Anything part of Y&R is part of Rediffusion: David Sable

Interview with Global Chief Executive, Young & Rubicam

Sixty-year old David Sable, global chief executive of WPP agency Young & Rubicam (Y&R), is regarded as the go-to man at the world's largest advertising & marketing communications group. He turned around direct marketing agency Wunderman, which works with Rediffusion in India, in the 10 years he was there, to make it one of the top in its segment in the world. Since taking over at Y&R, he has been quietly working to set the house in order in West Asia, China and Japan. He now has his attention on India, where WPP and local partner Arun Nanda, co-founder of Rediffusion, have had a troubled relation. In an interview with Viveat Susan Pinto, he clears the air on Y&R's stake in Rediffusion. Edited excerpts:

Will you raise stake in Rediffusion?

We have a good partner in Rediffusion and have no plans to increase our stake in the agency. There are many things we can do in and around Rediffusion, which is where our attention will be focused. Anything that is part of Y&R is part of Rediffusion. VML Qais is one example. VML, a WPP-owned agency, acquired Qais, a Singapore-based digital agency, in 2011. It also had an office in Mumbai.

Following the acquisition, VML Qais became a part of Y&R Asia. Since then, we have grown the operation in the region. We propose to do the same in India, with the support and partnership of Rediffusion.

Similarly, we are expanding our shopper marketing unit, called Labstore. We will be getting Labstore into India this calendar year. So, another specialist unit will work in partnership with Rediffusion. BAV or Brand Asset Valuator, which is the longest running quantitative study on brands, has been operating in India for a couple of years now. That has been well-received. So, as I said, I see an enormous potential for our partnership in India to grow. We have a future ahead as partners.

Will you look at acquisitions in India?

Acquisitions are something we don't rule out. But the fit has to be right. We would, for instance, look at acquisitions in social media. But not in areas such as digital, where we have a unit (VML Qais) in operation. We have the wherewithal to grow this operation organically, which is where our attention will be focused. While acquiring scale is fine, we are trying to position ourselves as a global boutique, where we can be true partners to our clients. Bits and pieces of this have been unveiled in India and other parts of the world; you will see more of it now.

Rediffusion and WPP have not had the best of relations. With the two of you now working together, does this mean the frostiness is over?

Rediffusion is a good partner and we are also working on global pitches together. So, to answer your question, the past is behind us.

Rediffusion has been without a head since Sam Ahmed (vice-chairman and chief creative officer) quit last year. Will the Y&R network be used for his replacement?

We are working closely and that will mean that the export of talent from India into other markets as well from markets overseas into India will happen. As far as the replacement to Ahmed goes, that is a call that the local partners will take.

Does Dentsu continue to be a part of Rediffusion Y&R?

Yes. They have a 13.33 per cent stake and they remain passive investors in the business . We have a partnership with them in a number of markets and India is one of them. So they continue to be associated with the agency though their name doesn't appear in the logo. It was dropped a few years ago when a rebranding exercise was carried out.