Param Saikia to head Publicis Dialog; Hemant Mishra to step into his shoes at Publicis

Saikia has served as COO at Publicis India for four years. He joined the agency in 2002

Param Saikia, COO, Publicis, has assumed a new role. He will head the operations of Publicis Worldwide’s marketing and BTL agency, Publicis Dialog. In a similar development, Hemant Misra, senior vice-president, JWT, will replace Saikia as COO, Publicis.

Param Saikia to head Publicis Dialog; Hemant Mishra to step into his shoes at Publicis

Nakul Chopra

Saikia’s designation has not been decided as yet. Both Saikia and Misra will be based in Delhi, will be members of the Publicis management board, and report to Nakul Chopra, MD and CEO, Publicis Network in India.

Commenting on this development, Chopra, says, “Saikia has built Publicis from scratch in the last four years, which is a proof of his ability to successfully walk paths that others fear. Publicis Dialog is our single most important initiative for Asia Pacific in 2007 – India is expected to lead this initiative – and I am hence turning to my best resource, Saikia.”

Param Saikia

Saikia joined Publicis in 2002 as COO, before which he was director at Euro-RSCG. His stint with advertising began at Leo Burnett (then Chaitra), where he joined as a summer trainee, after which he moved to FCB-Ulka (then Ulka Advertising) where he was a senior account executive. Within a year, he moved to JWT (then HTA), where he stayed for the next eight years, before spending a year at Mudra. In 1995, he joined McCann-Erickson as vice-president and general manager, before moving on to Euro-RSCG in 2000. He has worked on accounts such as Coca-Cola, Motorola and Nestle.

Publicis Dialog, launched last year, provides holistic communications services to its clients, including advertising, direct marketing, sales promotion, investor relations, interactive marketing, event management, merchandising and retail message management.

The outfit services the clients of the group’s two advertising agencies, Ambience Publicis and Publicis India, as well as independent clients.

Saikia adds, “Publicis Dialog is not merely our most important initiative, it is our most challenging one. I am currently working closely with Partha Sinha, regional strategist, Publicis Dialog and Solutions, to finalise our strategy. As far as passing on the reins of Publicis India is concerned, I have known Misra well and I know that the team will be in good hands.”

Hemant Misra

“We are now moving aggressively to take Publicis to a leadership position in India. This change in our management structure is a key step in a direction that will take Publicis to a leadership position. Misra brings with him a unique combination of entrepreneurial attitude, sterling management skills and depth of experience in guiding large brands. As Publicis India looks to its next stage of evolution, I could not have found a better person to whom to entrust this brand,” adds Chopra.

Misra says, “The communications business is changing faster than most agencies can react. Publicis India has the ideal size and youth to lead that change. Saikia has already done a wonderful job. I now look forward to ringing in a new paradigm.”

Misra has been with JWT for the last two years, primarily for the Pepsi and Hero Honda business. Prior to this, he was heading the Delhi branch of Mudra.

He has to his credit a 20-year career in advertising, during which he has worked closely on national and international brands such as McDonald’s, Nestle, Electrolux, Hewlett Packard, Samsung, Frito-Lay, Dabur and Yamaha.

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