Publicis Groupe appoints Umesh Nair as managing partner

Publicis Groupe has appointed Umesh Nair as Managing Partner of MSL Malaysia. Reporting to CEO Tan Kien Eng, Nair will lead the operations for MSL, the Global Public Relations and Integrated Communications
agency of Publicis Groupe, and will be responsible for the overall growth of the firm and its integration into the Groupe.

He will also be responsible for working with the senior leaders of Publicis Groupe agencies to maintain a strong reputation for the Groupe in Malaysia.

Nair joins MSL from Edelman Malaysia, where he led the organization’s Reputation Practice. Prior to that, he was with FleishmanHillard in Malaysia and India. He brings rich experience in marketing communications and corporate reputation to MSL, which aligns with the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One strategy.

Guillaume Herbette, CEO of MSL said, “I am excited to welcome Umesh to the MSL family. Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing regions for the network and we are committed to investing in talent that further fuels our ambition and momentum in the region.

“With Umesh’s diverse skills and experience that spans across various sectors and industries, we are confident of accelerating MSL’s growth in the
country.”

Tan Kien Eng, CEO of Publicis Groupe Malaysia said, “Increasingly, our clients are looking at us to support them on their reputation management. Leveraging the power of earned media and influencer marketing, MSL is a critical piece to provide end to end solutions for our clients. Nair’s appointment will help us amplify our data centric creativity through the power of earned media that builds influence and creates an impact.”

Umesh Nair, Managing Partner, MSL Group Malaysia said, “I am thrilled to take on this position and am looking forward to working with some of the best minds in the industry. It is particularly exciting for me to collaborate with the Groupe agencies to use data, technology, and creativity to power earned media strategies for our clients.”

Umesh brings along with him years of valuable experience across various industries and sectors, including technology, financial services, insurance, banking, aviation, defence, automotive and manufacturing. He will work closely with the Groupe’s strategy and creative teams.