Mindshare names Gowthaman as regional chief client officer

GroupM agency Mindshare has promoted R. Gowthaman, leader for South Asia, to the newly-created role of chief client officer for the Asia-Pacific region, effective January 1, 2012.

Gowthaman will be based in Singapore and report to Mindshare Asia-Pacific CEO, Ashutosh Srivastava.

In the new role, he will lead a team of regional client leaders to provide strategic direction and coordination for Mindshare’s work on key regional and global accounts on both a country and regional level. Gowthaman's task will be to deepen relationships with the agency's key clients, while at the same time expanding the scope of client services.

Srivastava said the role required a seasoned media professional to work with existing teams and provide leadership on a day-to-day basis. "Gowthaman has done an excellent job in South Asia and has led the growth in the new services we provide to clients, both in terms of develpong the products and helping clients see the benefits," he added.

Gowthaman’s appointment to this new role comes at a time when Mindshare has  expanded the scope of services it provides to its existing clients – especially in marketing ROI management, research and insights, communications strategy, performance marketing, digital media, branded content creation and distribution, and newer media trading approaches.

"With the fusion of technology with media and the accompanying deluge of data, marketers are seeing more specialist talent and agencies involved in their business than ever before," said Srivastava. "So they see huge value in strong agency client leaders – people with sound understanding of their brands and of media and technology, who can help them facilitate more impactful and integrated marketing solutions working with various specialists. Gowthaman’s appointment is a reflection of the importance Mindshare has placed on this breed of talent.”

Mindshare’s Ravi Rao will succeed Gowthaman in the position of Leader, South Asia. In his previous role, Rao was leading the South Asian operation for Team Unilever from 2009.

“Gowthaman has done a fine job of laying the architecture of the new MindShare in India", said Vikram Sakhuja, GroupM CEO for South Asia. "In the process he has reinforced Mindshare’s supremacy in India as being not only India’s largest media agency, but also the best. In his new role as Leader South Asia, Ravi Rao will bring in his wealth of experience in strategic planning, research, content, digital and forming strategic alliances to position Mindshare as their clients’ lead business partner in South Asia.”

This article first appeared on Campaign Asia-Pacific