R K SWAMY and BBDO to De-merge after 37 Years

In India, ad agency joint venture R K SWAMY BBDO is to split into two businesses after 37 years, with the R K SWAMY HANSA group set to bring its various companies - including Hansa Research Group - together.

R K SWAMY BBDO's services span media and market research, CRM, data analytics, media planning and buying, and interactive and digital. Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman of R K SWAMY HANSA, says the de-merger brings together all these services under one structure, for greater synergy.

As part of the agreement, R K SWAMY will buy out BBDO's stake in R K SWAMY BBDO, and BBDO will buy out R K SWAMY's stake in BBDO India. Shekar Swamy, Group CEO of R K SWAMY HANSA, adds: 'We started the relationship when Mr R K Swamy and I shook hands with the then CEO of BBDO Allen Rosenshine, in New York in 1985. BBDO invested in us up to a majority, which we then bought back in 2009, and they have held a significant minority since then. At that point BBDO India was created and we took a similar minority stake in it. BBDO is a great company and it has been a fantastic journey. The phrase 'all good things come to an end' is so true in this case'.

Web sites: www.rkswamy.com and www.hansaresearch.com .