Kartik Smetacek join L&K Saatchi & Saatchi as ECD

Joining from Ideas@Work, Smetacek has previously worked in Rediffusion Y&R, Contract, Publicis and FCB Ulka.

Kartik Smetacek, who quit ideas@work recently, has been appointed as executive creative director in L&K Saatchi & Saatchi. "While my time at ideas@work was rewarding on many fronts, I missed the scale and opportunity that a big agency provides. So when Praveen (Kenneth) and Charles (Victor) offered me Renault, I jumped at the chance to work on a marquee international brand and in a category as buzzing as automobiles," said Smetacek.

Smetacek has also worked with Draftfcb Ulka, Rediffusion Y&R, Contract Advertising and Publicis Ambience. In his career spanning over 14 years, he has handled a variety of brands including Airtel, Colgate Palmolive, Taj Hotels, Cadbury, DNA, Lakme, Tata Motors, Nerolac, Bigrock and Rustomjee.

According to Victor, national creative director, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, "Acquiring talent has and will be our focus across offices. Great work can only come from wonderful creative people and I believe Kartik is definitely one of them. He has extensive, diverse experience and I love the fact that he's hungry to take on bigger responsibilities and challenges."

Adds Smetacek, "I think the agency is at a point of inflection with a clear mandate to become one of the key Saatchi & Saatchi offices in the region. I'm excited to be part of this journey."