Over the weekend I learnt about the passing of Diwan Arun Nanda, founder of Rediffusion, India’s creative hot shop for the past four decades. Nanda was Edelman’s partner on the Tata business for six years. In that period, he adopted me as a friend, with a singular purpose of explaining India and its vast potential as a talent hub and creative entrepot.
Nanda was a fearless entrepreneur. After beginning his career at Hindustan Lever, he opened the doors of his own agency in 1973. He identified with my father, Daniel, as a marketer and founder. He loved my stories about the early days of Edelman, the media tours with the Toni Twins, and the ambition to build a global enterprise. He matched those with tales of his work with Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his campaigns for multinationals Eveready and Palmolive to Indian powerhouses Tata and Airtel.
He understood the intersection of marketing and culture, from art to cinema to spirituality. He pushed me to appreciate the scale of the rising middle class with aspirations for cars and consumer products. He gave me history lessons on the country, from independence to its emergence first as an IT superpower, then to a manufacturing giant.
Our work together on the Tata group companies offered a clear view of the country’s potential. We worked on Tata Motors and JLR, the steel business across two continents, on IT, hospitality, power, infrastructure, and a multitude of innovative domestic and international consumer brands ranging from its tea portfolio, the launch of the Tata-Starbucks JV in India, to premium watches and jewelry.
I particularly admired his steadfast resistance to a takeover by WPP. He had been part of the Dentsu Y&R joint venture, which gave his agency access to global clients such as Palmolive. When Sir Martin Sorrell issued an ultimatum-- join WPP or lose the global assignments -- he chose to go his own way and build back Rediffusion revenues.
I will remember his twinkling eyes, his hearty laugh, his courtly manner, his elegant dress, and his love for his people. He was an inspiration to all who encountered him, insisting on best work, participating in brainstorming, and then presenting the creative to the clients with flair. I will miss him profoundly.
Richard Edelman is CEO.
