Marketing Unplugged is now part of FCB Ulka Group; Suman Srivastava named vice-chairman and CSO of the agency

Previously, Srivastava was chief strategy officer at FCB Ulka; till now, the agency was a client of his brand marketing consultancy Marketing Unplugged.

FCB Ulka has named Suman Srivastava as the vice-chairman and chief strategy officer (CSO) of the Group. Srivastava was previously chief strategy officer at FCB Ulka; the agency, until now, was a client of his brand marketing consultancy Marketing Unplugged. The firm is now officially a part of the FCB Ulka Group.

Srivastava will oversee strategy and all related functions for the Group, including Strategic Planning, Cogito Consulting, Asterii Analytics and Marketing Unplugged.

Commenting on the appointment, Rohit Ohri, Group chairman and CEO, FCB Ulka, says, "Good people make good things happen. That's my guiding principle as I build my leadership team at FCB Ulka Group. In Srivastava, I see a brilliant mind, a deep passion for brand-building and inspiring leadership. I'm delighted to have him as my strategic partner as we write a new chapter in the history of FCB Ulka in India."

Srivastava, who is a graduate from the Delhi University, IIM Ahmedabad, and IMD Lausanne, started his career with the Lintas Group and was part of the team that set up SSC&B. He then moved to Euro RSCG in India and eventually became its CEO as well as chief strategy officer for its Asia-Pacific region. Srivastava later turned entrepreneur and started a strategic consulting firm called Marketing Unplugged, which will now be a part of the FCB Ulka Group.

Speaking on his new role, Srivastava says, "I always seem to change jobs the year India hosts the cricket World Cup. I started my career in Lintas in 1987, then moved to Euro RSCG in 1996 and started Marketing Unplugged in 2011. I am thankful that Ohri offered me such an exciting new role in the year that India is hosting the T20 World Cup. That ensures my record stays clean. And, given that India is not likely to host another World Cup for many years, I look forward to a long and happy tenure at FCB Ulka."

FCB Ulka Advertising is the flagship agency of the FCB Ulka Group, with over 120 Indian and multinational clients, and 800 professionals working across six offices in seven cities. Besides three mainline creative agency brands and a media agency brand, the Group has an array of specialised divisions like Digital, Direct/CRM, Healthcare, Brand consulting, Analytics, Activation, and PR. It is a part of the over 140-year-old FCB Worldwide, which has its network spread across over 100 countries and is owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG).