OMD's Biraja Swain joins Neo@Ogilvy India

Neo@Ogilvy India has appointed Biraja Swain as chief growth and innovation officer. Prior to this, Swain was the digital and emerging media lead for OMD's operations across India and South Asia.

Other than leading the Neo Center of Excellence, Swain will also drive growth and build capability in the mobile space and lead innovation for Ogilvy's current businesses.

Commenting on the development, Rajesh Bhatia, president and country head, Neo@Ogilvy India, says, "I'm thrilled to have him as part of our network and I'm certain that he will play a leading role in driving business, innovation and growth, not just for Neo, but for Ogilvy India as a whole."

With over 15 years of digital media expertise, Swain is well-known for his penchant for innovation, especially in the field of mobile, for which he has won awards at Cannes and FOMA (Festival Of Media Asia-Pacific).

He was national director at MEC Interaction (Mediaedge: CIA) where he led digital strategy for clients such as Citi, Beiersdorf, Singapore Airlines and Sony Ericsson. His experience includes work at some of the best technology and media set-ups in India, including Baazee/eBay India and Smile Technologies/Quasar. During an earlier stint in Dubai, Swain also gained extensive experience of working in international markets of the Middle-East and Africa.

A little known aspect of Swain is that he is a Lalit Kala Academy-felicitated artist and painter and has obtained a four-year degree in Indian percussion (Tabla).