Former Riverorchid Notch MD launches digital agency in Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY - Tarun Dhawan, who recently left his role as MD at Riverorchid Notch, has launched a new digital agency called Moblaze in Vietnam.

The agency’s services include digital and mobile strategy, creative, social media, and media and analytics. Additionally, the firm also does SEO, CRM and loyalty work.

Moblaze's clients include media agencies in Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, and the company is also exploring opportunities in Laos and Thailand.

“Riverorchid have been great, and it gave me exposure and understanding into Indochina,” Dhawan told Campaign Asia-Pacific. “The opportunity to build our mobile business in the region is immense. Not many people realise that Myanmar is the world’s first smartphone nation, accounting for 96 percent of all phones.”

Dhawan is keeping operations lean for now; he has hired a team of seven across the region, and revenue will determine future hires.

Dhawan joined Notch Digital in 2012 as managing director. He was instrumental in the merging the agency with Riverorchid a year later, becoming one of the largest digital agencies in the Indochina region. He also led Havas’ acquisition of the agency in 2015, following which he decided to leave. Dhawan has also held senior roles at Y&R and JWT.