Mike Khanna: A legend in Indian advertising

I still remember asking Mike, way back in 1992, why we had such a small, nondescript HTA sign at the entrance to our offices in Delhi. He said the agency's job was to promote our clients' brands, to raise their profile not ours. This was just one of the instances that reflected Mike's complete focus on our clients and their brands. 

His other focus was on his people. People who proudly called themselves Thompsonites. For me, Mike's greatest strength was his ability to surround himself with really bright people and then empower and motivate them to walk that extra mile. So many Thompsonites owe so much to Mike. Life lessons and our careers.

Compared to today, the 1990s' advertising world was simpler. However, Mike and HTA were at the forefront of so many initiatives that were first for the industry. These initiatives have stood the test of time and have continued to grow: Contract, IPAN, Thompson Social, Design C, Fulcrum and Thompson Connect, to name just a few. 

He built relationships and through these relationships, long term associations with clients. While new business wins were always exciting, he took pride in the longevity of our relationships with clients. He would happily talk about the decades old association with HMM (now GSK), ITC, Tata Steel, Godrej and Hindustan Unilever (HUL). For him, this was the true test of continuously adding value to clients' businesses.

Mike leaves behind an extraordinary legacy- of building a company based on strong values and ethics and of never compromising on them. He had an unshakable belief in people and in forging strong relationships: the legacy of a true leader.

My name has been associated with some humourous anecdotes with Mike. Let me add another. This was in Ludhiana, with my favourite client O P Munjal of Hero Cycles. I introduced Mike to Munjal. Munjal, a very humourous man himself, repeated Mike's name a few times then said, "Got it! Hindustan Thompson. Mike Khanna. One name in Hindi one in English. Very appropriate". We all burst out laughing. Mike smiled shyly. Mike's legacy lives on. He lives on in our hearts.

The author is the CEO of JWT South Asia