Digital agency Dept taps Havas Group veteran Vishnu Mohan to lead APAC expansion

Global digital agency Dept has officially launched its APAC operations. It will be headed by partner and growth officer Vishnu Mohan (pictured left), who will work closely with global CEO Dimi Albers (pictured right). Founded in Amsterdam in 2015, Dept has quickly grown across the globe, with over 2,000 employees across 17 markets. Some of the brands it has worked with include Google, KFC, Twitch, Patagonia and Spotify.

Mohan, formerly CEO at Havas Group for Southeast Asia, India and North Asia, will be responsible for the Asia-wide rollout and expansion of Dept’s offerings. He joins the agency following a 25-year stint with Havas Group, where he was the key figure behind the launch and development of the group in APAC.

Mohan said that Dept’s integrated one-stop-shop principle of delivering tech, design, creative and performance with a simple structure, speed, clarity, and personal contact is why he truly believes it can make a difference in the APAC market. “I look forward to working with Albers and the teams, leveraging the agency's growing client base and track record in our region to build a business that’s big enough to cope and at the same time small enough to care,” he added. 

According to a statement by Dept, in APAC, it will follow an acquisition-led growth approach to grow its business to 1,000 employees and contribute 10% to global revenues by 2024. To complement its plans, it will have a Singapore hub and a satellite team in Manila.

Albers said that Dept has delivered a variety of projects in the Asia Pacific market for brands over the past few years, such as like Mizuno, Samsung, Weber, Fujitsu, and KLM. “Our vision has always been to help our clients work with the best talent in the world, regardless of geography. Having a skilled team on the ground that works fully integrated with our teams across EMEA and the Americas will help us make an even bigger impact in APAC, both for our global clients and local brands,” he added.

Separately, Mohan also launched Avyan Holdings in Singapore in January this year, with the ambition to build a regional footprint in Asia. Avyan Holdings is designed to be a collective of companies working towards advancing human possibilities by integrating design, technology, and data to help brands and people thrive in a digital-first world. 

While Mohan continues to be chairman, he will not be involved in Avyan Holdings operationally. He told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: "Avyan Holdings has its own independent leadership team who are partners at the firm and will continue to lead the expansion of the group."

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