TBWAChiatDay LA has hired Rohit Thawani as head of digital strategy. A key addition to the Digital Arts Network (DAN) team in Los Angeles, Thawani will work with TBWAChiatDay LA and DAN LA clients including Pepsi, Nissan, adidas, Google and the Grammy Awards. He will report to chief strategy officer, Nick Barham.
Prior to joining TBWA, Thawani was a lead strategist at 72andSunny where he worked on Google Ad Arts.
Before moving out to LA, Thawani was a lifetime New Yorker. He spent three years at BBDO NY as digital strategy director working with clients such as FedEx, Mars Chocolate and Lowe’s Home Improvement. Thawani also worked in digital media for five years at Mediavest, where he championed creativity in the digital space and led digital efforts for Coca-Cola’s strategic properties including the Super Bowl, American Idol, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA and the Olympics.
Thawani is a regular speaker at industry events including OMMA and Mobile Marketing Association (MMA). He is scheduled to lead a SXSW panel in 2014 entitled “Reddit, you’re doing it wrong.”
“Our industry is still in its infancy, and we're on a mission for advertising to become a little more smart, human, powerful and weird," said Thawani. "I joined TBWA and DAN because we have the vision, tools and talent to do this. I’m looking forward to working with the team and our clients to use every bit of a brand’s ecosystem as a canvas to do something powerful, cultural and effective.”