MUMBAI — Adfactors PR, India's biggest PR firm, has made a high-profile senior hire to support ambitious international expansion plans.

The agency has hired Roger Darashah, an international PR veteran who has spent much of this recent career at Edelman, to the newly-created chief operating officer position, reporting to co-founder and MD Madan Bahal.

Darashah, who has worked across Europe, India and Brazil, is charged with bringing international best practice to Adfactors' client service and campaign delivery, and helping the firm scale its operations globally.

Darashah returns to India after spending the past two years in Brazil as Edelman Significa's technology EVP and global business director. Prior to that, he led Edelman's Tata business in India, and also worked for the firm in Spain. His agency experience also includes more than five years with Hotwire Paris and three years with Weber Shandwick France.

“We are proud to have someone of Roger’s calibre and perspective joining us," said Bahal. "His global experience will strengthen our service offering and as we embark on launching new practices to fill the void in the Indian market place." 

Adfactors is the only Indian agency to rank among the world's top 100 PR firms, after sustained growth in recent years, including geographic expansion to Dubai, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

"The consultancy has all the right ingredients to attain a leadership position in the Asian public relations industry and beyond," said Darashah of his move to Adfactors. "The Indian market’s growth and potential provides an excellent platform from which to scale a global, integrated offering to support clients looking for a truly global approach."