MUMBAI: Rediffusion-Y&R has announced a key change in their senior management. Mahesh Chauhan, who was Group CEO, and has been with the Rediffusion Group for 8 years, has decided to move on. He is being replaced by D Rajappa as Rediffusion-Y&R president.
Rajappa has been a Rediffusion Group veteran, having served the group for over 15 years in various capacities. He started out as an account director in 1995 and went on to head the Delhi branch of Rediffusion. He later moved to Rediffusion Sri Lanka as president and CEO in 2003. In 2006, he returned to India as president of Everest Brand Solutions.
Rajappa has worked on many Indian and multi-national brands – Airtel, ACC, CNN IBN, Ericsson, Emami, GPI, LIC, Maruti Suzuki, Parle, Pepsi foods, Tata Housing, to name a few, and has been associated with memorable and result-oriented communication for them.
He was one among the five professionals from all over India to win the “Advertising Leader of Tomorrow” Award in 1997 conducted by Advertising Association of India and Home TV. In 2005, he completed the Global Advanced Management Program (GAMP) from ISB Kellogg School of Management, a two-phase residential program aimed at CEOs and entrepreneurs. He is today a visiting faculty at Amity School of Communication, IIMC and Indian Institute of Event Management.
Commenting on Rajappa’s appointment, Rediffusion-Y&R chairman and managing director Diwan Arun Nanda said, “Raja’s clarity of purpose and his integrity have always succeeded in attracting and retaining high talent. The relationships he forms are always meaningful and long term, with colleagues and clients.”
Said Rajappa about his new role, “I’m no stranger to the group, and I’m here because of the entrepreneurial freedom it offers talented people. I’ve had the opportunity to exercise this freedom in various capacities and this new function definitely offers me further scope to do so. Mr. Nanda has been a great role model. My immediate focus would be to inspire the talented team we have and grow the business and scale of Rediffusion.”
