Grey makes changes in creative leadership

Vishnu Srivatsav moves from Grey Bengaluru to Grey Mumbai as executive creative director and creative head, Batey India and JWT Mumbai's Ram Jayaraman joins Grey South as group creative director and creative head.

Grey India has announced a couple of senior level changes in its creative leadership.

Firstly, Vishnu Srivatsav has moved from Grey Bengaluru to Grey Mumbai as executive creative director and creative head, Batey India (Grey's second agency in India). Earlier, he was executive creative director, Grey South. Srivatsav's responsibility now is to build a strong creative structure for Batey in Mumbai.

Srivatsav has been with Grey for more than nine years and has worked across the agency's offices in Chennai, Bengaluru and Delhi. Besides his role at Batey, as part of his mandate, Srivatsav will also be actively involved in Grey's new business pitches.

Secondly, the agency has appointed Ram Jayaraman as group creative director and creative head, Grey South. He moves in from JWT Mumbai, where he served as associate vice-president and senior creative director (copy).

Before Jayaraman's appointment, Srivatsav, along with Sham Ramachandran, executive creative director and creative head, South, had spearheaded the creative duties for the agency in the southern region. Now, Jayaraman and Ramachandran will together lead the creative responsibilities for Grey South, including Bengaluru and Chennai.

Both Srivatsav and Jayaraman will report to Amit Akali, national creative director and executive vice-president, Grey India and Malvika Mehra, national creative director and executive vice-president, Grey India.

On joining Grey, Jayaraman says, "I'm excited about my new innings. It's a big decision for both Grey and me. Malvika, Amit and Jishnu Sen (president and chief executive officer, Grey India) are passionate, committed to excellence and look at work as something personal. I look forward to partnering Sham and Hari Krishnan (branch head, Grey South). I would also like to thank JWT for teaching me my craft."

Commenting on his new role, Srivatsav says, "It's been six years in Bengaluru and it has been one heck of a journey. I guess it's time to start again and I'm excited about this opportunity to start afresh in a new city and a brand new agency, while retaining the comfort of the Grey network. My thanks to my fellow travellers Hari and Sham for their tolerance and all my best wishes to Ram."

Addressing Srivatsav's move, Mehra conveys, "Vishnu is a fabulous writer with a great attitude. It's great to have him in Mumbai now."

Akali adds, "Some of our best work has been happening in the South, be for Bharti AXA Health Insurance or Britannia Rusks. That's just the kind of work that Ram has been doing. We're sure the new Jodi of 'Ram and Sham', along with Hari, will take our southern offices to even greater heights!"

A post graduate in advertising and public relations, IMC, Jayaraman brings to the table more than 11 years' work experience in advertising. In his previous role, he was creative head for the India business on Radiant (RIN), Smirnoff, Amit Enterprises and Ahuja Constructions. Some of the other popular brands he has worked on so far include The Times Of India, SET Max, Godrej, Kingfisher, PepsiCo, Nestle, GSK (Horlicks and Boost), ESPN-STAR Sports, Ford, Pizza Hut, KFC, Hero Honda, Ford, Reebok and Unitech.

Srivatsav has more than 12 years of experience in advertising. In his career so far, he has worked on brands such as Sony, Citizen, Club Mahindra, Lee, Kitchens of India, Aircel, Sabena, Kiwi Shoe Polish, Britannia, Scotch Brite, Fortis Hospitals, Deccan 360, Bharti AXA General Insurance, Intex Mobiles, National Geographic Channel, Honda Brio and Dell.