MD, Mindshare Fulcrum and later Mindshare South Asia) (2002-present)

    Star TV

    Exec VP Marketing (Jan-Dec 2001)

    Coca-Cola India

    Marketing Manager-Brands (1996-2000)

    P&G India

    Associate Manager-Media & MR (1988-96)

    DCM

    Management Trainee (1984-86)

     

     

  • Group M announces three top level changes: Mr Sakhuja replaces Kelly Clark as Global CEO of Maxus who in turn replaces Rob Norman as CEO of Group M North America. Mr Norman has been appointed Chief Digital Officer for Group M Global

    Vikram Sakhuja is Global CEO of Maxus. Maxus HQ to shift to India. Sakhuja replacement not named yet

     By A Correspondent

     

    As India celebrated her 66th Independence Day, there was renewed reason for cheer as the news that the headquarters of the fastest growing media agency is to be shifted to the country filtered in. The shift was necessitated by the appointment of Vikram Sakhuja as Global CEO of Maxus.

     

    Mr Sakhuja’s appointment was part of a series of senior-level changes announced by Group M on Wednesday by Dominic Proctor, President of GroupM Global. “There is no reason why agencies need to be run out of London or New York,” Mr Proctor told Campaign Asia-Pacific. “The world is now a small town, and the fact that our management team are spread around the globe is very fitting.”

     

    In the first move, GroupM North American CEO Rob Norman becomes Chief Digital Officer for GroupM Global, a new position at the company.

     

    “Our activity in digital will define our future success and we are truly fortunate that Rob will step into this crucial role full time,” Mr Proctor said.  “There is nobody better suited or more experienced than Rob to lead our teams into the future.”

     

    Mr Norman has extensive experience in the digital arena having served as CEO of GroupM Interaction since 2006.  Mr Proctor said his responsibilities will be significantly expanded in his new role.

     

    At the same time, Mr Proctor said Kelly Clark, currently Global CEO of the GroupM agency Maxus, will succeed Norman as CEO of GroupM North America.

     

    “Kelly has had wonderful success with our companies in Asia, the UK, and Europe and most recently at Maxus globally,” Mr Proctor said.  “His broad experience and track record will bring a great boost to our business in North America.”  Prior to taking over Maxus in 2008, Mr Clark served as CEO of GroupM Europe, Middle East and Africa.

     

    Maxus was named the 2011 “Media Agency of the Year” by Adweek magazine and last month the agency was named the fastest-growing global media services agency in the world for the third consecutive year by RECMA, the independent organization that measures media agency sector operations.

     

    Taking Mr Clark’s role at Maxus will be Mr Vikram Sakhuja, currently CEO of GroupM India and South Asia.

     

    “Vikram is the perfect candidate to take on the Maxus role from Kelly,” Mr Proctor said.  “Maxus has a great management team and a lot of momentum.  I have no doubt that Vikram will continue to build a great agency.”  He added that Mr Sakhuja will remain in his current role until his successor is announced.

     

    All three will report to Mr Proctor and the new roles begin later this year.

     

  • Ms Pahwa will be based in India, reflecting shifting global priorities and ppportunities

    Maxus names Madhvi Pahwa as first global talent director

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madhvi Pahwa, veteran media agency executive with extensive experience in talent development and marketing, has been named Global Talent Director for Maxus.

     

    The announcement was made by Maxus Global CEO Mr Kelly Clark, who said Ms Pahwa will be based in New Delhi where she currently works as Managing Partner for Learning and Culture at GroupM India.

     

    “This is a hugely important step for Maxus,” Mr Clark said. “Following our explosive growth over the past few years, we need to improve how we recruit, inspire and motivate our people. Madhvi can help us do this.”

     

    Mr Clark noted that locating the talent director’s role in India rather than New York or London signalled a break from tradition for media agencies, one that provides the agency with an important distinction from its competitors. “I’ve always believed there’s big opportunity for a media agency to take an exciting new direction in talent management, one that really differentiates the agency,” Mr Clark said in a communique. “Maxus can be that agency, and I think we can make that happen with Madhvi’s leadership, advice and partnership. Having Madhvi based in Asia also recognizes the importance of our fastest-growing region to the future of our talent agenda.”

     

    Before joining GroupM in India in 2006, Ms Pahwa has held several senior marketing and brand management roles with marketers including Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola India, where she spent a decade in marketing roles ranging from managing brand portfolios to consumer insights to media planning and buying.

     

  • Conversation, exchange of ideas, networking and business as usual was the order of the day at AdAsia, Day 2.

    AdAsia | Day 2 – Exec Summary: Food for thought, and plenty

    By Tuhina Anand

    Conversation, exchange of ideas, networking and business as usual was the order of the day at AdAsia. Day 2 of Congress at AdAsia 2011 started with a session by Frederika Meijer, Representative UNPF, India and Country Director UNFPA, Bhutan. The session was on `The Female Equation: Communicating with conscience. The session was an attempt to bring to attention, provoke debate, and challenge the minds present to think of providing creative solutions to one of the critical issue on ‘The girl child’.

    The next session on Marketing 3.0-New Rules of Engagement was an interesting session where Joseph Tripodi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, The Coca Cola Company discussed how marketing is dead and engagement is in. He talked about balancing the notion of Brand Love and Brand Value. As consumer engagement is rapidly changing he pointed that the challenge is to navigate in this new universe. He talked about the `Liquid and Linked’ philosophy that the company embarked on last year. It’s this philosophy which has helped in creating the FIFA World Cup campaign celebration campaign. Tripodi introduced the newly launched campaign on Arctic Home that Coca Cola has taken to give homes to polar bears. Then he gave a peek into what the company has planned for London Olympics 2012 which again is truly a Liquid and Linked philosophy. It’s basically about unlocking the social side of Olympic and dubbed it as `integrated and ambitious’ plan. Prasoon Joshi, Chairman and CEO, McCann Worldgroup India and ECD McCann Erickson was the session anchor who threw some tricky questions to Tripodi who answered them all with ease.

    There is business uncertainty, market uncertainty and media uncertainty and that’s what the next session delved on. Kelly Clark, Worldwide CEO, Maxus, Mainardo De Nardis, CEO, OMD Worldwide discussed Media Fragmentation: How to navigate through traffic? The session was moderated by Bob O’Leary, MD, Head of Global Marketing, Consumer, Citi. The panel discussed the explosion of media in the market along with changing human behaviour and the need to find a way through this. Mainardo about the changing Asian market where the role has reversed and other countries are borrowing from best practices from Asia while the scenario was completely different few years ago.

    It was a change to see finally young blood take to stage with the next session on `Ideas that are Contagious’ by Will Sansom, Writer and Consultant, Contagious Communications. HE showed works that were truly innovative uncovering new opportunities and collaborative cultures. An interesting example was that of luxury brand Burberry which used Tweetwalk to engage consumers while managing to retain the exclusivity that only front row gets during its fashion show. Through the use of social media it engaged people to follow the brand online by putting a shot of model just before the walk thus getting its fans to follow the brand online and not disturbing the dynamics offline.

    There was also a session by TED/INK-The New Age of Advertising. Lakshmi Pratury, Host, The INK and Ronda Carnegie, Head of Global Partnerships, TED talked about the movement that provokes people to think and challenge the consumer consciousness.

    Times have change and with that has changed strategies of communication from brand to consumers. For much of its history, the art of advertising revolved around the creation of the ad: an expertly crafted message conveyed through traditional media and consumed by end audiences. But the audiences today have changed, they way the consume media today has changed. The session ‘Acts. Not ads’ deconstructed how, in today’s multidimensional media landscape, advertising messages are evolving into true social movements and acts that can affect and drive positive change. The panelists gave several examples to drive home their point of how acts are much more efficacious as compared to merely advertising. Today, the consumer wants to be a part of an ad and engage with the brand, making it an act.

    There are several brands in the market and with the cacophony emanating from brand declarations, trying to out-shine other brands, results in only a ‘trust-famine’ in the mind of the consumer. Trust becomes very important and that is what the session in adasia discussed ‘Building brands in a trust deficit world’. For the panelists, the essence of building trust was to talk and engage customer and be ethical and responsible as a brand. Consumers like to associate themselves with responsible brands. The latent psychological element of how people buy things at the first place is also important. It is essential for brands to have consistency in the messaging over time and across all touch point to create trust. The key is to keep the old and add the new… In the urge of doing new one should not discard the old value systems for the new. Moreover, for brands to be trustworthy, they have to be modest, even when they are doing very well because one never knows where the next problem is coming from.

  • A cross-section of biggies respond to a question much-asked on Day 2: how do you engage consumers in a fast-changing world?

    Video Report: The new rules of engagement

     

    By Shruti Pushkarna

    [youtube width=”350″ height=”200″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQBVjzNGF9I[/youtube]

    Amid discussions at one of the biggest marketing, media and advertising meets, or AdAsia as we call it, one common thread to many a conversations was the changing reality of advertising from the consumer’s perspective. Several members of the fraternity expressed concern over the pressing need to ‘engage consumers’ in a fast changing world. MxM India caught up with a few to find out what really are the new rules of engagement.

    Keeping up with new technology and being able to deliver a digitally enhanced experience to the consumer is a growing area of focus but the underlying idea echoes the same old principle, ‘reaching out’ to the consumer.

    Prasoon Joshi, Chairman & CEO McCann Worldgroup India, Executive Creative Director of the Asia Pacific region and Chairperson, McCann Global Creative council said, “There are no new rules…it’s just that there is a new reality out there. You have to be able to understand the lives of consumers…I think if you are connected with your market, then rules or whatever you call them, will come naturally to you.”

    Furthering Mr Joshi’s view, Kelly Clark, CEO, Maxus Worldwide said that the new rules of engagement are the old rules of engagement and we have to start out by understanding customers’ relationships with brands.

    Shashi Sinha, CEO, Lodestar UM said that engagement has to come from a sum total of different activities, but foremost you need to know what the customer really likes and will participate in. Josy Paul, Chairman and CCO, BBDO India made an interesting point, saying that understanding the new rules of engagement starts from knowing that advertising might not be the only solution. Emphasizing on a collaborative model between advertisers, regional partners, PR partners and activation partners, Mr Paul said, “…it’s really about shedding your sense of the past and forgetting whatever you knew before but using your experience to assimilate and synthesize the new world.”

    Three rules of engagement recommended by Contagious Communications Consultant, Will Sansom are transparency, experience and meeting an unmet need. He said, “…First and foremost be honest…second rule is use emerging technology…and third is about identifying an unmet need and then meeting it.”

    Kitty Lun Chan, Chairman/CEO, Lowe China said that we live in exciting times where internet has revolutionized everything, and in this ‘socially-networked’ world, everyday new forms and new approaches of engagement are being created.

    Keeping it to the basics, Basabdatta Choudhary, CEO, Platinum Media underlined “relevance” as one of the constant rules of engagement in these changing times.