Michael Follett, planning head, Tribal DDB New York, has decided to move to India and join the DDB Mudra Group as senior vice-president, strategy and planning for its India operations. At the new firm, Follett will report to the country head of DDB Mudra Group, Sandeep Vij and will be in charge of the planning duties for DDB Mudra, RAPP India, Tribal DDB India and Mudra Health and Lifestyle.
Follett began his career as a teacher before venturing into the world of advertising to join DDB London. He spent seven years at the firm handling various international brands such as Philips, Epson, Hasbro, Novartis and Oxfam after which he switched to Tribal DDB, New York.
When asked about his move to Mudra Group, Follett says, “India, at the moment, is the country of the future and you could not think of a better place for business. Besides the opportunities in the country, I was also looking forward to specifically working with DDB Mudra here. It has a strong and diverse set of talents to draw from, great clients and massive opportunities.”
Primarily appointed to ensure that the four companies of the firm work coherently, Follett explains, “Advertising is a team sport. I am a big fan of cricket and I have to make sure that everyone plays in their right positions and play to their strengths.”
In a press statement, Vij welcomed Follett onboard saying, “Michael (Follett) brings with him a unique skill set and intrinsic understanding of brands, markets and consumers. I am certain that our brands here will benefit from the insights and passion he brings to this position.”