Wunderman Thompson South Asia appoints Shamsuddin Jasani as Chief Executive Officer replacing Tarun Rai who moves to new APAC role

Wunderman Thompson has appointed Shamsuddin Jasani as the incoming Chief Executive Officer, South Asia effective November 1st. He replaces Tarun Rai, Chairman and Group CEO South Asia, who will become Executive Director Strategic Initiatives, APAC, effective January 1, 2022.

Jasani (Shams) is a veteran of the industry, having launched Isobar in India in 2008, growing it from a two-person team to over 300-strong across South Asia. Under his leadership, his team has been recognised as one of the top digital agencies under the Brand Equity Agency Reckoner and won multiple awards including Digital Agency of the Year India three times. Shams was also awarded Digital Agency CEO by Media Ace and has been featured on Impact Magazine’s Digital Power 100 list two years in a row.

Shams (pictured left) said: “It’s a great honour, but an even greater responsibility, to join such an iconic brand as Wunderman Thompson, with an amazing legacy. I am really excited to not only continue this legacy but to take it to greater heights with the combination of creative, Data, Commerce and Technology. I believe at Wunderman Thompson we have all the ingredients to be the partner of choice for the growth and transformation of brands and business in India.”

“We are pleased to have Shams join our Wunderman Thompson leadership, and believe he is the natural successor to continue propelling our South Asia business forward,” said Ewen Sturgeon, CEO, International of Wunderman Thompson.

In the seven years as Chairman and CEO, Rai (pictured right) has successfully steered the company through significant changes at an organizational and cultural level – most recently leading the successful and seamless transition to Wunderman Thompson. Previously with JWT, he returned to the agency in 2015 after a long stint in media, and quickly put the company back on an aggressive growth path. He diversified the organization’s capabilities to better serve clients, many of whom have been partners for a long time and remain so. He built an excellent leadership team and has fostered a culture of collaboration across the various group companies. Throughout the pandemic, he has led the organization with sensitivity and empathy without compromising on the quality of the work.

Shams will report directly to Ewen Sturgeon, CEO, International of Wunderman Thompson.