MUMBAI: WPP's communication agency Rediffusion has appointed Sam Ahmed as vice chairman and chief creative officer. He currently lives in Dubai but will now move to Mumbai from where he will operate in his new role at the agency.

Ahmed has spent 14 years at Y & R, Dubai where he was credited with making Y&R the No. 1 agency in Dubai in creative rankings and the 3rd most creative agency in the world. He has worked on brands like Ford, Nestle, Pepsi, P&G, Colgate-Palmolive, Citibank, Harvey Nichols, Skoda, Land Rover, Jaguar, Sony Ericsson, Du Telecom, Zain Telecom, HTC, Apple and World Gold Council. He has also been a consultant for the Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's executive office on several Dubai projects including DIFC and Burj Khalifa.

Rediffusion chairman and managing director Diwan Arun Nanda said, "It is good to have a person of Sam's credentials lead the Creative Team at Rediffusion. He is one of the world's most awarded creative people. We searched the globe for such a creative talent. Sam is empowered to lead our team to achieve great creative heights with work that helps strengthen our clients' brands even further."

Ahmed said, "One of the reasons I left advertising is that the focus had shifted, it had become more about making money and less about ideas. I have always believed that only great ideas make a lot of money for your clients and your agency and when the Chairman of a legendary agency offers you a challenge to make Rediffusion the Number 1 creative agency in India, you don't ask too many questions, except where do I sign? I have some of the most amazing brands at Rediffusion to work with and I am really excited."

Sam joined the advertising and communications industry at the age of 21. He was 24 when he won his first design award and by the time he turned 28, he was creative director of Y&R, Dubai. He was made partner and regional executive creative director of Y&R Brands for the region by age of 31. In 2009, Sam founded the Creative Club of Dubai.