Swasti Bhowmick is new group CFO at Rediffusion-Y&R

Rediffusion-Y&R has announced the appointment of Swasti Sovan Bhowmick as its group chief financial officer (CFO) effective October 2008. He will be responsible for all Group companies: TME, Wunderman, Showdiff, Rediffusion Public Relations, OAP-Touchpoint, Everest Brand Solutions, Sudler& Hennesey, and Rediffusion-Y&R India as well as Sri Lanka operations.

Bhowmick joins Rediffusion from Symantec Corporation where he headed the finance and accounting function in India.  Bhowmick has over 18 years of experience in sales accounting, cost management, MIS, budgeting, credit control, operations finance in IT including managing start ups and established FMCG brands.

''We were looking for another entrepreneurial mind to complete the top team at the agency," said Mahesh Chauhan, group CEO, Rediffusion Y&R,  explaining the appointment. "Someone who is not encumbered by the current practices of the industry and brings a fresh approach to business. In Swasti, we found someone who exceeded our expectations. With Swasti coming onboard, we have now completed the journey of change that  the agency embarked on two years ago.''

Bhowmick began his career with Lovelock and Lewes in Kolkata.  Modi Olivetti Ltd and IBP Caltex Pvt Ltd, followed immediately thereafter.  He spent three years in Hindustan Lever Ltd which was followed by a five year stint at Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd where he managed the Finance function for a unit with a turnover of over 220 crores.  The challenge of migrating processes from the US/UK to India in a BPO setup at Accenture was his next calling where he spent around two years. He was was responsible for setting up and managing the procurement and payables of the third largest bank in the world at Accenture.