IPG's Suresh Balakrishna to join WPP's Kinetic as CEO, South Asia

He is currently CEO at IPG mediabrands' BPN, Initiative and Rapport.

IPG Mediabrands' Suresh Balakrishna is all set to join WPP's Kinetic as CEO, South Asia, from January 04, 2016. Balakrishna is currently CEO at IPG's full service media agencies BPN (Brand Programming Network) and Initiative, as well as Rapport, the network's Out-of-Home media planning and buying agency.

Balakrishna, with more than 25 years of experience, was taken on board as CEO, BPN, in July, 2012, when the new full service media agency was launched in India. This was his second stint with the agency; he was earlier executive vice-president and general manager of Initiative Media.

For the record, BPN is IPG Mediabrands' third agency after Lodestar UM and Initiative. Founded 25 years ago, Rapport is part of Orion Holdings, a unit of IPG Mediabrands.

Balakrishna has also worked for The Hindustan Times and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) as executive vice-president, marketing. He moved to DNA when ZEEL collaborated with the Bhaskar Group to launch DNA. He has also worked for Mail Today as chief operating officer, and subsequently quit the organisation in 2011.

Commenting on the move, Balakrishna says, "I had four exciting and fulfilling years at IPG Mediabrands. I look forward to my new role. WPP is the world's largest advertising group and Kinetic is India's largest OOH company. It will be a challenge to take an established company to greater heights in South Asia, as well as West Asia."

Shashi Sinha, CEO, IPG Mediabrands, adds, "Balakrishna has had a wonderful stint with us. He now has a South East Asia role in Kinetic, and we wish him well, though we are sorry to see him go."

Kinetic, a WPP-owned company, claims to be a global leader in planning and buying out-of-home media. It provides expertise through its complementary service divisions including Aureus, Aviator, Kinetic Active, Kinetic Futures, Meta, Zone and Hi Rezz. Kinetic employs over 900 professionals across 38 offices worldwide.