Gusto Luxe names Shashin Surti managing director

Integrated agency for luxury brands in China Gusto Luxe has promoted Shashin Surti to managing director.

In his new role, Surti will be responsible for leading the agency’s business expansion, shaping the future strategy and vision, and building leadership teams and culture to continue driving rapid growth. Surti’s tenure at the firm has been marked by rapid growth, transformation in capabilities and services and the recent acquisition by brand-tech holding group, Gusto Collective in June 2020. He will continue to operate from the Shanghai headquarters, reporting directly to Gusto Luxe founding partner Nick Cakebread.

Surti has been working for Gusto Luxe since October 2018, according to his LinkedIn account. Prior to that, he held senior positions at Weber Shandwick, where he was vice president based in Tokyo before joining Gusto Luxe. He was also director and senior consultant at the Shanghai and Singapore offices respectively. 

“Over the last three years, Surti has helped shape the transformation and growth of our business from 50 people to more than 130. His appointment is a clear signal of our continued growth and commitment to delivering innovative solutions to the world’s leading luxury brands in China,” said Cakebread.

Gusto Luxe has been appointing senior leaders. Earlier this year, it appointed Sunny Lai as creative partner, which, according to the agency, further enhanced the agency’s creative offering for clients in the premium lifestyle and luxury sectors. Currently, Gusto Luxe is expanding as it hopes to deliver successful integrated campaigns that drive content to commerce with tangible business results.

Most recently, Gusto Luxe also hired Adrian Peh as general manager, Fashion and Beauty, based in Shanghai. In this new role, Peh will spearhead growth and leadership in this key segment, provide senior leadership, as well as drive forward more integrated and creative work.

He is based in Shanghai and reports to Nick Cakebread, founding partner, Gusto Luxe. Peh is a veteran in the communications industry. He previously worked for 12 years at Webber Shandwick in Beijing and Shanghai.  His international experience covers fashion, beauty, luxury, travel & hospitality, F&B, sports and retail. Peh has honed his expertise in brand building, consumer engagement and product communications through his experience with global multinationals as well as emerging brands.

The agency also won several accounts this year such as Mansur Gavriel, US fashion brand alice + olivia and skincare brand Aesop, which was one of the latest acquisition by the agency and it will support Aesop in driving awareness and commerce through a dynamic and digital-led communications strategy. This appointment was aimed at strengthening the brand's presence in China as there were changing regulations for imported cosmetics brands in the country, eliminating the requirement of animal testing on most products. 

Also in Hong Kong, Gusto Luxe won Watchfinder & Co, Ronald Lu & Partners and Prenetics in 2020 too. 

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