Talent Tracker: Key appointments and promotions across media, marketing and tech

New Delhi: This week in the media, marketing, and tech sectors has seen a series of notable appointments, promotions, and leadership changes. From global agency executives to senior marketing and creative roles, these movements reflect ongoing shifts in leadership and strategy across industries.

The changes span a variety of functions, including creative direction, digital growth, marketing leadership, and corporate governance. Several companies are strengthening their global presence, while others are focusing on regional expansion and innovation.

WPP names Devika Bulchandani COO, Laurent Ezekiel Global CEO of Ogilvy

WPP has made several global leadership appointments. Devika Bulchandani will serve as Chief Operating Officer, overseeing services across WPP and working with agency teams, Country Managers, and global client leaders. Laurent Ezekiel has been named Global CEO of Ogilvy Group and Executive Sponsor for WPP Open X. Floriane Tripolino will lead WPP Open X, the agency team dedicated to The Coca-Cola Company.

Nestlé CEO Laurent Freixe exits; Philipp Navratil named successor

Nestlé has dismissed CEO Laurent Freixe following an investigation that confirmed he had an undisclosed relationship with a subordinate, violating the company’s code of conduct. Freixe, who led the company for one year, will not receive an exit package. Philipp Navratil, former head of Nestlé’s Nespresso unit, has been appointed CEO, effective immediately. Navratil has been with Nestlé since 2001 and has held several senior roles across its coffee and beverage business.

Castrol’s Rohit Talwar joins JSW Paints as Chief Marketing Officer

JSW Paints has appointed Rohit Talwar as Chief Marketing Officer. Talwar, who recently stepped down as VP and Head of Marketing at Castrol India after 21 years, brings over 20 years of experience across marketing and brand management. He will lead JSW Paints’ brand growth and market expansion.

Amazon India promotes Anuradha Aggarwal to Director, Marketing and Growth

Anuradha Aggarwal has been promoted to Director, Marketing and Growth at Amazon India. She previously served as Director, User Growth and Chief Marketing Officer at Amazon Pay. Aggarwal brings extensive experience from senior marketing roles at Star TV, Marico, and Mondelēz International, overseeing brand growth, P&L, and regional strategies.

T V Naarayan joins Akasa Air as Chief Marketing Officer

T V Naarayan has joined Akasa Air as Chief Marketing Officer, following his tenure as CMO at IDFC FIRST Bank. With over two decades of experience across financial services and digital platforms, Naarayan has held senior marketing roles at Kotak Securities, TimesOfMoney, Motilal Oswal Securities, and PayPal.

Kia India’s Head of Marketing and PR Shakti Upadhyay steps down

Shakti Upadhyay has stepped down as Head of Marketing and PR at Kia India, ending a seven-year tenure with the automaker. Joining in March 2018, he helped establish Kia’s marketing and communications function and led campaigns for models including the Seltos, Sonet, Carnival, Carens, and EV6. Upadhyay oversaw advertising, digital platforms, public relations, and consumer research. Prior to Kia, he held roles at Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor India, working on brand campaigns for electronics and mobility products.

Spotify elevates Neha Ahuja to Director of Growth for JAPAC Region

Spotify has promoted Neha Ahuja to Director of Growth for the Japan and Pacific (JAPAC) region. Previously Director and Head of Marketing for Spotify India, Ahuja will now lead growth initiatives across Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific markets. She will focus on user acquisition, premium subscription adoption, and market expansion in the region.

Adobe appoints Ben Goodman as President of Asia Pacific and Digital Experience Japan

Adobe has named Ben Goodman as President of its Asia Pacific operations and head of the Digital Experience division in Japan. Reporting to Chief Revenue Officer Stephen Frieder, Goodman will oversee Adobe’s APAC business and DX initiatives in Japan. He brings over 20 years of leadership experience across the region, returning to Adobe after previously serving as Managing Director of Digital Experience Sales in APAC and most recently as SVP and GM for Okta in the region.

Avinash Pandey to take charge as IBDF Secretary General

Avinash Pandey will assume the role of Secretary General of the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF), succeeding Siddharth Jain, who held the position since July 2021. Pandey, former CEO of ABP Network, has nearly two decades of experience in media and broadcasting and has held leadership roles in industry bodies including IAA India Chapter and NBDA. He recently joined Laqshya Media Group and serves as Senior Advisor at Primus Partners.

Karunesh Bajaj elected Chairman of ABC, Mohit Jain steps in as Deputy Chairman

The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) has announced its leadership for 2025–26. Karunesh Bajaj, EVP of Marketing & Exports at ITC, was elected Chairman, succeeding Riyad Mathew. Mohit Jain, COO and Board Member at Bennett, Coleman and Co. (Times Group), has been elected Deputy Chairman, taking over the role previously held by Bajaj.

Madison Media appoints Vivek Das as Chief Digital Officer

Madison Media has appointed Vivek Das as Chief Digital Officer. He previously led the Google India and Southeast Asia business at EssenceMediacom and will report to Ajit Varghese, Partner and Group CEO. Das brings over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, integrated media, and leadership roles at agencies including Mindshare, VML, and FoxyMoron.

Digitas India CEO Unny Radhakrishnan to step down

Unny Radhakrishnan will step down as CEO of Digitas India at the end of September, concluding a five-and-a-half-year tenure. Radhakrishnan joined in March 2020 from SHEROES and has over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, consulting, and technology. During his career, he held leadership roles at Maxus, BOTW, and SHEROES, and has taught and spoken at leading academic and industry forums.

DDB Tribal appoints Anusheela Saha as Creative Head

DDB Tribal, part of DDB Mudra Group, has appointed Anusheela Saha as Creative Head. Saha joins from FCB India, where she was National Creative Director, and brings over 20 years of experience across agencies including Cheil and FCB India. She has led campaigns for major global brands and social initiatives, and her work has won recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, and other international festivals.

Grey India appoints Mahesh Ambaliya as Group Creative Director

Grey India has appointed Mahesh Ambaliya as Group Creative Director, overseeing work across all three offices. Ambaliya, a WPP veteran with over 11 years of experience at Ogilvy and VML, has won 12 Cannes Lions, including two Grand Prix awards. His campaigns have achieved global recognition and garnered billions of views on social platforms.

OpenAI appoints Michael Tabtabai as first global vice-president of creative

OpenAI has named Michael Tabtabai as its first global Vice-President of Creative. Tabtabai brings extensive advertising and brand leadership experience, having held senior creative roles at Google, Coinbase, and agencies including Wieden+Kennedy, Saatchi & Saatchi, and TBWA Chiat Day. At Google, he led campaigns such as The Most Searched: A Celebration of Black History Makers and Year in Search 2017.

Glance elevates Mansi Jain to COO role to lead global expansion of AI commerce

Glance has appointed Mansi Jain as Chief Operating Officer to oversee global expansion and strengthen its presence in AI commerce. Jain, with over 13 years at InMobi Group, has held leadership roles across strategy, product, and business, most recently leading the launch of Glance AI for online shopping.