Aditya Kanthy and Amit Kekre elevated as national strategic planning heads at DDB Mudra

Aditya Kanthy and Amit Kekre, currently senior vice presidents, DDB Mudra, have been elevated as national strategic planning heads. In their new role, the duo will jointly take on the national mandate of looking after strategy and planning for all DDB Mudra offices in the West, North and South, as well as Tribal, Rapp and Remedy. Arun Sharma in Delhi and Rajesh Sharma in Bangalore will work closely with Kanthy and Kekre respectively.

On the elevations, Madhukar Kamath, group CEO and MD, DDB Mudra Group, said, "Aditya and Amit make a formidable team, both thorough with all facets of strategy planning, yet each with their unique worldview. They have both contributed greatly to strengthening the agency's creative-effectiveness credentials and I am sure together they will take it to greater heights."

Kanthy began his career with TNS before switching to DDB Mudra where he has spent more than ten years.

Kanthy said, "DDB Mudra has a legacy of putting strategic thinking at the heart of the work we do. Over the years our management has displayed a serious commitment to planning by investing in an excellent team across the country and it's been paying off. The product's improved, our clients vouch for the quality of the thinking and the planners have forged deep partnerships with the creative and account management teams. With top class brand, media and activation planning under the same roof, we could lead the way in shaping the discipline. Amit's a terrific partner, we enjoy working with each other and we're raring to go."

Kekre began his planning career in 2001 working with Lowe. He has also worked with JWT, Ogilvy, Grey Malaysia, Grey Australia and McCann Erickson Mumbai.

On his new role, Kekre said, "Imagination is the beginning of all planning. The last two and a half years I've been with DDB Mudra, I am glad this personal belief has found a turf on which it flourishes. Ours is a truly remarkable team - as adept with tools and processes, as it is with the most fundamental aspect of all communications': exploring people, imagining a different reality, imagining newer narratives. I am proud of our unique and in more ways than one, 'total' planning offering."