Rana Barua quits Contract Advertising, Raji Ramaswamy appointed as the new CEO

J Walter Thompson (JWT) South Asia has appointed Raji Ramaswamy as the CEO of Contract Advertising. According to the press release shared by the agency, Ramaswamy will take up the new role with effect from July 3, 2017, as Rana Barua has decided to move out due to personal reasons.

Commenting on Barua, Tarun Rai, CEO, JWT South Asia, says, "Over the last four years (Rana) Barua has built an excellent team of professionals, helped in developing new capabilities, built business and reputation. As a result of his efforts, Contract continues to be counted as one of the best agencies in the country. He will be missed and I am sure he will make a success of whatever he chooses to do next. We wish him all the very best."

Speaking about his movement, Barua says, "It's been an outstanding and fulfilling four and a half years for me at Contract and I have enjoyed every moment of this journey. Contract is now clearly among the top few agencies of the country and poised only to get bigger & better."

With over 25 years in marketing and brand management at JWT, Ramaswamy is a seasoned communications professional. Over the years, she has worked with some of the most high profile companies and brands, in Mumbai and later in Kolkata, including Kellogg's, DeBeers, ITC, Tata Steel, Berger Paints, Exide, to name a few. As the head of JWT Kolkata, she has led a large team to significant business wins and expanded the operations.

Talking about Ramaswamy's appointment, Rai says, "I have known (Raji) Ramaswamy for over a decade. She is a consummate advertising professional. Her passion and energy are infectious. She leads from the front and is totally committed to her work and to her clients. I am very confident that she will do exceptionally well in her new role and help in meeting our clients' business objectives and in taking Contract to greater heights."

On her new assignment, Ramaswamy says, "Contract Advertising has always been an iconic brand and respected for its commitment to building great brands. With this opportunity, I hope to leverage my vast experience in brand building across categories by creating meaningful communication that will deliver on brand objectives and create campaigns that will work for our clients and the agency."