KPMG Australia has appointed former Droga5 Australia CEO Sudeep Gohil as its head of brand.
He will work within KPMG’s Customer, Brand and Marketing Advisory services division helping clients with brand strategy and providing strategic guidance to KPMG’s own brand and market position.
Gohil had worked at the Aussie creative shop for eight years, having been the top boss from 2012-2015 before the shop shut.
News of the closure shocked many across adland with David Droga, creative chairman and founder of Droga5, saying at the time that it was a "very difficult decision, both professionally and personally", and that "as a proud Australian, it was a bitter pill to swallow.” While some staff from Droga5's Sydney base moved to the agency’s New York office, Gohil began work on a new startup, before resurfacing at LA's 72andSunny and later moving to Mumbai as Publicis Worldwide India's chief strategy officer.
Gohil brings more than two decades of agency experience to KPMG in what is another consultancy raid on senior agency ranks.
Gohil has worked with some of the world’s leading brands including Nike, Levi's, Coca-Cola, P&G, Tooheys, Electronic Arts, Virgin, Netflix and UNICEF.
The well-travelled Australian has worked across the world, including Mumbai, Los Angeles, New York, Singapore, Tokyo, Portland and Sydney.
“We are delighted to be bringing Sudeep into the KPMG team," KPMG CBMA partner in charge Paul Howes said.
"His global viewpoint, in-depth experience working on marketing strategy for leading brands, and his entrepreneurial approach fit perfectly what our clients are looking for."
Gohil is the latest high-profile agency talent to join KPMG’s ranks. He joins the likes of Andrew Baxter (former Chairman of Publicis Communications), partners Carmen Bekker (ex-JWT) Amanda Hicks (Acuity), Lisa Bora (ex-Google), Mark Hassell (exVirgin Australia); directors Karen Halligan (ex-Zenith), Louise Pogmore (ex-One Green Bean), Melanie Evans (formerly GM of Business to Business IT at Telstra) and Ross McLelland (formally head of Customer Research at Telstra).
“I’m immensely pleased to be joining the team at KPMG. Moving back to Australia, I wanted to be 100% sure I joined a genuinely forward-thinking company with significant opportunity for growth,” Gohil said.
“KPMG is all that and much more. The opportunity to be part of such a dynamic business in a rapidly evolving environment is energising and I can’t wait to start making an impact.”
KPMG’s CBMA business has grown to more than 100 specialists, including the recent acquisition of UDKU.
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