Two top executives to partially exit Wieden+Kennedy’s

NEW DELHI: Advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy's (W+K) India office is headed for a shakeup as its top two executives, Mohit Dhar Jayal and V Sunil, are set to move on "partially" from the agency to start a new venture of their own. "We will move on only partially and be directors at W+K," said Jayal, who has been managing director at W+K Delhi.

Jayal and Sunil, currently executive creative director at W+K Delhi, have already started the process of transition to shift focus to their new initiative that "will not be related to advertising and communications".

Sunil will also become a director with W+K when the new leadership team arrives. The agency is looking to bring in some global talents for leadership roles, which is expected to take place in about a month, Jayal said.

"The new structure will require us to oversee the businesses that we have helped grow and some of the new business too, although we won't be involved in the day-to-day operations of handling accounts," Jayal told ET. "We will also continue to be available whenever clients or the W+K family need us."

Some senior industry sources alleged that Jayal and Sunil decided to move on due to growing differences with the agency's head office in Portland.

Jayal dismissed any such speculation. "For the record: there cannot be anyone we respect more than our cousins in Portland. Dan Wieden, Dave Luhr and the global team are exceptional people, and working with them is both a pleasure and a privilege," he said. "In fact W+K is one of the partners in our new venture as well, so our relationship will now be at two levels."