When Diwan Arun Nanda, chairman of Rediffusion, said he was looking for a creative head to catapult the company into India’s top advertising agency, he didn’t have to look far for the right man.
With almost all the awards that can be won in the advertising world under his belt, Sam Ahmed was the obvious choice. The only problem was to convince him to come back to an industry he had quit in 2008. Nanda didn't have to sweat at it.
“When the chairman of a legendary agency offers you a challenge to make Rediffusion the number one creative agency in India, you don’t ask too many questions, except where do I sign? I have some of the most amazing brands at Rediffusion to work with and I am really excited,” says Ahmed, the newly-appointed vice-chairman and chief creative officer of Rediffussion.
Prior to joining Rediffussion, Ahmed was toying with film-making. He has directed over 100 ad films . In his new role, he will lead the creative team and help strengthen the brands in the company's portfolio. Ahmed joined the advertising industry at the age of 21. He was 24 when he won his first design award and by the time he turned 28, he was the creative director of Y&R, Dubai. At the height of his success at the age of 31, he decided to leave the safety of advertising for the uncertain world of film-making. “The focus had shifted, it had become more about making money and less about ideas. I have always believed that only great ideas make a lot of money for your clients,” says he.