Ad agency Bates is now Bates CHI & Partners

WPP-owned Bates, which has seen some high-level management exits in the recent past, will now be called Bates CHI & Partners. This follows a joint venture with the London-based creative hotshop CHI, which has been looking for a network to partner it in its drive to expand operations.

Besides London, the creative hotshop has an office in New York.

Bates, on the other hand, has been looking to beef up its creative product as it struggles with management churn especially in markets such as India. In the past, senior hands such chairman and regional creative director Sonal Dabral, chief executive officer (CEO) Sandeep Pathak and chief strategy officer Dheeraj Sinha moved on from the agency.

In the interim, Sanjay Thapar, group president (north & east), Ogilvy India was brought in as a replacement to Pathak. He took over as CEO of Bates in July. He will continue as CEO of the JV, while Sagar Mahableshwarkar will continue as the creative head.