Contract Advertising elevates Rana Barua to CEO

Previously, Barua held the position of COO at the agency.

Rana Barua, erstwhile chief operating officer of Contract Advertising India, has been elevated to the post of chief executive officer of the company, with immediate effect. Contract Advertising, a JWT group company, in February 2013, had announced the appointment of Barua as chief operating officer.

At the time, the move was an effort to fill the position left vacant by Umesh Shrikhande, the agency's former chief executive officer, who moved on from the agency in November 2012. It is only now that Barua has been given Shrikhande's previous title. Shrikhande is the chief executive officer of Taproot India.

Barua's elevation as the CEO is in recognition of the stability and growth that Contract has had in the last one year. He has been able to successfully build a team of some of the finest talent in the industry, along with winning several new businesses for the agency and enhancing existing client relations.

Announcing the development, Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT South Asia, says, "In Rana we have a leader who has very ably carried the mantle of leading Contract to a renewed position of power that has made the agency a destination of choice for brands and talent."

Over the last twelve months, Barua has driven Contract's diversification across mainstream, digital, design and other platforms of engagement marketing to ensure the best value proposition for clients, says the agency in a press note.