Nitin Karkare takes over as Ulka Chairman after Omnicom–IPG merger

New Delhi: Nitin Karkare has been named Chairman of Ulka and Executive Director at Omnicom Advertising India as the company reorganises its leadership in the wake of the Omnicom–IPG merger. The integration has resulted in Ulka moving into the BBDO Group, following the retirement of the FCB brand.

Karkare has spent the majority of his career at Ulka, having joined the agency in 1986 as a management trainee. He returned to the organisation in 1993 after a period at Everest Advertising, where he worked on the Procter & Gamble portfolio. 

Over the years, he rose through multiple roles and became Chief Executive Officer in 2016. His work spans major accounts across sectors, including Amul, Tata Motors, Zee, ITC, Wipro and Zodiac.

The leadership restructure positions Karkare as a central figure in guiding Ulka through its transition into a new organisational setup. His experience is expected to support the agency as Omnicom Advertising India aligns its operations after the merger and consolidates overlapping functions.

Prasoon Joshi has been elevated to Chairman of Omnicom Advertising India, while Aditya Kanthy has taken charge as President and Managing Director. Both will report to Sean Donovan, President. S. Subramanyeswar (Subbu) will serve as Chief Strategy Officer for India in addition to holding the role of Chief Knowledge Officer for Asia.