MRM Worldwide, a full-serve direct and interactive marketing agency with the McCann Worldgroup network, hired Paran Johar to head its Los Angeles office as well as take a senior role in digital marketing.
Mr. Johar becomes the managing director of MRM’s Los Angeles office, while assuming the title of executive vice president of digital marketing for North America. He is responsible for expanding MRM’s presence in the Western region.
“It is too early to comment on expansion,” Mr. Johar said, when asked if this new position would bring about new hires.
Mr. Johar previously spent five and a half years as general manager of interactive agency Tribal DDB’s Los Angeles office. During this time, he increased the office’s annual billings from $0 to $80 million.
“I came to Tribal in what, for them, was the worst possible time,” Mr. Johar said. “However, we took a very direct response approach, improving site development and interactive services.”
Mr. Johar plans to apply these principles as well as improve the offline campaign capabilities of MRM’s Los Angeles office.
Reuben Hendell, MRM Worldwide CEO, described Mr. Johar as “a force and a talent.” He hopes that Mr. Johar’s reputation and history in the field will improve MRM’s service to clients and produce results.
“We haven’t had a strong public leader of that office [MRM Los Angeles] for about a year and a half,” Mr. Hendell said.
“Digital marketing is going mainstream, redefining all aspects of the marketing mix and enabling new levels of accountability on return on investment,” Mr. Hendell said. “Paran has been a leader in this space for a long time.”
Mr. Johar has published work on interactive media, with features in publications like the now-defunct Digitrends and NewMedia.com. He also founded Select New Media, the interactive division of management consultancy Select Resources International.
Mr. Johar’s went to Thailand last year to help victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami, which killed an estimated 250,000 people and devastated Southeast Asia.
