Executive Vice President Archives

India – Advertising agency DDB Mudra Group has appointed Aniruddha Deb, former senior vice president and executive business director at Wunderman Thompson, to be its new executive vice president and head of business for North.

In his new role, Deb will be overseeing the integrated business between DDB Mudra and 22feet Tribal Worldwide in the North office.

Deb brings with him more than 19 years of brand stewardship experience in advertising and marketing. He has worked with global brands like Unilever, Nestle, Wipro, Samsung, LG, HSBC, and Vodafone, as well as KFC, and Subway. Aside from his recent stint at Wunderman Thompson, Deb has served as the chief marketing officer at smartphone brand Mobiistar. He has also worked with agencies such as Ogilvy, Publicis Groupe and Cheil Worldwide.

Deb shared that what got him is the company’s constant endeavour to grow and build great brands through recognisable and effective creative work and the ability and eagerness to provide integrated solutions irrespective of the kind of business they hold.

“It really excites me to come on board and lead client partnerships across mainline and digital. I hope to play a significant part in the Group’s ongoing growth journey,” said Deb

Meanwhile, Ashutosh Sawhney, DDB Mudra Group’s managing partner for North, commented, “Aniruddha’s appointment is in sync with this growing need as he complements both these skill sets with aplomb and has a keen appreciation of what is effective, creative work. We’re excited to see what the future of this hybrid model at the group holds with him on board.”

Just recently, DDB Mudra Group has elevated Vanaja Pillai to be its new head of diversity, inclusion, and impact. She will be working on initiatives to grow a diverse and inclusive workplace, including talent acquisition, retention, training, and outreach to talent in underrepresented communities.

Malaysia – Malaysian-based telco Telekom Malaysia has appointed Krish Datta, former CEO for JAPAC and the Middle East at global data solution provider BackOffice Associates, to the newly created role of executive vice president of digital services.

With over 34 years of technology industry experience, Datta has built and led several enterprise technology-based businesses across ASEAN, India, Japan, and Australia, as well as the Middle East. Aside from his role at BackOffice Associates, Datta has also held leadership positions at SAP APAC for over 16 years, where he established the company in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. He also went on to hold the position of president of SAP Southeast Asia, where he is responsible for all aspects of the business from sales, marketing, sales operations, and presales, as well as partner and eco-system, amongst others.

In his new role, Datta will be bringing his deep expertise in building Telekom’s technology businesses, alongside a broad, diverse set of experiences and skills.

Commenting on his appointment, Datta said, “I am excited to join TM, for more than one reason. I love building sustainable tech businesses, and this opportunity to build a technology-focused team offers me the ability to create, from the inside, another reliable TM brand, a new identity for Enterprise Technology along with a scope to help a country I love.”

Meanwhile, Imri Mokhtar, Telekom’s group CEO, shared that in this new role, Datta will deepen their commitment and ability to enable their Enterprise and Public Sector customers’ digital transformation, as they help them improve and accelerate every area of their business with simplicity and confidence.

“Krish at the helm of our new digital services arm marks the start of an exciting new chapter for us. As our customers in the Enterprise and Public Sector space continue to build the future of business, he will help TM realise our opportunities in B2B digital services. I am excited to see what Krish and his team will deliver,” said Mokhtar.

Sydney, Australia – United Entertainment Group (UEG), the global entertainment, sports, and lifestyle agency owned by Edelman, has announced the launch of its agency offering in Asia-Pacific. In addition, UEG has appointed Si Philby as its executive vice president for its APAC offering.

He will be reporting to Jarrod Moses, CEO and founder at UEG, while partnering with Michelle Hutton, vice chair for APAC at Edelman, to roll out its services to clients.

The agency’s expansion into the APAC region – one where the intersection of entertainment and culture are at the crux of brand partnerships and strategies – reflects increasing global demand for its services. This marks the fifth international office the agency has opened since 2017.

Philby brings over two decades of global creative experience to this role. He co-founded and launched two independent agencies – the most recent being the Background Creative Counsel, a global network of diverse experts who participate in culture and offer creative counsel to future-minded brands and leaders.

Speaking about his appointment, he said, “UEG is a phenomenal business that resonates with my own values on how brands show up in culture. Having collaborated with Edelman’s brand teams on special projects over the last 10 years, there’s already an established level of trust and partnership that we are now building on. We are collaborating with the best talent and smart clients to develop innovative ideas that are different from the norm.”

Through the launch of UEG in APAC, Philby’s Background Creative Counsel will be integrated into UEG’s operation, providing clients with unparalleled access to this unique network which includes creators, athletes, futurists, philanthropists in the areas of music, entertainment and fashion.

Meanwhile, Moses commented, “As an agency whose mission is to deliver best-in-class global entertainment and cultural connectivity, it’s essential that we have experienced leadership in APAC, which is the fastest growing entertainment region in the world. Si brings a wealth of industry experience, cultural connections and an expansive creative network to UEG. We’re excited to have him at the foundation of our APAC offering which will deliver unparalleled value to our clients.”

Lastly, Hutton added, “Our region is the most diverse and culturally rich region in the world, it’s where many trends and movements are born and with UEG’s launch in APAC, we will be at the forefront of helping clients find new and different ways to connect and engage with people.”

Mumbai, India – Global brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R in India has recently appointed Payal Vaidya as its new executive vice president of experience design.

Vaidya brings with her 19 years of global experience in transforming brands and businesses through collaborative leadership and problem-solving skills across India, APAC, and the US markets. Prior to joining VMLY&R, she co-founded the management consulting firm The Thinking Hats Innovation in New York City, which focuses on launching, sustaining, and innovating with brands on their experiences, products, and services.

Furthermore, Vaidya has also worked with various marketing agencies and consultancies like Ogilvy, Grey, and Publicis. She has helped start-ups, not for profits, and Fortune 500 companies like P&G, L’Oréal, and Unilever, as well as Tata, and Lowe’s, among others.

In her new role at VMLY&R, Vaidya will be a part of the senior leadership council, leading the customer experience design vertical, and will be responsible for evangelizing design thinking and customer-first experiences within the agency and with clients.

Commenting on her appointment, Vaidya said that she is thrilled to join the agency and help transform brands and businesses to create phenomenal experiences through creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration.

“It’s exciting to see the human-centered design approach permeate through agencies and brands alike, and I look forward to building on VMLY&R’s existing practice to allow us to truly put the customer at the center for every client,” said Vaidya.

Meanwhile, VMLY&R India’s CEO Anil Nair commented, “In our journey to becoming a complete marketing partner to our brands, we have been evolving our Customer Experience practice. For that precise reason, we are happy to have Payal on board to evangelize the importance of customer strategy and partner brands on the delivery of elevated experiences for their consumers.”