Dheeraj Sinha (38), who has joined ad agency Grey from Bates, will bring his strategic planning insights to brands such SpiceJet, Network18 and Honda Motorcycles, among others. As head of planning for South and Southeast Asia, Sinha has not just India as his responsibility, but also oversees various other markets within the region.
Such kind of a regional responsibility is not new for Sinha. At Bates, he was regional planning director, Asia, looking after a number of countries under the Bates umbrella. His exit, after spending seven years at Bates, did raise eyebrows, but Sinha says it was time to move on. “Everything good comes to an end. I had done my bit there. It was time I moved on.”
Coming to Grey with almost 14 years of experience, Sinha is expected to be a key member of the Grey team.
He confesses he is excited about his role and what he could bring to the table. “Strategic planning has become very relevant today, with agencies seeking the insights that strategic planners can provide on brands. What I bring here, is my understanding and knowledge of having worked on a number of brands over the years.”
An alumnus of the Shri Ram College of Commerce, New Delhi, as well as the Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad, Sinha has worked on accounts such as Fiat, Virgin Mobile, MasterCard, LG, Reckitt Benckiser, TVS Motorcycles, Max Bupa, Marico, Dabur, and Cavin Kare.
Sinha is also an author, having written the book, Consumer India: Inside the Indian Mind and Wallet, last year. He is routinely invited to speak at events and has delivered keynote addresses at the Esomar Asia Pacific Conference, the Global Youth Marketing Forum, and the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Festival.
Sinha says that the world of brand marketing is constantly evolving and strategic planners such as him have to keep abreast of things to understand the dynamics of this world. “The fact that the consumer itself is evolving and is at the centre of this universe is what makes my role exciting,” he adds.
