Managing Partner, EVP, Digital Investments and Trading
MediaCom
Brilliant. That’s the word most often when Vik Kathuria’s colleagues were asked to describe him.
With a background in finance and a globe-trotting resume, he brings a provocative perspective not easily found in the agency world. And this isn’t lost on the community at the intersection of advertising, technology, finance and media.
As a managing partner and executive vice president at MediaCom, Vik – short for Vikram – built the agency’s digital investment group from scratch, then watched the group’s results draw the attention of MediaCom’s sister agencies. Today, his methodology has influenced the GroupM agencies all over the world.
Currently as leader of the North American digital investment group, he is responsible for all digital investments and trading, with oversight across a number of specialty functions, including search, display, mobile, trading and strategy. Clients such as Dell, Shell, Revlon, Audi, Volkswagen and Subway rely on him just as much as the external community does.
Vik also serves on the GroupM executive digital investment team and works closely with WPP’s corporate strategy and development group. Tasked with building and developing strategic partnerships and acquisitions globally for GroupM, Vik engages with media, brand and technology companies in order to identify emerging trends; then he negotiates, integrates and manages select partners into the GroupM ecosystem.
According to Joe Kowan, managing partner for MEC’s digital investment group, “Vik’s an amazing talent…I’ve seen him operate as a peacekeeper and communicator across the operating companies within GroupM, always helping to foster best-in-class digital investment capabilities.”
“Vik is one of those people you go to first when industry news breaks,” said Lily Triantafillou, digital media director at MediaCom. “Since he views things through a lens that encompasses a diverse background of experience – media and financial, domestic and global – his perspective is always unique and engaging.”
Born in New Delhi, Vik earned his bachelor’s degrees from Delhi University and the London School of Economics, while studying at both Harvard Business School and Clark University for his MBA. He started his career in investment banking and trading with Goldman Sachs in London.
Before joining MediaCom in 2008, he was senior vice president of digital media for OMD and served in senior global marketing positions at Citigroup (in New York) and PepsiCo (in Singapore).