Bates CHI & Partners, one of Indonesia’s leading communications agencies, has announced the appointment of Ramanathan Balasubramanian to the position of CEO of their flagship ASEAN office in Jakarta as Hendra Lesmono steps up to become the agency’s Creative Chairman – a newly formed role designed to put creativity at the center of the agency.
Ram, as he is known will relocate from Mumbai where he has for the past 3 years been the Managing Partner of Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai & Kolkatta, whilst Hendra Lesmono has been the Creative Leader of the agency since 2007.
“Ram and Hendra are a unique combination” Says David Mayo, Regional CEO Bates CHI & Partners “Ram has led the most successful creative agency office in India for 3 years and Hendra has led one of the most successful agencies in Indonesia. They are both at the top of their game and their combined dynamism and vitality will bring a new dimension to our successful Jakarta agency.”
Whilst at Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai, Ram led the agency to the top of the Global Effie Index and the most recognized agency in India. Hendra meanwhile is the architect of Indonesia’s most acclaimed and iconic A-Mild campaign.
Talking about this move, Ram says, “I have had the opportunity to run diverse offices in India. And, with Indonesia poised to grow, Bates CHI & Partners is an undeniable opportunity for someone like me – its collaboration positioning is built for the new world order. Under David, Hendra and Graham Kelly’s leadership, work is shining, new business is coming in and the Jakarta agency continues to grow ahead of the pack. I couldn’t have come in at a better time”
The Creative Chairmanship of the agency is a newly created role designed to put creativity at the center of the management agenda whilst making more space for a new generation of Creative talent. “We have always been a creative agency in Jakarta” explains Graham Kelly “and over the past 18 months we have focused on bringing in newer and younger talent to help drive our creative agenda. As Creative Chairman, Hendra will work alongside Ram to ensure that our growth plan is delivered through a creative lens – not unlike the way Ram has done at Ogilvy in Mumbai. It’s a proven strategy that we know will work in Indonesia.”
Hendra started at David in 2004, which became Bates CHI & Partners by 2013, and has been with the agency ever since to become one of the most recognized and established creative minds in Indonesia. “I am very proud of what we have achieved over time,” says Hendra “and being Creative Chairman of Bates CHI & Partners in Indonesia will allow me to champion the creative cause at an industry and national level whilst driving the fortunes of our agency and sharing that agenda.”
Bates CHI & Partners in Indonesia is one of the country’s top 5 communication companies with 55 people and over 25 clients including Sampoerna, Unilever, Maybank and BMW among many others. The agency produces work across all disciplines and platforms and has just won the Young Lions competition in Indonesia to send 2 young stars to Cannes Lions 2016.
“We are massively proud of Shafira Sahara and Reza Maulana ” says Hendra of the youngsters that were selected by the Cannes organizers to attend this years’ festival in France “but they are emblematic of the spirit of this agency and the people who work here. Having two of us at Cannes will mean we are ALL at Cannes this year.”