Unforeseen closer to 2013; Mona Jain moves on from VivaKi Exchange

In what could be termed as an ‘unanticipated’ and dramatic piece of news, Mona Jain, CEO, VivaKi Exchange has decided to move on from the agency. Though an official pronouncement of the development is yet to be made, sources close to the event have confirmed the news. While 31st December 2013 is speculated to be Jain’s last official day, sources state that as Jain held colossal responsibilities at VivaKi Exchange, her tenure may be pushed ahead to January 2014.

The news comes in after Starcom MediaVest Group, which worked on Samsung’s account since in 2007, lost out to IPG Mediabrand’s agency Lodestar UM in a multi-agency pitch. IPG closed the year with gushing glory of bringing two major clients in its kitty. Earlier this month, Initiative, an agency from the group’ umbrella won the duties mandate for Reckitt Benckiser, one of the top five FMCG brands in India. Following this was a win by Lodestar UM which would be the Agency on Record (AoR) for Samsung. According to industry sources, the size of the business, which was won jointly by Lodestar and Cheil India, is contemplated to be in the range of Rs 400 – 500 crore, making it one of the leading accounts in India.

For the record, Monai Jain was named the CEO of VivaKi Exchange, the media investment unit for Starcom MediaVest Group India, ZenithOptimedia India, Solutions India and Digitas India in 2011. Over the years, she has worked with agencies such as Hindustan Thompson, Contract Advertising, Mudra Communications, ZenithOptimedia and Cheil Communications. She has also had a short stint with Glaxo SmithKline, to gain experience on the client's side. In her more than two decades of expertise in marketing communications experience, she has worked with clients such as PepsiCo, Horlicks, McDonald's, Whirlpool, Frito-Lay, Hyundai, Hewlett-Packard (HP), Nokia, Nestle and Samsung, among others.

With such unforeseen closure to the year, what remains to be seen is how events at VivaKi Exchange unfold in the New Year!