AG Krishnamurthy launches brand consultancy outfit

AG Krishnamurthy, erstwhile chairman and managing director of the Rs 780-crore Mudra Communications, has set up an independent brand-consulting outfit, AG Krishnamurthy Brand Consultancy. The fledgling outfit, created back in April this year, will provide total marketing and branding solutions to brands, Krishnamurthy informed agencyfaqs!, adding that this latest development will not affect his current association with Reliance Infocomm (where he is advisor) in any way.

Speaking about the new venture, Krishnamurthy reveals that it was something he had in mind for quite a while, especially during the run-up to his retirement from Mudra (in end-March). "I wanted to do some work of my choice and liking, and I guess this (brand consultancy) is the only area of expertise I know, understand and can contribute significantly to," he laughs. "The way I see it in the foreseeable future, AG Krishnamurthy Brand Consultancy will be small, low-profile company working on four or five good brands."

‘Low-profile' is the operative phrase here. "I like to keep a low profile, so I think this company too will be low profile," Krishnamurthy observes. "That is, in fact, the reason why I did not make a lot of noise about the company, back in April." He is, however, clear that the outfit will work only with good brands. "Despite having received a lot of offers from big brands, I have been extremely choosy about what I should do in the consultancy space," he says. He does not, however, reveal names, nor is he willing to disclose particulars of brands that have signed him on.

When quizzed about why the company was limiting itself to a handful of clients, Krishnamurthy points to his busy schedule. "I am not eager to do a lot of work right away as I am currently working out of three cities (Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Hyderabad) and two places. Also, I am devoting time to a Hyderabad-based NGO. This keeps me very busy, and I don't want to hurry into anything." He adds that he is also going slow on recruitment. "I am busy with today, not with yesterday and tomorrow. Tomorrow, the company could become a decent, mid-sized consultancy and I would have to plan for that. But for now, I am looking at today." © 2003 agencyfaqs!