Rishad Tobaccowala, CEO of Denuo and Chief Innovation Officer of Publicis Media, Explains New Media Opportunities for Today’s Innovative Marketer

Co-host Brad Forsythe interviews Rishad Tobaccowala, the CEO of Denuo, a futures “think-do” company that helps its clients get to the future first in ways that make “tomorrow tangible today”. Denuo combines strategy, research, ideas, program management and ventures to help clients as varied as Hewlett Packard, Kellogg’s and DuPont and also works with start-ups such as Bright Cove and Sling Media.

Tobaccowala simultaneously serves as Chief Innovation Officer of Publicis Groupe Media (PGM). Formed in 2004, PGM is a management board that oversees two major media networks: Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) and Zenith Optimedia, which together allocate over $45 billion in global media spending.

Prior to his current roles, Tobaccowala was the founder and President of SMG Next, the first and most comprehensive futures practice in the media industry. The development of SMG Next resulted in the launch of several successful practices for SMG including: SMG Play, the first company to leverage videogames as a marketing platform; word-of-mouth practice Reverb; and Digits, a leader in mobile marketing. Tobaccowala was also responsible for developing SMG Search, which specializes in leveraging search applications in new ways for leading spenders in the category, including General Motors.

Tobaccowala has over 25 years of marketing and strategy experience across a wide spectrum of clients and companies. He was named by Business Week as one of the top business leaders in 2005 for his pioneering innovation, and TIME magazine once dubbed him one of five “Marketing Innovators.” He was appointed to Advertising Age’s Interactive Hall of Fame; named Adweek’s 2000 Media All-Star for Interactive Media; dubbed OMMA magazine Media Strategist All-Star for 2005; and named one of 2005’s Best Leaders by BusinessWeek. He has written for (or been featured in) a host of news outlets, including Wired, Business Week, Fortune, Fast Company, MSNBC and Slate.

Tobaccowala holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Bombay and an M.B.A. from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago.

For entertaining advice join hosts Ray Schilens and Brad Forsythe for a lively and informative discussion.

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