Planning head’s day out: Naresh Gupta quits Grey

Gupta is joining Publicis, maybe to set up a planning team there

Naresh Gupta, vice-president, strategic planning, South Asia, and head of planning, Grey Worldwide, is on his way out of the agency. Gupta refused to comment on the development, but a source reveals that Gupta is serving a month’s notice till March 29. He is reported to be moving to Publicis.

Gupta joined Grey in 2000. He was instrumental in setting up the planning division at the agency. When Gupta joined Grey, he was the sole planning person there. With a Bachelor’s degree in physics and a Master’s in marketing, Gupta never intended to join advertising. He joined a textile company in 1989 straight after completing his MBA, but found the work was not to his liking. He started looking around for a profession he could enjoy and chose advertising.

Naresh Gupta

He joined Mudra and started to train for a career in market research. Gupta spent close to four years at Mudra, conducting research projects in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and, finally, Delhi. At the end of it, he felt that research was too limiting and disconnected with reality. So, he moved to Maharaja International as executive assistant to the chairman, and then to Jagatjit Industries as product manager on the company’s liquor brands. Grey happened soon after.

At Publicis, it is reported that Gupta will once again be instrumental in setting up a planning team. His designation at Publicis is not known.

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Grey Worldwide Naresh Gupta