MUMBAI: Hari Krishnan has joined Cheil Worldwide SW Asia as chief operating officer.
Krishnan joins from WPP where he was head of the global team on the Ford account. The team members were drawn from JWT, Mindshare and Wunderman.
Krishnan will start his new role from January 2013 and lead Cheil Worldwide SW Asia’s growth agenda. He will aim at enhancing the agency’s record for delivering diverse communications solutions and make it a strong integrated agency.
Krishnan’s career in advertising and communications spans over two decades during which he has held senior leadership roles with JWT India, Grey Worldwide and Bates India, among others. As the head of WPP Global Team Ford he set up the first co-located office of three different specialist agencies for WPP in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Cheil Worldwide SW Asia president and head of regional HQ John Koo said, “We are delighted to have Hari take charge as the COO for the region. He has a proven track record in developing corporate strategy while managing on ]going operations. His strength in building teams and people development is a perfect fit for Cheil. Moreover, his extensive knowledge and experience will go a long way in driving the business forward.”
Cheil Worldwide global CSO Bruce Haines added, “Having Hari on board demonstrates our resolution to take the Indian market, which we identified as strong growth prospects. Our team in India has been very successful in both attracting new clients and providing good creatives. I am thrilled to have Hari lead the winning team."
Krishnan said, “Cheil is an innovative, forward thinking communications agency which has carved out a niche for itself through its integrated service offering. The recent acquisitions of The Barbarian Group, Open Tide and its partnership with the iconic Beattie McGuiness Bungay make it a powerhouse solution provider for brands across categories in India. Also, 12 Cannes Lions this year demonstrates the Agency fs commitment to idea excellence. I see exceptional potential for leveraging Cheil fs credentials for growth and look forward to working with the stellar team to make this vision a reality.”
Prior to establishing WPP Global Team Ford India, Krishnan was at JWT India as executive business director, PepsiCo Beverages, where he led agency teams on the PepsiCo portfolio comprising Pepsi Cola, Slice, Mountain Dew, Mirinda, Tropicana and Aquafina. At Grey, Krishnan led the agency as general manager and branch head of its New Delhi office. Prior to that at Bates India, he played a pivotal role in consolidating the teams after the Bates takeover of Clarion. Preceding this, he was with Ogilvy & Mather, and Anthem (now TBWA).
