AgTalk | Passion for reputational change: Madison PR's Paresh Chaudhry

Being a communication partner to the head honcho of India’s largest private sector firm, Reliance Industries doesn’t leave much to be desired afterwards as it implies one has already reached the pinnacle of his professional career. But Paresh Chaudhry is not the one to sit back on his laurels. The man is continuously going beyond his achievements. Combining his expertise in marketing, brand communications and reputation management spanning multiple industries, Paresh’s hands-on experience across key global markets, has set value benchmarks in global corporate communication function. 

 

With over 22 years of experience, he has worked in a number of blue chipped companies including Reliance Industries, Hindustan Unilever, Ranbaxy Laboratories, Smith Kline Beecham, Wockhardt and Raymonds. Paresh has been a business communication partner to Mukesh Ambani, in Reliance, to Vindi Banga, Harish Manwani and Doug Bailie in Hindustan Unilever, D.S Brar in Ranbaxy, Dan McDonald in Smith Kline Beecham and Habil Khorakiwala in Wockhardt. He is also the founder President of Indian Forum of Corporate Communicators (IFCC), a large group of practicing Corporate Communications professionals from leading corporates across the country. He is also a budding entrepreneur with business interests in hospitality management, global diary management and organic foods. 

 

He has recently assumed new role as Chief Executive Officer of Madison Public Relations, a unit of Madison World, one of India’s largest 360 degree communication agency.  Madison World is a 24 - year - old diversified communication group, with 24 units across 10 specialized functions of Advertising, Media, Business Analytics, Out-Of-Home, PR, Rural, Retail, Entertainment, Mobile and Sports; employing over 1,000 communication professional across cities in India, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The gross billing of Madison World is Rs 30 billion. As CEO he will be responsible for driving Madison PR to new heights in the years to come. 

 

An MBA with a specialization in Marketing, Paresh has completed a Public Affairs certification course from the Hong Kong University. To know the mind of this multi-faceted communications expert, Adgully spoke at length with Paresh Chaudhry on his new role and the road ahead, his views on the fledging PR & Communications industry and various issues concerning the industry. Present here is the excerpts of the interview. 

 

 

Paresh Chaudhry (PC): Many thanks.  Having spent over 24 yrs in large Corporates, from Brand and marketing management, Corporate Reputation & Strategy it was time to work on the other side. It is with the intent of scaling up capabilities and enhancing our own image as Reputation Managers that I decided to pick Madison. 

 

 

PC: Madison PR is a well established and reputed agency with proven credentials in consultancies, the Brand enhancement & management, Lifestyle & Youth space. While we will strengthen our position in this space, we need to build partnerships in newer industries and provide cutting edge strategic and execution consultancy. This should necessarily translate into measurable outcomes for the client. 

 

 

PC: Madison PR in its journey of 12 yrs has focused on delighting our business partners. We are now well poised to grow exponentially as the India story unfolds. Many large companies are now finding value in earned media share of voice rather than paid. We will build on this rapidly. 

 

 

PC: While Heading Communications for Ranbaxy, HUL, RIL, I have partnered with many PR companies for Brand and Marketing Communications. I have always trained the in-house team for Corporate Communications. All touch points need to be aligned to achieve the overall communication goals of the organization. I find that a huge gap exists within the PR industry to “partner” with the client and be its extended arm for all communications. We have to move away from a “media only” mindset to become Corporate Communicators. 

 

 

PC: My response to the above question summaries this aptly. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of the CEO, marketing teams & corporate communication team and then deliver as per the overall plan. We need to become brand and communication managers for our partner. 

 

 

PC: As an Industry we still have a long way to go to be perceived as ‘BUSINESS PARTNERS”.  Many companies still sign up as vendors. Companies with big ad budgets will seldom negotiate with AD agencies, but with PR agencies there is a huge reduction in “deserved value”.  We have demonstrated to many of our business partners that the PR value has resulted in positive outcomes impacting top & bottom lines. Somehow this value is taken for granted. I am now putting together a system where in all my teams across all offices will be trained to be brand managers. Plant & market visits will be a part of KRA’s. We need to be the part of the company’s strategic team before launch and participate in molding strategies before activation. Knowledge driven front end teams will enhance credibility and add value. 

 

 

PC: We need to follow the same route that I talked about in my answer to the previous question. That is what I will strive to achieve at Madison PR. 

 

 

PC: At Madison World, led by Sam Balsara and over 1000 communication professional, we are proud of being an Indian outfit. It’s the only 360 degree communications outfit with an array of 23 services from advertising to media buying to PR to rural reach, Retail, OOH etc. These extensions offer our Business Partners a ‘one stop shop’ complete bouquet of services. Our understanding of the evolution of Indian Consumers, Market Dynamics and relationships with stakeholders has delighted customers for over 2 decades. The future is bright for the industry provided we continuously upgrade ourselves in capabilities & capacities  

 

 

PC: I have experience in hiring and working with Agencies in N America and key markets in EU. The dynamics are very different in these markets. The complexities are few unlike India, which is 30 India, rolled into one. These markets have evolved strategic inputs and can be sustained over a period of time. The maturity levels amongst key stakeholders are a big variable too. Indian agencies have to deal with many variables and crisis management is a big ticket item on our menu. Our biggest advantage is that we can multi-task. 

 

 

PC: Talent is the biggest challenge. Many youngsters (fresh graduates) join in to train themselves on the basics and jump ship for greener pastures (Corporate communication). Client mindset that the PR agency is most effective only for media activation is another issue that we must deal with. We need to be Communication business partners to our clients and drop the word, “servicing”.

 

 

PC: Like in every industry competition remains the single biggest driver for performance. We do not believe in undercutting fees or partner with hundreds of clients that will take away our focus from a strategic partnership. 

 

 

PC: From giving a huge dossier of paper clippings to measuring tone of messages, Share quality of voice and analyzing outcomes v/s output, the industry had moved in some ways. Increasingly our key business partners are being aware of quality over quantity as the rupee gets squeezed. We have always focused on the quality of voice share and media worth that has helped business to be measured from PR value impacts.  

 

 

PC: I have been a keen sportsman and love adventure with nature. Music distresses me totally. 

 

 

PC: Endless passion for reputational change, teamwork, integrity, work hard –party harder and keeping promises.