GroupM's Gaurang Menon joins iContract as creative head, Mumbai

iContract has appointed Gaurang Menon as executive creative director and creative head. He will be based at the agency's Mumbai office. Menon has over 12 years of experience in the industry, having handled brands such as Pepsi, Kellogg's, Maruti, Mahindra, HUL, Microsoft, and Tata Communications.

Commenting on the appointment, Prashanth Challapalli, executive vice-president and digital head, iContract, says, "Menon brings with him two things I love in creative leaders -- a sense of adventure, and a calm and collected head on experienced shoulders. He comes on board at a really momentous time in iContract's journey. We handle some of the biggest brands in India and we like challenging ourselves to create work that wins awards, as well as build business for our clients. I look forward to his partnership in strengthening our creative product."

On joining iContract, Menon says, "Within five minutes into my first conversation with Challapalli, I decided that if I have to make a switch, it has to be with iContract. I guess it was all about being in sync with the vision and in agreement on a lot of things - something that's becoming increasingly difficult these days. I'm really excited to work with the fantastic team at iContract. My mandate is simple -- the launch pad has been created and I need to steer the creative product to the next level."

Menon, who joins from GroupM, where he was the creative head, is also a published travel writer and photographer and his work has featured in magazines such as Jetwings, Planet Goa, and CNNGO.com. He creates adventure trips for people through his hobby travel outfit TrueNorth. Menon is also trying to fulfil orders of his own brand of pesto and pasta sauces called Summer of 69. Prior to this, he has worked with BC Web Wise, Jet Airways, Mediaturf, Leo Burnett, Flying Cursor, Synapse, and id8Labs.

iContract is a digital agency which handles the social and digital mandate for brands such as Google, YouTube, YouTube Creators, Dettol, Durex, Veet, Lizol, Scholl, Garnier, Wills Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop, Asian Paints, UTI Mutual Fund, and HSBC.

Contract Advertising, a member of the WPP network, is an integrated and independent communications company that specialises in advertising, consulting, design, and digital. The digital sphere is driven through the three specialist verticals - Core Consulting, Design Sutra and iContract.