Bharat Thakrar, a Kenyan national, is the founder and CEO of WWP Scangroup, East Africa’s largest Integrated Marketing Communications company. In 1982, Thakrar founded Scanad, his first advertising agency, and through a blend of organic growth and acquisitions, built it into Scangroup, an African marketing communications behemoth that is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange and has a market capitalization of more than $70 million.
In 2013, Thakrar, 63, and other shareholders ceded a controlling stake in the business to WPP, a British multinational advertising and public relations company. Scangroup subsequently rebranded to WPP Scangroup. Thakrar still remains the company’s CEO and the largest individual shareholder.
His exposure to the advertising industry began with his father quite early in his life. His father was a commercial director at Skyline Advertising Agency, the largest advertising agency in Kenya at the time. While at his father’s Skyline Advertising Agency, he used to sneak into the artists studio on 5th floor and watch in fascination as artists created advertisement letterings by hand. Soon, he picked up on this skill and began to create his own scribbling.
His father decided to send him to boarding school in India for his secondary education. While there, he got involved with producing a monthly newsletter, became film-secretary with the duty of availing bi-monthly movies for the students. While exploiting his creative side he also excelled in electronics. Combining these two qualities allowed him to create colorful posters that highlighted the upcoming screenings for the school notice board thus heightening their anticipation. That is when he knew that he had discovered his passion – to communicate a story through pictures and words.
While waiting for the high school results he obtained a temporary position at his father’s agency to keep him occupied. They spotted his potential and convinced his father to shelve the idea of sending a 19-year-old to a foreign country. They foresaw that he would one day be very successful in advertising.
His working career kicked off with an account executive trainee position on the Colgate-Palmolive account at Skyline where he was promoted to account director within a year. Unfortunately, soon after the company closed its operations and he moved to another agency called Advertising Associates which was later bought over by McCann Erickson where he handled the East African Industries (Unilever) account.
They launched Close-Up toothpaste, Blue band and Royco Mchuzi Mix products. Back then; all media planning and buying had to be carried out with meticulous precision as there were no computers, special media departments or production departments. Those formidable years working for these companies became his training ground. Sadly, his bubble burst when he was overlooked for a much deserved promotion at McCann that he was well qualified. He resigned and left to start his own business with a friend.
Their company produced, distributed and marketed sundry food products. However, in less than two years, he was burnt out because he did not really enjoy the work. They agreed that his partner (who later became my brother-in law) would proceed while he left to start SCANAD in 1982.
He established SCANAD alone and declared it open for business without a single client. It was a one-man show as he held all the positions from accountant to media manager. He rocked into the office at 7:15 am and left around 11 pm every day, except on Sunday.