Law & Kenneth ropes in Lerin Zacharia to head the Renault business

Zacharia, who has 16 years of experience in advertising, joins the agency from Ikon Advertising & Marketing Dubai.

As it gets ready to launch the Renault brand in India, Law & Kenneth has strengthened its team further with the appointment of Lerin Zacharia as vice-president, specifically to head the agency's prized account. Law & Kenneth won the creative duties for Renault last year.

Zacharia joins the agency from Ikon Advertising & Marketing in Dubai, where he was the regional account director. Currently based in Mumbai, Zacharia will work closely with the Chennai branch of Law & Kenneth, from where the Renault business is handled.

On his appointment, Anil Nair, chief executive officer and managing partner, Law & Kenneth says, "The task for Renault is not just communication, but brand marketing as well. Hence, we were looking for someone who could not only work on the communication bit, but also have extensive knowledge of the category and relevant exposure. We found Lerin having both, coupled with local and international exposure."

Zacharia, armed with 16 years of experience, has worked extensively on automobile and related brands. Having started his career in 1995 with Clea Advertising Mumbai as an account executive, he moved to Rhizic Communications to handle the Peugeot account in India.

He soon moved to Ikon Advertising in Dubai to handle their automotive business. He worked on the Ford (including Ford, Mercury and Lincoln) account, and followed that up by working on the launch of Mazda's line-up of sedans and SUVs.

He also handled the foray of Total Lubricants into the retail segment in early 2000 and worked closely on expanding its network across the regional markets.

The other brands he has worked on include Titan Watches, Samsung Mobiles and television, Dunlop Tyres and Kempinski Hotels (UAE).

Talking to afaqs!, Zacharia says that besides personal reasons that triggered his move back to India, he is excited about the prospects at Law & Kenneth.

"This year is going to see a host of automobile companies being launched in India. We need to be one step ahead of the competition and pull out some key surprises. We have to keep the aces up our sleeves," he says.

"I have been very fortunate to have worked on automobiles right from the start of my career. I am very passionate about automobiles. When the opportunity came up to work on Renault and launch its Indian operations, I was doubly excited. For one, Law & Kenneth is a youthful agency full of energy and excitement. Secondly, I was once again getting to launch a global brand in India. I look forward to establishing Renault as a premium European automobile brand in the Indian market and making it a top contender in the coming years," adds Zacharia.