The performance marketing landscape, with its dynamic nature, constantly changes its demands. Agencies are evolving alongside it to continue delivering results to brands.
M+C Saatchi Performance embodies such evolution, matching the pace of change through its strategies. From its establishment in 2006 as a mobile marketing agency, it has evolved into a full-service performance media agency. While maintaining its specialisation in mobile, it now serves brands across channels.
In MARKETECH APAC’s Agency Leadership Decoded series, Roshat Adnani, managing director for APAC at M+C Saatchi Performance, shares how he leads the team to navigate the performance-led industry. He uncovers his philosophy as a leader building other leaders, all while ensuring the agency progresses.
Working with agility while taking risks
Roshat’s leadership philosophy is grounded in empowerment, action, and accountability. At the core of all these are the people he works with. This belief has led him to mentor country directors and client partners, enabling them to significantly contribute to the agency.
“I genuinely believe that the best leaders build other leaders, not followers,” Roshat said.
To keep M+C Saatchi Performance operating well in the dynamic industry, Roshat explains the value of action.
“In a performance-led agency like ours, agility is non-negotiable. The digital landscape is dynamic, and we match that pace by encouraging calculated risk-taking. Every team member knows that perfection isn’t the goal. Progress is. Mistakes are part of growth when they’re paired with learning,” he said.
Roshat also mentions how their actions are backed by data, ensuring they drive measurable outcomes.
“What sets M+C Saatchi Performance apart is that we live and breathe data. Every strategic decision we make, from campaign planning to internal operations, is data-informed,” he said.
He added how the agency focuses on its clients, saying, “We don’t optimise for awards or agency vanity metrics; we optimise for impact. We challenge ourselves to always do what’s right for the client, even when it’s harder for us. That’s what earns long-term trust.”
Empowering local offices
When Roshat stepped into his role, he first focused on decentralising M+C Saatchi Performance’s operations. The strategic shift saw the agency empowering other leaders in local offices.
“We moved away from a top-down model and empowered local offices, putting leadership and strategic decision-making closer to where our clients are. That shift has allowed us to deliver hyper-relevant, culturally tuned campaigns and make faster, smarter decisions on the ground.” Roshat said.
Along with it, the agency offered more opportunities for learning and development amongst its people. Its upskilling efforts covered technical certifications in paid media and analytics, leadership development, and paid external courses.
He commented, “This builds credibility with clients and fosters internal mobility because when your people grow, your business grows.”
“These initiatives have been key in reinforcing our position as a performance-first, people-powered agency. They’ve helped us create a culture of ownership, and the results speak for themselves: in client satisfaction, internal promotions, and growth across our offices,” he added.
These efforts led to a holistic growth, evident in its people, clients, and capabilities.
“In the past year, we’ve expanded our regional presence with new offices in Manila and Kuala Lumpur, not just as geographical markers, but as strategic growth engines for Southeast Asia,” he shared.
“Our team has grown by over 20%, but more importantly, we’ve maintained a retention rate of over 90%. That’s no accident. It’s a result of prioritising culture, clarity of purpose, and real investment in our people,” he added.
The agency also acquired well-known clients, supporting their shift from offline to a digital-first strategy.
“Across the board, we’ve helped brands see performance not as the last step in the funnel, but as a full-funnel growth engine, spanning brand awareness, content, media, and conversion. That’s our expertise. That’s our impact,” Roshat said.
Performance-driven DNA
Throughout the years, M+C Saatchi Performance has faced challenges through transparency and collaboration. It enables them to detect obstacles early on, then solve them as a team.
Roshat said, “This approach reflects our agency DNA: performance-driven, but human-first. We bring the same collaborative rigour to client work: open communication, honest evaluation, and a shared ambition to win.”
Leaving some advice for aspiring agency leaders, Roshat’s personal leadership philosophy is evident. He first shares how they must invest in people.
“At the end of the day, agencies don’t sell products. They sell their team’s expertise: their thinking, creativity, strategy, and execution. If you’re not actively growing your team’s capabilities, you’re eroding your agency’s value,” he said.
He also emphasised how quickly the industry changes, necessitating perpetual curiosity and learning.
“Don’t default to what’s always been done. Break complex problems down to their core and rebuild from logic. That mindset will keep you agile and help your teams navigate uncertainty with clarity,” he said.
“At M+C Saatchi Performance, we’re building for what’s next. And that’s a mindset every modern agency leader needs to embrace,” he concluded.
Roshat’s leadership, the kind that empowers other people, makes it a foundation for M+C Saatchi Performance’s future growth. Backed by evidence of progress in its capabilities, client acquisitions, and people, the agency continues to deliver impact.
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