MSL Malaysia names Umesh Nair managing partner

Publicis Groupe has named Umesh Nair (pictured) as managing partner of MSL Malaysia, who is responsible for the overall growth of the firm and its integration into the Groupe. He is also responsible for working with the senior leaders of Publicis Groupe agencies to maintain a strong reputation for the Groupe in Malaysia, and will report to CEO Tan Kien Eng.Prior to his new role, he led the reputation practice at Edelman Malaysia and before that, 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. Nair has also amassed years of 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.Nair said he is thrilled to take on this position and is 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," he said.Tan said increasingly, its clients are looking to the agency for support in 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," he said.Meanwhile, CEO of MSL Guillaume Herbette added that Southeast Asia is one of the fastest growing regions for the network and it is committed to investing in talent that further fuels our ambition and momentum in the region. "With Nair’s diverse skills and experience that spans across various sectors and industries, we are confident of accelerating MSL’s growth in the country," Herbette said.Early last year, MSL expanded into Malaysia through the renaming of existing Publicis-owned PR units, done in conjunction with Publicis One. The move saw the rebrand of Leo Burnett/Arc PR Worldwide to MSL in Malaysia.