Ranjeev Vij bids adieu to BBDO

Change for the better is always welcome. So believes Ranjeev Vij, vice-president and business director, BBDO, who has decided to move on to explore more challenging and bigger opportunities.

Confirming this to afaqs!, Vij says, "I really enjoyed my stint at BBDO India, especially on business development and taking the lead on cross-fertilization of knowledge and sharing within the BBDO and Proximity Network. As a communications person, I will be able to leverage the learning, I gained from this amazing network and its great regional and global leaders."

Josy Paul, chairman and national creative director, BBDO India is game for Vij's exploring new opportunities, though he will undoubtedly be missed at the agency. "His interest in the integrated and new media propositions, even at the regional level, was quite evident. I guess he has found out where he wants to be. Known to be the adventurous kind, Vij is heading for something which he wishes to pursue. However, he will always see a home in BBDO."

Besides, he was also in-charge of the new business initiatives at the agency.

Advertising has been part of Vij's life for 15 years. He began his career with RK Swamy/BBDO as an account executive in 1994. In 1995, he joined Bates 141 (then Enterprise Nexus) as senior account executive.

During his four-year stay at the agency, he launched Sony Wega and Handycam.

He joined Ogilvy (then Ogilvy & Mather) in 1999 and was designated group head on the Vatika shampoo business. He joined Lowe in 2001, for a short stint, as brand services director on the confectionery business for Nestlé.

Vij returned to Bates in 2002 as account director. He left in 2004 to join Rediffusion Y&R (then Rediffusion DY&R) as client services director. He was later 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. During his stint at the agency, Airtel mobility services, nationally, came under his purview.

He moved to VGC in 2007 as associate vice-president. Vij has also done short stints at Lowe and DraftFCB Ulka (then FCB Ulka).

Some of the brands that Vij has worked on include Pepsi Foods (Quaker Oats), Real Broadcasting, General Motors, Whirlpool, LG and Dabur Vatika.

Very much in love with advertising, Vij has no plans to move out of the industry. "I love this business and am most passionate about brands. I think our world is very dynamic and fluid at the moment and there is huge potential for agencies who can deliver solutions with strong ideas and beyond 30-second spots and in newer media. And I love this challenge."