Rathod managed the likes of Revlon, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Credit Suisse First Boston and Coca-Cola for Kirshenbaum Bond & Partners in New York, later running his own UK-based agency for clients including MTV, Timberland and the National Health Service.
Charles Brian-Boys, head of brand consulting at Eight China, said Sheilen's previous work with Bank of China and NBA in the country had already been enormously successful.
"This experience will stand him in good stead for the challenging projects we encounter on a daily basis," he said.
Rathod said he was looking forward to helping both multinationals and niche companies gain a foothold in the market.
"I'm equally energised by the chance to help Eight, with its long established history in this region, capitalise on this dynamic market," he said.
Founded in 1993, Eight Partnership is a brand company helping businesses create and manage high-performance brands. It has offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.