MUMBAI — Edelman has elevated Ashutosh Munshi to head of brand for Asia-Pacific, extending his Indian remit to cover the firm's consumer marketing offering across the region.

Munshi, who has been with Edelman for more than 17 years, will report to Edelman’s global chair of brand and F&B, Megan Van Someren, as well as Stephen Kehoe, CEO of Edelman Asia-Pacific.

The appointment is the latest in a series made by Kehoe as he attempts to revive the firm's growth in the region. Edelman's brand practice has grown, both globally, and in Asia-Pacific — with Munshi's leadership role aiming to help brands reimagine how they earn consumer trust amidst a changing landscape.

"As we look ahead at the new year and at the continuous shifts in consumer expectations, how brands behave matters more than ever before," said Van Someren. "The time is now for brands to step up and put trust at the helm — and not just through communication, but through action and advocacy."
 
Accordingly, Munshi is tasked with overseeing the launch of new regional capabilities for the brand practice, involving stronger integration and collaboration across Edelman’s strategy, creative, data and analytics, influencer, digital and public relations capabilities.

“Our brand practice at Edelman continues to lead the industry," adds Kehoe. "Whether it is Adidas in China, GSK in Australia, Oatly in Hong Kong or PepsiCo in India, our brand team in Asia-Pacific continues to produce award-winning work for our clients. As a testament to our talent and commitment to grow from within, I am proud to see Ashutosh now take the lead in launching new regional capabilities for our brand practice, setting the bar higher in areas of brand obsession, curiosity and excellence."

Since joining the firm, Munshi has worked in Edelman's Mumbai, London and New York offices. As head of brand for Edelman India and regional client lead on the Unilever business, he has led the market’s brand and creative team, while also previously overseeing consumer marketing across South Asia, Middle East and Africa.
 
"This year has seen a paradigm shift in how brands need to communicate and engage with consumers and society at large," says Munshi. “At Edelman, we believe that it has become even more critical for brands to navigate these changes, in order to earn attention and play a larger role in society. This involves adopting a marketing approach reset that places action at the core, striking the right tone with earned-centric creative ideas, and using trusted voices and credible peer channels. I look forward to bringing this thinking to our clients across the Asia-Pacific region."