Pinaki Bhattacharya elevated as national planning director at JWT

Pinaki Bhattacharya has been elevated to the position of national planning director at J. Walter Thompson India.

 

Bhattacharya joined the agency six years ago. He headed the Delhi office of the agency as SVP and executive planning director.

 

Mythili Chandrasekar will also continue as national planning director. The duo will 'work closely' with Bindu Sethi, chief strategy officer, informed an agency statement.

 

Tarun Rai, CEO, J. Walter Thompson South Asia, said, “The planning function has always been J. Walter Thompson’s strong suit. After all, we invented the planning function in New York, way back in 1968. With so much disruption in just about every aspect of marketing and communication, planning as a function assumes even greater importance today. The focus of JWT planning is on solving our clients’ business problems and our new collaborative process – The Pioneering Process – seeks to do just that. It gives me great pleasure to announce Pinaki’s new role as a national planning director. Bindu Sethi, our chief strategy officer, now has two senior colleagues in Mythili and Pinaki to lead the largest team of planners in India.”

 

Sethi said, "Pinaki is a real asset to the team. There are a few senior planners in India who are able to bring consumer insight into category and brand solution thinking. Mythili adds dimension to our trio by bringing a unique creative edge into the planning thinking process.” 

 

Bhattacharya added, “It’s been six wonderful years of working on and learning from some of the most exciting brands and interesting categories. The new role gives me a wider canvas of brands and people that I hope to influence and help grow. Taking on new roles and challenges that are otherwise daunting seem easier when you are at JWT because of the wonderful and absolutely top class teams and leaders that one is surrounded by – both, within the agency and in our client organisations."

 

In a career spanning close to 20 years, he has also worked with TBWA, FCB Ulka and Saatchi & Saatchi.