Thakrar is the founding shareholder of the Scangroup/COURTESY
Thakrar, who heads Africa’s leading market services group comprising 14 integrated communication agencies with a pan-African reach, was feted at the inaugural awards ceremony held at the Vodaworld, in Midrand South Africa.
During the event, Ogilvy & Mather Africa was also announced as the Forbes African Agency Network of the year, effectively scooping the only two awards in the advertising and communications section of the prestigious awards.
Acknowledging the Africa-wide recognition, Thakrar attributed the win to the hard work and creativity of the highly motivated teams that work in the Scangroup agencies across the world.
“We have nurtured a culture within Scangroup geared towards producing the best results for our clients. This awards attest to our continued commitment to produce the deliver outstanding results in the marketing services scene within the continent”, he said.
Thakrar added that his recognition as the African Agency Leader of the Year, together with the win by Ogilvy & Mather Africa as the Forbes African Agency of the Year 2012, is a shot in the arm for the ambitious plans by Scangroup agencies to compete in the global arena.
He explained; “Africa is currently asserting itself as a force to reckon with in many respects. Scangroup aspires to spearhead initiatives in Integrated Communications aimed at demonstrating that that we too can be global leaders in the sector.”
Scangroup agencies, which include Ogilvy Africa, Hill & Knowlton, Red Sky, McCann-Erickson, Roundtrip and JWT offer a 360 degree approach in integrated communications which includes Media Investment and Management, Brand/ Creative Advertising, Public Relations, Experiential Marketing, Integrated Digital Marketing and Field Marketing.
Thakrar is the founding shareholder of the Scangroup and a director of all Scangroup subsidiaries. He has working experience in advertising and communications spanning over thirty six years.
He holds a Diploma in Advertising and Marketing from the Communications and Marketing Foundation – UK. He is also a director of Internet Solutions Kenya Ltd and Valley Terrace Ltd. He is a former chairman of the Advertising Practitioners Association (APA) and is a member of the Advertising Standards Board. In 2009 he undertook courses in Executive Management at the Harvard Business School.
