Arpita Menon quits Lodestar Universal

MUMBAI: Arpita Menon, vice-president, Lodestar Universal, has put in her papers. Her next destination is yet to be known as she is currently on a sabbatical.

Menon has been with Lodestar for over 12 years. She was working on some of the super brands of Lodestar and the list of her clients includes the entire portfolio of Tatas, Tata Tele Services, entire portfolio of Amul, Strepsils and Nerolac. It is known that 60% of Lodestar Universal’s revenue is generated through these accounts. 

Sources close to the development said her exit has been in the air for the last three months. She was also offered various other posts under the FCB Group.

It is learnt that she is not joining any media agency right now and she wants to explore scopes beyond media planning and buying. Sources also said Menon is probably planning to write a book on media management (planning and buying) as she has always been a research and development person herself.  She has always believed that accurate research-backed media buying and planning can add tremendous value to the services provided to the clients.

Neither Menon nor Shashi Sinha, CEO, Lodestar Universal was available for comments. The soft-spoken Menon has worked in several top agencies such as Hindustan Thompson Associates, FCB Ulka and Chaitra Leo Burnett.

Under Menon’s leadership, the Labcentre started off with two people in Mumbai and one person in Delhi. Menon ardently strives to get a fix on how consumers interact with media and individual programmes. She has played a pivotal role in the creation of MEDIAGRAPHICS,  ImPress, Media Perfedia Involvement Index, Journeyman and Lodestar Matrix amongst others.