Tag: Kiron Kesav

Singapore – Omnicom Media Group agency PHD has appointed Kiron Kesav as chief strategy officer, APAC. In his role, Kesav will lead strategic planning, business growth, innovation, and digital transformation, powered by the Omni open operating system.

With over 15 years of industry experience, Kesav was most recently OMG Malaysia’s Chief Strategy Officer, during which he led several successful multi-market and local pitches including OPPO, Warner Bros. Discovery, CelcomDigi, and Dutch Lady. 

Kesav also championed AI adoption across the agency and elevated OMG Malaysia’s reputation as an industry thought leader through several initiatives, including conceptualising the flagship ‘Future Play’ event.

Before taking on the group role, Kesav spent three years with PHD Malaysia as GM, Strategy and Platforms, driving strategy and the use of new technology platforms, and scaling the adoption of Omni in the market. 

As a result, PHD Malaysia was among the top 10 markets globally in terms of Omni Studio usage. Additionally, Kesav was instrumental in conceptualising and designing key strategy products, including the Digital Efficacy Monitoring Framework, PHD Pulse, and OMG OOH Priority Radar.

He reports into PHD APAC CEO Eileen Ooi, effectively immediately. Together with PHD’s regional leadership team, Kesav will drive better business outcomes for clients by leveraging intelligence that connects businesses to the next generation of consumers.

Speaking on his new role, Kiron said, “PHD APAC boasts of some of the sharpest strategic minds in the industry and for me, it is a fantastic feeling to once again to don the PHD colours and work alongside them. I see our strategy teams across markets being the force multipliers in our journey to make our new proposition – Intelligence. Connected. – meaningful in APAC while capitalising on the immense potential of OMG’s capabilities. I am excited to partner with our global and regional teams to deliver transformative growth for our people and our clients with a focus on bringing clarity in complexity.”

Kesav will continue as OMG Malaysia’s chief strategy officer in the interim while a search for his successor is underway, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained momentum. 

Meanwhile, Ooi commented, “Kiron is a seasoned strategy expert who is skilled in navigating the complexities of brand building. Having worked with him during my time at PHD and OMG in Malaysia, I recognised Kiron’s knack for insightful analysis and creative problem-solving that successfully brought clients’ visions to life. His ability to unlock growth opportunities while leveraging OMG’s Agency as a Platform proposition to create inspiring executions will help our clients outthink, outpace, and outgrow their competition, making him a valuable asset to PHD APAC.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Omnicom Media Group in Malaysia has announced two key leadership appointments in their agency, namely Kiron Kesav as chief strategy officer at OMG Malaysia and Mayank Bhatnagar as managing director at OMD Malaysia. Said appointments are part of the agency’s vision to continue strengthening its presence within the region as a media agency powerhouse.

Kesav, who was previously the general manager of PHD Malaysia, will be guiding OMG’s agencies towards pushing forward its strategic planning products, business solutions for clients and thought leadership and innovations for the network. Said promotion will provide the agency with the expertise needed to serve its clients and create a positive impact for the agency locally and regionally.

Meanwhile, Bhatnagar has over 20 years of industry experience, managing several blue-chip clients across various markets in Asia. His appointment will see him overseeing OMD Malaysia, ensuring the continuous growth and momentum of the agency and its client accounts.

Both new hires will be reporting directly to Eileen Ooi, chief operating officer at OMG Malaysia, and will officially assume their new roles with immediate effect. For the meantime, Ooi will also be overseeing PHD Malaysia in the interim.

Speaking about the new appointments, Ooi shared, “Both Kiron and Mayank’s appointments are extremely valuable in strengthening OMG Malaysia as a media powerhouse in the local and regional context.”

She added, “[Kesav] has proven his capabilities by successfully leading PHD Malaysia as general manager of strategy and platforms. I am confident that his well-earned elevation will see him contribute immensely to the success of OMG as a whole. [Bhatnagar’s] extensive experience [meanwhile], across the industry, along with how well-accustomed he is with the Malaysian market, will be beneficial to continuing the success of OMD Malaysia.