Kamal Basu to join Skoda India as head, marketing

The former chief executive officer of Saatchi & Saatchi India will join Skoda, an account serviced by Saatchi & Saatchi, until recently.

Kamal Basu, former chief executive officer, Saatchi & Saatchi India, will join Skoda India as head, marketing. Senior sources from the industry have confirmed the news to afaqs!. Basu will be based in Mumbai.

Basu, who quit Saatchi & Saatchi India in November 2011, was replaced by Matt Seddon, who moved in from Ace Saatchi & Saatchi Philippines, where he served as a vice-chairperson and chief executive officer since 2008. Basu, at the time, had mentioned that he will be in a position to talk about his next destination in another three-four weeks.

No one from Skoda India could be contacted at the time of filing this report.

In May 2011, Skoda India had awarded the creative mandate for its entire product portfolio to Saatchi & Saatchi. But, the auto company called for a creative pitch again. This is an annual review of the creative agencies that the company undertakes as a norm. Skoda Auto also adopted a new corporate identity, globally, which the company unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

Basu, a commerce graduate from Sydenham College, Mumbai, spent around eight years at Ogilvy India, which he joined in 1992. His last designation held there was that of vice-president, client servicing. In 2000, he moved to Saatchi & Saatchi as executive vice-president, Mumbai. Later, in 2008, he was promoted to the post of chief executive officer.