Michael Follett to head planning for DDB Mudra

DDB Mudra has hired Michael Follett as senior vice president, strategy and planning. Follet joins from Tribal DDB, New York where he was head of planning for North America. Prior to that, he was with DDB London for seven years.

Follett will lead planning duties for the DDB Mudra Group’s four units, DDB Mudra, RAPP India, Tribal DDB India and Mudra Health and Lifestyle. He will report to Sandeep Vij, CEO, DDB India group.

“Besides my own fascination for India, one of the joys of working here is the structure that Madhukar has put into place at DDB Mudra, making it one of the most exciting communication agencies in Mumbai,” Follett told Campaign India, on his appointment.

Follett’s conversation with Mudra began a year ago when he met Ashish Mishra (Water Consulting) at a training programme in Hong Kong for DDB planners from Asia Pacific. In his new role, he will try to ensure that the “fruits of planning benefit every part of the creative process”. “I’ve been superbly impressed with the professional intelligence of the people here at Mudra. The desire for integration is heartening and all the units come together as a whole in helping the creative product,” he said.

Follett was responsible for introducing planning at Tribal DDB, New York being the only planner there. “At Mudra, I hope to be a booster to the existing team in helping them get better results and win more businesses,” he said. Besides being declared ‘Face to Watch’ by Campaign UK in 2007, Follett has won planning awards for brands such as Hovis Bakery, Purina Pet Care and Oxfam Shops.

Clarification: The story states that Follett was Tribal DDB New York's only planner, the implication being that the agency has no planning function now that he has left. That is not the case. When he left, he was a part of a team of four planners at Tribal DDB New York and the agency retains an extremely strong and insightful planning department after his departure.