BRUSSELS — Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has integrated its global marketing and communications functions under the leadership of global CMO Ravi Viswanathan, who took on the role at the IT giant last year after the departures of marketing head John Lenzen and communications chief Pradipta Bagchi.

The two departments previously functioned separately but now join a steady trend to integrate marketing and communications at major companies. Abhinav Kumar, who previously oversaw a combined marketing and communications remit for Europe, is also elevated to lead the integrated function across global markets, adding the US, Latin America, Asia-Pacific and Middle East/Africa to his portfolio.

TCS veteran Viswanathan became CMO last year after Lenzen's departure in 2016. Bagchi, for his part, followed former TCS CEO N. Chandrasekaran to parent company Tata Sons last year to become chief communications officer. 

TCS has also made a slew of appointments as part of the restructuring of its marketing and communications function. Julie Freeman becomes chief marketing and communications officer of its global services businesses; Dennis Roman is named CMO of products and platforms; Raja Banerji takes on the CMO role for its vertical industry marketing units and Ranganathan Sundaram is the new head of its corporate marketing and transformation function.

In addition, investor relations head Kedar Shirali will also take charge of the global analyst relations function. 

"Our focus on strengthening our brand in key markets, through sponsorships and major integrated campaigns has helped almost quadruple the value of the TCS brand in this decade," said Kumar. "We are looking to consolidate and strengthen our position further at the very top of our industry's food chain."

TCS has invested considerable marketing resources to help support its rise to the upper echelons of global IT services providers. It is the title sponsor of the TCS New York City Marathon, the TCS Amsterdam marathon, the Tata Mumbai Marathon and several other properties across the world. The company's integrated campaigns, notably l#DigitalEmpowers and #TCSsuperheroes campaign have also won numerous awards over the past two years.