Kaustav Das moves out of Leo Burnett

Kaustav Das, new business director, Leo Burnett, South Asia, has quit. One can recall that Das had gained entry into the Leo Burnett fort as managing director of the network's second agency, Orchard Advertising, in October, last year.

Beginning 2008, Das took charge as new business director, Leo Burnett, South Asia, and the post of managing director at Orchard was scrapped. At the same time, Thomas Xavier, national creative director, Orchard, took over as chairman in addition to his regular duties. This was the first time that the post of chairman was being set up at Orchard.

Arvind Sharma, chairman and chief executive officer, Leo Burnett India, says, “Xavier has built the agency from scratch, so he was a natural choice. I also feel that creative people are able to distinguish better between creativity and a carefree approach.”

When Das was appointed managing director of Orchard, he took over from Nitish Mukherjee, who moved to Leo Burnett in the same capacity. Das was responsible for Orchard’s offices in Bangalore, Mumbai and Chennai.

Das began his career in advertising with Saatchi & Saatchi. He went on to join O&M, followed by Lowe. He was a founder member of Lowe’s Strategic Planning Cell and brand planning director; he has served as head, account planning, at Lowe Bangalore. Besides doing short stints at Mudra and RK Swamy/BBDO, he has also served as head of Euro RSCG Chennai. After that, he joined TBWA India as vice-president, South, in May 2005.

Das has experience of 16 years in the advertising business and has worked on brands such as Apple, HUL, Henkel, Parry’s, HDFC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, United Breweries, TTK and Titan in his earlier assignments. In his role as brand manager at Dalda Activ, Das has also seen the other side of the advertising world.