With WPP acquiring majority stake, Ray +Keshavan looking for greater knowledge synergy

With WPP acquiring majority stake in Ray + Keshavan Design, the latter is hoping to gain from the depth of knowledge that WPP holds in the specialised design area. The deal marks the entry of WPP's Enterprise IG, a leading international brand agency with 22 offices in 20 countries. However, it is yet to be worked out how the name of Ray + Keshavan and Enterprise IG would be brought together.

Sujata Keshavan, Managing Director, Ray + Keshavan, speaking for the first time after the deal, told exchange4media, "I had four to five offers and had been contemplating them, but the decision to go with WPP was driven by the simple fact that the group has some of the best design firms under its aegis and the quality of work they do is by far superior. I hope that the synergies would be better and would be good learning experience."

Though refusing to divulge details on the monetary transaction, Keshavan said that the 100 per cent takeover would be completed over a period of six years. She also clarified that there would be no changes as far as management was concerned.

Ray + Keshavan started in the year 1989 from Delhi after which it shifted its base to Bangalore. Keshavan categorically said that she was not looking at expanding beyond Bangalore even after the deal as the agency, which currently has 90 per cent of its business outside the city, was managing very well with the current set-up.

On her expectations from the deal, she said, "It will give us an opportunity to reach out to markets beyond where the rich domain expertise of the WPP Group in various sectors would help us in providing better branding solutions."

"Though we have our own tools, we hope to gain from the various processes of Enterprise IG and the WPP Group. This also opens up possibility of getting an opportunity to work with some of the international clients of Enterprise IG who have presence in India. Add to it the fact that our employees get a chance to work with the best of minds in the field and enhance their skills by being a part of a network," she further said.

"In turn, our knowledge of India with all its complexities will surely benefit WPP," she added.