Colvyn Harris to be
JWT chairman Mike Khanna's successor
Indiantelevision.com
Team
(16 September 2004 10:00
am)
MUMBAI: The suspense about the leadership issue at
JWT India, India's largest advertising agency has ended. Speculation
had been on as to who would be the man to succeed the long-serving
Mike Khanna as its head honcho. Names of senior professionals such
as Colvyn Harris, Kamal Oberoi and Jagdip Badkshi were tossed around.
And last month the media had even carried reports saying that it is
Harris who would be succeeding the mild-mannered, gentlemanly, and
highly successful JWT India chairman Khanna, something which he had
refused to deny or confirm.
All the rumour mongering can now be put to rest. The agency sent out
a release yesterday confirming that it would indeed be Contract Advertising
president Colvyn Harris who will be taking over as the top man at
JWT come January 2005. Khanna is expected to retire and hand over
the baton to Harris at the turn of the year.
An insider, Harris has been working with WPP in India
and overseas and with group agencies JWT and Contract in various leadership
positions for a good 24 years. Additionally, he has nurtured a clutch
of global and national brands, which probably tipped the scales in
his favour. JWT India president Kamal Oberoi, another name that was
being whispered about as Khanna's successor will now become the chairman
of the Group's new venture to be announced later this year.
JWT Delhi senior vice-president & general manager
Jagdip Bakshi has meanwhile been elevated as CEO of Contract Advertising.
In an official release Khanna said, "Over the years I have watched
Colvyn and Jagdip develop into leaders and watched them building strong
brands and robust businesses, and I have every confidence in their
ability to take these agencies to new heights in the future."
JWT has roped in Pepsi senior vice president and area
director Rohit Ohri as the man to replace Bakshi as general manager
JWT Delhi.
On another level, JWT India will now be reporting into JWT Asia Pacific
area director Patrick Pitcher who will be overseeing JWT's operations
in 14 countries including India, Central Asia, South East Asia and
Australia. Both Harris and Bakshi will also be elevated to the new
Asia Pacific Executive Board which includes top officials from around
the region, who will in turn be reporting to Pitcher.
Khanna, an ardent cricket fan, has got a pat on his back for his long
but highly productive and prolific sojourn at the JWT crease. Says
JWT worldwide president Michael Maedel: "Mike is a shining example
of one of those rare leaders who has transformed JWT India into one
of the finest agency groups worldwide. JWT has been the number one
agency in India for 75 years, and under Mike's leadership, has helped
to build some of India's most trusted brands. It is a testament to
his leadership skills that we have such fine talent to take over the
reins of the company."
