MSL hands expanded SEA CEO remit to Amit Misra

Publicis Groupe has expanded Amit Misra's remit to include CEO of MSL Southeast Asia, in addition to his current role as CEO of MSL South Asia. As part of his expanded responsibilities, Misra will drive MSL’s growth in the Southeast Asia markets, leading a team of 100 colleagues across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines, along with 450 colleagues across eight offices in South Asia.

The elevation is in line with Publicis Groupe’s vision of fostering entrepreneurship within the Groupe’s strategic priorities. Misra joined MSL India in 2013 and took over the India operations as CEO in 2015. Under his leadership, MSL India became a key contributor to Publicis South Asia’s growth, doubling revenues. According to the Groupe, MSL India’s strong growth in recent years has been driven by its integrated communications offerings and it will continue to be the focus of the business under Misra’s leadership in Southeast Asia.

The team in India was also restricted recently, with a number of key promotions to reinforce MSL’s commitment in strategic growth areas: Tushar Bajaj – MD, Organic by MSL; Nikhil Lodaya – COO, MSL India; Vaishnavi Murali – COO, PCA; Parveez Modak – MD, strategy group; Glen D’Souza – MD, media and network group; and Schubert Fernandes – chief client officer. Misra will continue to work closely with the leadership team towards MSL’s expansion in the South Asia markets.

Misra said MSL's journey in South Asia over the last few years has been enriching and exhilarating at the same time and he looks forward to taking his learnings to the expanded role. "This is a tremendous opportunity to create interesting synergies across geographies from the perspective of our clients and talent and I remain excited about our growth in Asia," he added.

Amrita Randhawa, CEO of Southeast Asia, said Misra has taken MSL to greater heights year on year in India and South Asia. "Misra leading the mandate for two regions will further leverage the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One model, with MSL being a true powerhouse offering scale and depth of services to our clients. I have no doubt that MSL Southeast Asia will reach unprecedented heights with Misra’s leadership," he said.

MSL's APAC CEO Margaret Key said Misra has a deep understanding of these markets and has a proven track record of innovation and growth in the region. "With his appointment, two strategic geographies in Asia have come together thereby unlocking incredible opportunities for MSL. I look forward to working closely with him," she said.

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