Kamal Basu quits as CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi

MUMBAI: “Saatchi & Saatchi India has been a small agency forever,” says an industry observer, one cannot help but agree to his words. And maybe it is this small agency tag that Saatchi & Saatchi is now looking to shed.

Kamal Basu, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi of eight years put down his papers last weekend in a sudden move that took many agency insiders by surprise.

Basu is being replaced by Matt Seddon currently CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi Philippines.

Basu is currently serving his three months notice and will hand over the reins to Seddon in February.

Seddon started his career with Darcy, England in 1987 and has worked with Y&R Hongkong before joining Saatchi in 1995. He setup the agency in Vietnam and has steadily grown in rank over the years.

Seddon has been part of the agency’s business in Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines.

He has also been critical in turning Saatchi & Saatchi into creative power house and shortly after he joined the agency in Philippines, the agency won a gold lion at Cannes for work on a local spa brand.

Seddon is excited about coming to India and will be based in Mumbai.

When asked what his priorities for the agency are, Seddon said: “The biggest challenge is to get to know the team and clients of Saatchi & Saatchi India well. I have a simple two-point agenda - to articulate clearly what Saatchi & Saatchi as an agency stands for and to drive the team in India single mindedly towards that goal,” he says.

Seddon also wants to up the digital backbone of the agency and believes the medium will be critical in connecting every aspect of the agency’s business going forward. Seddon will report to Chris Foster, regional CEO - APAC, Saatchi & Saatchi.