MUMBAI: He has got ambition. Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia CEO Ashish Bhasin has been saying how he is going to get his group in the top two agency network bracket in India. He seems to be in a hurry to get there through the acquisition route.
Over the past two years, he has acquired at least three companies. Now, the next one is in his bag. Dentsu has announced the acquisition of the Perfect Relations group, one of India’s top-notch public relations communications firm. The price tag for this is not known, but estimates are that it is in the triple crore digit range.
The buy brings with it the parent company, Perfect Relations, and other agencies Accord Public Relations, Image Public Relations, Imprimis Life PR, India Media Monitor and Buzz. And an A-list of clients from the IT and tech sector and Fortune 500 companies like Coca-Cola, Nokia, Airtel and Honda across diverse sectors.
Perfect Relations Group has now become a member of Dentsu Aegis Network India, retaining its branding. This addition will strengthen Dentsu Aegis Network’s overall communications offering in this rapidly growing market.
Perfect Relations Group’s presence spans across 19 offices and 50 cities in India with over 500 associates, offering a full suite of core PR services including corporate reputation management, brand and marketing communications, media management and crisis management.
Perfect Relations promoter group managing director Dilip Cherian and CEO Pradeep (Bobby) Kewalramani will be joining the leadership team at Dentsu Aegis and report in to Ashish Bhasin.
Says Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific CEO Nick Waters: “The PR segment in India is forecast to grow at double digits annually and having a scaled business that is well integrated to our company enables us to build on our overall strength and reputation in the market. With Perfect Relations Group’s strong quality management and established digital capabilities, we are well positioned to support our clients in an increasingly convergent environment in the country.”
Adds Bhasin: “The joining in of Perfect Relations Group moves us a huge step closer towards achieving our mission of being the second largest group in this business in India. PR is an important and integral part of the advertising and communications business in India. We look forward with excitement to having them on board.”
“In order to accelerate growth and tap into the latest global platforms and tools, we wanted to partner with a great global network.A good cultural and strategic fit is a top priority in making the decision on who we would like to join. We are very pleased that Dentsu Aegis Network is our choice partner in taking Perfect Relations Group and our spectacular team to the next level,” expound both Cherian and Kewalaramani.
