Gautam Mehra joins Dentsu Aegis Network as chief data officer

Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the launch of Data Sciences in India, which led by Gautam Mehra as chief data officer at the agency and Vivek Bhargava, chief executive officer (CEO), iProspect India, will help effectively catalyse the decryption and interpretation of the overwhelming amount of data that agencies within the Dentsu Aegis Network explore and exploit every single day to drive efficiency for its clients.

Prior to this, Mehra was vice-president, social media at iProspect, a Dentsu Aegis Network company.

The team will also work with clients and come up with customised solutions for them. The aim is to help clients and marketers understand and predict the influences of human behaviour on media and advertising, says the company in a press release.

In addition to this, the Data Sciences division, which also houses a team of economists, statisticians, and computer scientists, will aid in effective data management within the Group and that of the client, as well as work with all the Network companies to bring data, analytics, and technology together to provide business intelligence at the click of a button.

Commenting on the launch of the Data Sciences division, Ashish Bhasin, chairman and chief executive officer (CEO), South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network, and chairman, Posterscope and MKTG Asia-Pacific, says, "In order to take a leadership position in managing the ever-growing data requirements for our clients, we have invested in a team of experts led by (Gautam) Mehra, who will use technology to bring data and analytics together. We want to invest ahead of the curve as leaders in the digital marketing services to ensure that Dentsu Aegis Network clients in India get the best-in-class data management solutions. (Vivek) Bhargava will be the executive sponsor for the team and this will help us further strengthen our position in digital marketing services."

He further adds, "With the help of Mehra and the team, we will employ the avenues of smarter marketing by not just providing our clients with data, but also give them tools that can help them make better business decisions."

Expressing his view on the new initiative, Bhargava informs, "Data rests at the centre of all brand marketing in modern times. The new-age marketer keenly studies customer action and envisions disruptive products and campaign communication in accordance. As a Network that leads in digital capabilities, we had to own a data division that adds immense value to our client campaigns across categories, in turn boosting business achievements. This is definitely a sign of exciting times ahead."

Talking about the importance of having a division such as this, Mehra shares, "Data is being generated everywhere, that too volumes and volumes of it. The first challenge was to measure and collect it. The second obstacle was to store data, which resulted in concepts like the cloud. The third hurdle was to analyse and fructify it and that's where the need for a data team came into place."

Commenting on his new appointment, he says, "At Dentsu Aegis Network, we believe that data is a multiplier, not just a layer and needs to be analysed in milliseconds. Our data labs consist of contemporary propriety tools that will positively provide effective and practical solutions to clients. I'm thrilled to be given this unique opportunity and certain that the data division will see great success."

In India, Dentsu Aegis Network is supported through its global network brands namely Carat, iProspect, Isobar, Posterscope, Vizeum, MKTG and Amnet along with the Dentsu branded agencies - Dentsu Impact, Dentsu One, Dentsu India, Dentsu Media, Taproot Dentsu and Dentsu Webchutney. Also, newly added to the Group are the recently acquired local brands Milestone Brandcom, WATConsult and Fountainhead.