Jitender Dabas set to join BBDO Group India as CEO following Omnicom–IPG merger?

New Delhi: Cheil X CEO Jitender Dabas could be the next Chief Executive Officer of BBDO Group India, with sources close to the development indicating that conversations are underway.

Dabas joined Cheil X in April 2025. The agency operates as an independent, full-service agency under the Cheil India SWA group, and handles accounts beyond Samsung.

Popularly known as Jeetu, Dabas moved to Cheil X from McCann Worldgroup. At McCann, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for India, and Head of Effectiveness for APAC.

Calls and messages to Dabas did not elicit a response till the time of filing this report. 

An IIT Delhi alumnus, Dabas spent about 14 years at McCann and has over two decades of experience in advertising.

At McCann, he worked on campaigns for brands including Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Reckitt, MasterCard, Dabur, Britannia, ITC Foods, Paytm, Flipkart, and Asian Paints, among others.

He began his stint at McCann as Executive Vice-President and Head of Strategy. Earlier, he worked with JWT, Grey Worldwide, and Draft FCB ULKA.

The development comes amid new agency structures following the Omnicom–Interpublic Group (IPG) merger.

As part of the new structure, the Omnicom Advertising division will run with three primary creative networks globally: BBDO, TBWA, and McCann. IPG’s FCB and MullenLowe, and Omnicom’s DDB are being sunset worldwide. However, in early December, Lintas was revived under a new identity, TBWA-Lintas in India.

Legacy agencies Ulka and Mudra have been placed under the BBDO Group following Omnicom’s global restructuring post the merger.

Josy Paul will continue to lead BBDO India, with further leadership announcements expected in the coming weeks.

Omnicom Advertising has also unveiled India’s leadership and agency structure, with Prasoon Joshi elevated as Chairman, Omnicom Advertising India. Aditya Kanthy has been named President and Managing Director, Omnicom Advertising India.

All agency-brand CEOs, along with the Omnicom Advertising India organisation, will report to Kanthy in his role as President and Managing Director.