Keki Dadiseth joins Omnicom Group, India, as non-executive chairman

Omnicom Group Inc. has appointed Keki Dadiseth its non-executive chairman in India. He will work closely with Michael Birkin, CEO, Omnicom, Asia Pacific. Dadiseth recently retired from Unilever PLC and Unilever NV, where he had been a board director for five years.

Dadiseth will be responsible for developing and implementing the strategy for Omnicom’s expansion in India.

Commenting on the development, John Wren, president and CEO, Omnicom Group Inc., says, “India is becoming increasingly important to Omnicom. We will continue to grow our brands to meet the needs of our clients in this key market. Dadiseth’s ability and experience will help us drive our strategy.”

Dadiseth remarks on his appointment, “Omnicom has built an extraordinary reputation in the industry for its commitment to excellence and creativity. The Omnicom agencies’ breadth of expertise and depth of talent provide unparalleled marketing solutions to clients around the world. I look forward to working with the leaders of the group and its agencies to ensure that we continue to meet our clients’ needs in India.”

Dadiseth was appointed a board director and a member of the executive committee of Unilever PLC and Unilever NV in May 2000. In January 2001, he took over as director, home and personal care, of Unilever Worldwide. He retired from Unilever in May 2005.

Prior to his retirement from Unilever PLC and Unilever NV, Dadiseth was chairman at Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL). In fact, Dadiseth first joined HLL in 1973 as a manager in the audit department.

In India, Dadiseth has been closely associated with various industry, educational, management and medical bodies. He is a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and a member of the International Advisory Board of Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. He is also an international advisor to Goldman Sachs and a director of Prudential plc and The Indian School of Business.

For the record, Omnicom comprises ad agencies such as BBDO, DDB and TBWA, specialist media-buying companies OMD and PHD, and the Diversified Agency Services (DAS) group. Through its networks, the group serves many multinational and local clients in India.

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