OA India leadership: Prasoon Joshi named Chairman, Aditya Kanthy President & MD

New Delhi: Omnicom Advertising has unveiled India's leadership and agency structure, with Prasoon Joshi elevated as Chairman, Omnicom Advertising (OA) India, and Aditya Kanthy taking charge as President and Managing Director, OA India. 

Both will report to Sean Donovan, President, Omnicom Advertising, Asia. The development was conveyed to the leadership through an internal mail. 

Joshi and Kanthy will be joined by S. Subramanyeswar (Subbu), who is elevated to Chief Strategy Officer, OA India, and Chief Knowledge Officer, OA Asia. 

Leadership has also been firmed up at the agency-brand level. Dheeraj Sinha and Rahul Mathew will lead McCann in India. 

Josy Paul will continue to head BBDO India, with a refreshed leadership team to be announced. 

TBWA\Lintas will be led by Govind Pandey and Prateek Bhardwaj as a merged entity. 

On the digital and experience side, Kinnect and 22feet Tribal will come together under Chandni Shah, who becomes CEO of the combined operation, while Rohan Mehta is elevated to drive digital integration and capability building across the group.

All agency-brand CEOs, along with the OA India organisation, will report to Kanthy in his role as President and MD, OA India, with Joshi supporting in his capacity as Chairman. 

The operating structures are being put in place for a January 1, 2026 start, with local agency leadership teams expected to share further details in the coming weeks.

In the note, Donovan said India’s scale and the strength of its local agencies had prompted an adaptation of the global Omnicom Advertising model for the market, aiming to balance “continuity and change” while maximising growth for clients and talent. 

Under the new architecture, Omnicom Advertising globally will comprise three networks: McCann, BBDO and TBWA. These will be further “fortified” with the equities of Lintas, Ulka and Mudra.

Donovan assured staff that the changes are being designed in close partnership with India leadership to ensure continuity in client partnerships while opening up “exciting new paths” for people across levels and disciplines as part of Omnicom and Omnicom Advertising.