Veteran adperson & JWT chairman emeritus Mike Khanna passes away

Veteran adperson and chairman emeritus, JWT, Mike Khanna passed away late Saturday. He took over the reins of JWT (then HTA) from the legendary Subhas Ghoshal in 1984 and spent over 38 years with the agency before assuming the role of chairman emeritus in January 2004 as he passed the baton of the CEO on to Colvyn Harris.

Speaking on his passing away, Tarun Rai, current CEO, JWT, said: "J Walter Thompson owes so much to Mike. And many, like me, owe their careers to him. He was a legend in Indian advertising and a great leader and motivator. For decades, he and HTA (and later JWT) were synonymous. His legacy is extraordinary. He will be missed." Rai worked very closely with Khanna during his earlier tenure with JWT.

Khanna, notes a JWT statement, built HTA into "not just the single largest agency in India but also one that was known to build some of the leading brands of the country". He played an active role in industry affairs, such as the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI). Khanna started his professional life in market research with SSC&B, New York. An economics honours graduate, he obtained his MBA from New York University. He was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the AAAI.

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