Maxus Digital adds creative mettle

Sasikumar and Sikka, who started The Hungry Fish in 2010, have now joined Maxus Digital as business director and creative director, respectively.

Deepak Sasikumar and Raunaq Sikka, the co-founders of digital creative firm The Hungry Fish, have joined Maxus Digital in Mumbai. The duo will lead the digital creative projects for Maxus in Mumbai which include work for clients like Fiat, World Gold Council, Tata Sky and Vodafone.

This is not an acquisition for Maxus and The Hungry Fish, as an agency, has ceased operations. Sasikumar and Sikka, who started The Hungry Fish in 2010, have now joined Maxus Digital as business director and creative director, respectively. The duo had earlier worked at agencies such as JWT, BC Web Wise and Leo Burnett. During their careers, they have been associated with clients such as Sunsilk, Microsoft, Gillette, Pepsi, Ford Motors and STAR TV.

Commenting on his new role, Sasikumar says, "Apart from having a long standing relationship with GroupM over the years, what really made our decision easy was Maxus's tremendous focus on the digital medium. Maxus is steadily being reckoned as the most desirable digital agency to work with. We hope to add the value of our experience to a young and dynamic team, full of ideas."

Sikka adds, "Today, media and technology are ever changing and require an agency that breathes innovation. For both Deepak and me the focus has been on ideas that are media neutral, which establish relations across communication channels using the perfect media mix. I am looking forward to creating some great work for our clients at Maxus and making them believe that we are one agency that makes ideas happen!"

The agency has recently had quite a few realignments in its ranks. In September, Maxus Digital strengthened its leadership team with some key hires as well as internal changes. Vishal Jacob, who was earlier digital lead in the West, was promoted as head of digital strategy. Punit Singh had joined Maxus as digital lead in North and is now based in Gurgaon.

Sairam Ranganathan, who was till recently the digital lead for Maxus Bengaluru, had taken over Jacob's role in Mumbai, while Venkatesh Kamath joined as the new digital lead for Maxus Bengaluru.

"Over the last couple of years, we have evolved from a digital media agency to a complete digital marketing solutions team with significantly large assignments, along the way attracting some great talent. This is going to further strengthen our offerings," says Unny Radhakrishnan, head of digital, Maxus South Asia.

Maxus' digital services include digital consulting, media, creative, technology and social; it works with clients such as Nokia, Google, Vodafone, Nestle, Perfetti, Titan, Hero MotoCorp, Redbull, Fiat, Tata Motors and MAX Life, to name a few.