Jasmin Sohrabji to exit Mediacom?

WPP’s buy of Mediacom’s parent firm cited as reason

MUMBAI: Jasmin Sohrabji, president, Mediacom South-Asia, may have put in her papers, say informed sources.

A reason for her reported exit may be WPP Group’s acquisition of US-based rival agency network Grey Global Group — Mediacom’s parent company — which would bring the Mediacom India operations under the WPP-owned GroupM umbrella.

Sohrabji has nearly 16 years of media experience.

A senior media professional says that the merger could bring in a sticky situation for Sohrabji, where she may have to report to GroupM heads in India and South-Asia, who were till this moment her peers. GroupM currently has agencies like MindShare, Maxus and Mediaedge:cia under its umbrella.

Despite several attempts, Sohrabji was not available for comments. Other officials from Mediacom, when contacted, declined to comment.

In fact, Mediacom’s merger with GroupM has been on the cards for quite a while now but has turned into a reality only during the recent India tour of Group M South-east Asia and South Asia CEO Andre Nair.

Nair’s impromptu stopover in Mumbai early of this month was aimed at smoothening and setting in gear the integration of the two media set-ups, along with a desired implementation date. The merger gear is officially in motion. Mediacom joining the GroupM family would give it that much more clout.