Amardeep Singh named IPG Mediabrands India CEO; Shashi Sinha Executive Chairman

New Delhi: Shashi Sinha, the long-serving CEO of IPG Mediabrands India, has transitioned to the newly created role of Executive Chairman at IPG India, while Amardeep Singh, the CEO of Interactive Avenues, has been appointed as the new CEO of IPG India. 

This leadership change has come as the company prepares for the anticipated Omnicom-IPG merger.

Sinha, who has led IPG’s Indian operations for many years and is now moving towards retirement, emphasised the importance of a phased leadership transition to maintain operational stability and avoid sudden disruptions. “We will do a gradual transition. In many companies, these changes happen overnight, but we’ve chosen a 2.5 to 3-year timeframe to ensure stability,” Sinha said.

Reflecting on his conversations with global leadership, Sinha added, “I had told our global CEO that this should be a gradual process. I don’t want the company to suffer a loss with a sudden change. So, we decided on a phased approach,” highlighting the need for consistency as the company adapts to a rapidly evolving media environment.

Singh, a long-time IPG executive and the former CEO of Interactive Avenues, has been a driving force behind the network’s digital strategies. His elevation to CEO reflects IPG’s recognition of the critical role digital expertise plays in the company’s future growth.

When asked why Singh was chosen over other experienced leaders like Aditi Mishra (CEO, Lodestar), Vaishali Verma (CEO, Initiative), Anamika Mehta (COO, IPG Mediabrands), and Hema Malik (Chief Investment Officer, IPG Mediabrands), Sinha underscored Singh’s digital expertise and strong leadership qualities as key factors.

“All the leaders know that Amardeep is the best candidate. The decision would have been questioned if we had brought someone from outside. Amardeep is a strong leader with a deep understanding of the digital ecosystem, which is critical as we navigate the rapidly changing media landscape,” Sinha noted.

Sinha further emphasised Singh’s proven ability to manage digital businesses within the group. “He is a very good leader. One of the reasons for his appointment is his extensive experience in digital, which is crucial for our future growth,” Sinha added.

Singh, who co-founded Interactive Avenues in 2006 before it was acquired by IPG Mediabrands in 2013, expressed confidence about the transition while acknowledging the challenges ahead. “Those are really big shoes to fill, but I look forward to the challenge. The good part is, Shashi is going to be around for the next two to three years, so it’s a gradual transition and the way it should be done,” Singh told BestMediaInfo.com.

He also highlighted the stability of IPG India’s leadership team as a critical factor in maintaining the company’s momentum. “For us, it’s business as usual as of now. The good part is that our leadership team is very stable. All of us in the leadership team have been around for a very long time, so there’s not too much change,” he said.

When asked if he would take on broader industry roles like Sinha, who has been deeply involved in various industry bodies, Singh indicated a more measured approach. “I’d be open to doing it, but I would take one step at a time. I’m not in a hurry,” he said, reflecting a cautious yet optimistic outlook.

The leadership changes at IPG India come at a critical juncture, coinciding with the broader restructuring of the global advertising industry through the Omnicom-IPG merger. While Sinha clarified that the decision to transition his role was made independently of the merger, he acknowledged that the move would help IPG India better integrate into the combined entity.

“This decision was taken before the merger. I didn’t want it to come out in a way that suggested I left IPG, which could have incurred losses to the company. Therefore, we decided to take this gradual approach to leadership changes,” Sinha explained, underscoring the careful planning behind the move.