Prathap Suthan bids adieu to Cheil Worldwide

Suthan has been with Cheil since 2007; he is set to start his own agency

Prathap Suthan (Pat), national creative director, Cheil Worldwide Southwest Asia has put in his papers and is set to go independent as of January 2011. Pat has been with Cheil since 2007.

Confirming the development, Pat says, "Cheil is one place that has a true passion for ideas. I had a fantastic time at the agency. I had been contemplating about setting up my own shop for some time and have finally taken the plunge."

Pat began his career as a copywriter with a small agency in Tiruvananthapuram. After a break when he moved to the USA, he joined Mudra, Ahmedabad as a part of India's first copy training programme.

Subsequently, he joined Grey Advertising (then Trikaya Grey) Kolkata and later moved to Delhi before heading to Cheil in 2007.

Alok Agrawal, chief operating officer, Cheil Worldwide SW Asia, says, "In the time Pat has been here, he has put together a fantastic team, lined our walls with awards and developed path breaking work with great results for our clients. I am incredibly proud of what the team has achieved together."

"He has led Cheil's creative for India and has delivered phenomenal work in the last three years. Now, we have the task to search for a new creative head for the next phase of the agency's evolution," says Bruce Haines, global chief operating officer, Cheil Worldwide.

Pat will continue to be associated with the agency as a mentor and consultant, adds Agrawal.

Cheil Worldwide, South Korea's largest advertising agency headquartered in Seoul, is the worldwide agency of record for Samsung Electronics, besides handling non-Samsung global clients as well. The agency set up its India office in 2003.