Charles Cadell joins McCann Worldgroup as regional MD

Cadell is all set to join as regional managing director for Southeast Asia and Australia at McCann Worldgroup. His appointment will be effective from the second week of January, 2011.

Charles Cadell will join McCann Worldgroup as regional managing director, Southeast Asia and Australia. Cadell's appointment will be effective from the second week of January, 2011. He will report to Nick Brien, chief executive officer, McCann Worldgroup.

Currently, Cadell is serving his notice period at Lowe Lintas India as CEO.

In his new role, Cadell will handle the business of Southeast Asia for McCann, which includes countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia, apart from Australia and New Zealand.

Cadell says, "The countries in Southeast Asia are all developing economies - just like India. Therefore, the challenges these markets pose are very much like those in the Indian market." For example, he says, Indonesia has a large rural base like India and rural marketing is becoming a very important aspect of advertising there, too. Also, the penetration of digital is high in these markets, which is another significant part of advertising.

"However, these markets are simpler as compared to the Indian market, which is very complex and diverse," he adds.

Cadell joined Lowe Lintas India in 2007. Earlier, he was CEO, Leo Burnett Malaysia and president, Asia Pacific, Arc Worldwide, a Leo Burnett affiliated marketing services company based in Malaysia, where he launched 16 offices in 13 Asian markets.

He has extensive experience in Asia in advertising, marketing and communications. In 2006, when Publicis acquired the marketing services giant Solutions, Cadell oversaw the incorporation of the company in India, and subsequently served on its board.