CVL Srinivas to join GroupM as CEO, South Asia

Srinivas will succeed Vikram Sakhuja, who was recently promoted as the global CEO of Maxus. Srinivas, who is serving his notice period at Starcom MediaVest Group, is slated to join GroupM in early 2013.

CVL Srinivas (aka Srini) will join GroupM as CEO, South Asia. Srinivas will step in place of Vikram Sakhuja, who was recently promoted as the global CEO of Maxus. Currently, he is serving notice period and is slated to join GroupM in early 2013.

In his new role, he will report to Mark Patterson, CEO, Asia-Pacific, GroupM and will be responsible for all GroupM operations in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. He will also join the GroupM Asia Pacific executive committee.

Patterson, in an official communiqué, says, "Srini was our first choice for this role. In his previous roles in GroupM, he excelled. He rejoins us with more and different experiences under his belt, which will serve our clients, our people and our ambitions well. We have a world class business in the South Asian region and Srini has the skills, personality, relationships and attitude to build the business on strategy and with his own style and ideas, too."

"Mark has outlined a vision for the business regionally and globally that I am excited and challenged about and one I look forward to participating in fully,"

says Srinivas.

Srinivas has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from BITS Pilani and a post graduate degree in business administration from XLRI Jamshedpur. In 1994, he joined Fulcrum (part of JWT then) as media head, personal products and foods, Unilever account. After four years, in 1998, he moved to Madison Communications as COO.

Srinivas next moved to Maxus as CEO, Asia-Pacific. In 2008, he moved to Bennett Coleman & Co as director, private treaties. In 2011, he joined Starcom MediaVest Group as chairman and managing director, LiquidThread Asia-Pacific.