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Tag: Zhengda Shen

  • Based in Mumbai, Mehra will report into Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC for his additional role

    Dentsu promotes Gautam Mehra to Chief Data & Product Officer – APAC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu International has now entrusted Gautam Mehra, currently CEO, Dentsu Programmatic & Chief Data Officer, Dentsu – South Asia, with the additional charge of Chief Data & Product Officer – Asia Pacific (APAC) with immediate effect.

     

    He has been assigned to this new role with the intent to build a strong and unified APAC data and product offering across the dentsu network. Based in Mumbai, Mehra will report into Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC for his additional role.

     

    On the appointment, Ashish Bhasin, Dentsu Asia Pacific CEO said: “Data is central to our business strategy and the ability to handle data well and utilize it to its full capacity is critical in fine tuning way of reaching, interacting, and causing a reaction from the consumers; it ensures advertising efforts are in the right direction. Having Gautam drive this data agenda for us is crucial in the era of data explosion. He has earned a reputation of developing and delivering highly innovative data-led initiatives while embodying the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurism. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to working closely with him,” Ashish added.

     

    Added Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC: “Organisations are constantly challenged to evolve with agility and speed and adapt to ever changing consumer dynamics. Providing leadership for clients by integrating data, media, content and technology to navigate through this shifting landscape is a critical function of agencies. Gautam’s track record for driving innovations and developing globally scaled solutions makes him perfectly placed to help our clients in the region and to ensure that dentsu international continues to lead through innovation.”

     

    Said Mehra: “There are almost no limits to what we can uncover by studying consumer behavior and their interplay with brands. I’m excited to apply my leadership, knowledge, and experience in delivering globally adopted tech driven products and solutions to further the data-driven culture of dentsu international and to build the practice across APAC, further cementing our dominance in this area within the region in using cutting edge technology to solve everyday client challenges.”

     

     

  • The acquisition will help strengthen Dentsu Aegis Network’s people-based market offering in Asia-Pacific

    Dentsu Aegis Network SEA acquires digital marketing agency Happy Marketer

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Aegis Network SEA announced the acquisition of the Happy Marketer Group, a data-driven digital marketing agency headquartered in Singapore. Post-acquisition, it will be rebranded as Happy Marketer, a Merkle company. Established in 2009, Happy Marketer has digital marketing delivery centres in Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Mumbai in India with over 40 employees and handles clients such as Practo, Urban Ladder, Standard Chartered Bank, and Amity University.

     

    Sid Phil Teeman, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Southeast Asia and Singapore: “Southeast Asia is a critical growth driver for Merkle’s expansion.With this acquisition, the delivery and management of data analytics and customer experience marketing, which are Happy Marketer’s key competencies, will take the front seat, helping Dentsu Aegis Network reinforce itself as a key player. This also translates into greater opportunities to penetrate new and existing clients’ ecosystems in the Indian subcontinent.”

     

    Added Zhengda Shen, President, Merkle Asia Pacific: “Bringing Happy Marketer into the Merkle family is critical to our Asia-Pacific expansion strategy. The acquisition will significantly accelerate Merkle’s ability to bring its full suite of services to the Southeast Asian market. Happy Marketer has positive brand recognition and a strong reputation. Its data-driven and customer experience enablement approach, strong core service offerings, and dynamic culture align closely with Merkle.”

     

    Joining the leadership team from India are Happy Marketer Managing Partner, Prantik Mazumdar, and Founder and CEO Rachit Dayal, who will report to Ted Bray, Managing Director and Chief Growth Officer of Merkle Asia Pacific.

     

    Added Rachit Dayal, Founder and CEO at Happy Marketer, and Prantik Mazumdar, Managing Partner of Happy Marketer: “Our business has rapidly scaled in the last 10 years, and it’s been an absolute blast forming a #HappyTribe of clients and employees who look forward to mastering the next disruption. And as we look on to the next 10 years, we are excited to partner with Merkle and Dentsu Aegis Network to help more businesses drive into the future. We intend to work closely to create a winning playbook to capture market share through our data-driven, technology-led, people-based marketing solutions.  Merkle’s incredible story of passion for technology, and Dentsu Aegis’s global presence with Asian values are a huge source of inspiration for us. We feel an instant cultural fit and look forward to be part of their transformation journey. This is one of the best gifts we could have imagined as part of our 10-year celebration.”

     

     

  • With this acquisition, over 35% of Dentsu Aegis Network revenue will come from digital

    Dentsu beefs up digital play. Buys Sokrati to launch Merkle

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Left to Right: Anubhav Sonthalia, Ashish Bhasin, Ashish Mehta and Santosh Gannavarapu

    The Dentsu Aegis Network (DAN) has announced yet another acquisition, beefing up its digital play in a bigger way. It has informed that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Sokrati, a data-driven performance marketing and analytics agency. The network has also announced the launch of Merkle in India and post-acquisition, Sokrati will be rebranded as Merkle Sokrati. Founded in 2009, Sokrati is headquartered in Pune and employs a staff of 120 digital marketing professionals.

    Said Nick Waters, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific: “India is the fastest growing large economy in the world. It is on track for 400 million smartphone users, making it second only to China, and has emerged as a major e-commerce market. Sokrati’s strength in mobile, e-commerce, data, analytics and performance media provides an ideal basis from which to launch Merkle in India as we develop the roll-out plan for Asia Pacific. We will develop the unique M1 addressable media platform for India as a next step.”

    Added Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia: “Sokrati has strong ability in CRM and data to accelerate the launch of Merkle in India and further bolster our data practice, which is becoming increasingly critical in all aspects of our business. It will also give our clients added value as we bring CRM and data into the heart of our digital offering. With Dentsu Aegis Network India already being a leader in performance marketing services, with iProspect and the recent acquisition of SVG, the complementary addition of Sokrati will enable the network to take a clearly dominant position in the rapidly growing Indian digital advertising market. With Sokrati on board, we will now be more than twice the size of any of our competitors in search and performance. Out of 3,500 staff in India, about 1,500 will be digital professionals, and over 35% of our revenue – a market-leading statistic – will come from digital.”

    Added Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle Asia Pacific: “Given Sokrati’s strong credentials and proven capabilities in data & analytics, Sokrati will be in the ideal position to give strong footing to Merkle’s launch in the Indian market, in line with Merkle’s global growth strategy. India is strategic to Dentsu Aegis Network and is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world.”