'Integrated models are increasingly valuable’

In a recent LinkedIn post, Chandni Shah, CEO, Kinnect & 22feet Tribal, said one of her first decisions as CEO would be to move away from "serial pitching"; the focus over the next one year would be to onboard only five new clients.

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As Kinnect's founder eases into the new Omnicom system, she tells Aloka Nanda Chakraborty that the agency will prioritise scaling by deepening relationships and not by bumping up numbers — either of people or of offices. Excerpts from the interview.

What has been the biggest plus for Kinnect & 22 feet Tribal from the IPG-Omnicom merger?

The biggest upside is access to a far larger ecosystem of thinking, talent, and capabilities. What's reassuring is that the structure also recognises the importance of strong local capabilities. Kinnect was built as an integrated creative powerhouse with in-house strengths across media, influencer marketing, content production, CX, and technology. Within Omnicom Advertising India, that integration becomes even more powerful. We continue building integrated solutions for our clients, while also becoming a strong collaboration partner for agencies across the network like McCann, BBDO and TBWA Lintas. So we get the best of both worlds. The scale and intelligence of a global network, combined with the entrepreneurial DNA that built Kinnect.

Are Indian agencies ready to deploy AI capabilities to improve efficiency? How would you rate the industry's AI readiness?