Starcom promotes Sandeep Lakhina as COO-South Asia

Starcom Worldwide has appointed Sandeep Lakhina for the newly created position of COO-South Asia. Lakhina (pictured) is currently MD, India-West and South, Starcom Worldwide. He will assume his new responsibility from April 1, 2009 and will continue reporting to Ravi Kiran, CEO-South Asia for Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG).

In his new role, Lakhina will supervise the team comprising of Tarun Nigam (executive director, India-North), Nikhil Rangnekar, (executive director, India-West), Narendra Kumar Alambara, (GM, Chennai) and Ashwini Kamat, (GM, Bengaluru). He will work closely with India Media Exchange as well as all specialist solutions of Starcom MediaVest Group.

Kiran said, “Creation of the new position of COO will help us consolidate the functioning of Starcom Worldwide across all four offices in India under a common operational leadership and help us deliver a stronger and more integrated product to our clients. Sandeep has proved himself to be a true Starcomer over the past 15 months – focused on people and clients and all that we stand for as a network. He was the natural choice for the new role.”

Lakhina joined Starcom in December 2007.  Before this he was with The Coca-Cola Company in US. He has also worked with Deloitte Consulting, Zenith Computers, Euro RSCG and with Ebony Retail.