Ranjeev Vij joins BBDO to head HP business

Ranjeev Vij has joined BBDO as business director and vice-president on the Hewlett Packard (HP) business recently acquired by the agency.

Vij moves in from Vyas Gianetti Creative (VGC), where he was vice-president and Delhi branch head.

Apart from heading the HP account, Vij will be responsible for new business initiatives for the agency. He will report to Josy Paul, chairman and national creative director, BBDO India.

Chris Thomas, chairman and chief executive officer, BBDO and Proximity Asia Pacific, says, “India is a significant market for many of our global clients and it is essential that we put the best talent in place. Vij is a terrific addition to BBDO India and I am confident he will play an important role in developing work for HP in the region.”

Vij has been in the advertising industry for 14 years. He started off as an account executive at RK Swamy/ BBDO in 1994. After a year, he moved to Bates 141 (then Enterprise Nexus) as senior account executive. He spent four years at Bates 141 and launched Sony Wega and Handycam while there.

In 1999, O&M happened and he was group head on the Vatika shampoo business while there. He moved to Lowe in 2001 and did a short stint there as brand services director on the Nestle confectionery business.

Vij returned to Bates in 2002 as account director. In 2004, he moved to Rediff as client servicing director and was elevated to handle the brand unification of Bharti Airtel’s three businesses, Airtel mobile services, Airtel broadband and fixed line services and Airtel enterprise services. He went on to handle Airtel’s mobility services, nationally, at the agency. He moved to VGC in 2007 as associate vice-president. Vij has also done short stints at Lowe and DraftFCB Ulka (then FCB Ulka).

During his career, Vij has handled brands such as Airtel, General Motors, Sony (CTVs, digital cameras, digital camcorders, digital media and car audios), Whirlpool, Nestle chocolate and confectionery (Polo Mint and Bar One), LG (IT products), Dabur Vatika shampoo, Glaxo SmithKline (Iodex), Religare, GPI and Amway.

Josy Paul, chairman and national creative director, BBDO India, says, “Vij loves ideas. He did a great job with Airtel. We are fortunate to attract such fresh, young talent that exudes energy and passion for the business. Vij has the right mix of talent and enthusiasm that will enable him to partner with our clients to develop and deliver successful work.”

BBDO India has made several additions to its team since its entry into India. Some of the key people on the team are Sandipan Bhattacharya and Manoj Deb (both executive creative directors), Sangeet Pillai (planning director), Rajesh Sikroria (general manager) and Partho Sengupta (creative director). Currently, BBDO India’s portfolio includes the accounts of PepsiCo’s 7Up and HP’s Imaging and Printing Group (IPG).