#MeToo: Kartik Iyer and Praveen Das asked to go on leave during investigation

More names from the advertising industry in India have emerged as women share their experiences under the #MeToo banner. (Please see earlier coverage: "Agencies react to MeToo accusations in India".)

Sandhya Menon, a writer and journalist who has been outspoken during the recent outpouring of MeToo stories in India, shared an anonymous email from four women detailing claims of harassment involving CEO Kartik Iyer and other members of Happy Mcgarrybowen. 

Campaign India has learned that Kartik Iyer and Praveen Das have been asked to go on leave and the investigation has already kicked off.

Four women at Happy (an ad firm in Bangalore) on email.

Vile vile. pic.twitter.com/gkLA1F5ZOT

— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) October 10, 2018

Kartik Iyer has categorically denied the claims with this statement on Twitter.  

To everyone out there. pic.twitter.com/3Cn0ovAqlo

— Kartik Iyer  (@higheriyer) October 11, 2018

Contacted for comment, Dentsu Aegis Network said it is looking into the allegations and issued the following statement: 

Dentsu Aegis Network has always believed in providing a safe environment at our workplaces which is free from any kind of harassments. We have an internal committee constituted as per the rules prescribed under Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 to look into any complaints in this regard. Certain incidents has just come to our notice involving senior members of Happy that allegedly took place few years ago, when Happy was not a part of DAN. An enquiry into these alleged incidents has already been initiated. Dentsu Aegis Network does not and WILL NOT accept anything but professional behaviour at our workplaces. We have a zero tolerance policy towards any kind of harassment at our workplaces and we are committed to speedy redressal of any complaints raised in this context after following due process, as advised by the internal committee.

Happy was acquired by Dentsu in October 2016.

Meanwhile, DDB Mudra Group is looking at allegations against Brijesh Jacob, Aniruddha Das, its senior photographer from 22feet Tribal Worldwide, and Deepak Nair, the CEO of 22feet Tribal Worldwide and chief growth officer of DDB Mudra Group. We are awaiting a statement from the group.

pic.twitter.com/95XRVzBORj

— Sandhya Menon (@TheRestlessQuil) October 10, 2018

See all our coverage of recent #MeToo allegations in adland.

Campaign India and Campaign Asia-Pacific are collaborating on this coverage. We are keen to hear from anyone who wishes to share their experiences, and we are able to grant anonymity. You can email us at campaign_editorial@haymarket.asia, prasad@haymarket.co.in or raahil@haymarket.co.in.