Talent Tracker: Key CEO changes, senior hires and marketing moves this week

BestMediaInfo.com tracks this week’s major leadership appointments, promotions, and exits across industries

author-image
BestMediaInfo Bureau
New Update
Talent-Tracker
Listen to this article
0.75x 1x 1.5x
00:00 / 00:00

New Delhi: This week marked a series of notable leadership transitions across corporates and agencies. Cindy Rose has been named the next global CEO of WPP, while Priya Nair is set to become the first woman CEO and MD of HUL. The auto sector recorded changes at BMW and Kia, and Zomato appointed a new head for its food delivery unit. In marketing, Emami, Licious, and Knauf India announced key hires, as Zivame’s Khatija Lokhandwala exited. Agencies including TBWA India and Famous Innovations also saw new additions to their senior leadership.

Here’s a round-up of the key talent movements.

Cindy Rose replaces Mark Read as WPP CEO

Cindy Rose
Cindy Rose

WPP has appointed Cindy Rose as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective September 1, 2025. She takes over from Mark Read, who will step down but remain through the year to support the transition.

Rose is currently Chief Operating Officer, Global Enterprise at Microsoft and has held senior leadership roles at Microsoft UK and Western Europe, Vodafone, Virgin Media, and The Walt Disney Company. A WPP board member since 2019, Rose brings deep expertise in technology, digital transformation, and creative industries.

Priya Nair replaces Rohit Jawa as HUL CEO and MD; first woman to occupy the post

Priya Nair and Rohit Jawa
Priya Nair and Rohit Jawa

Priya Nair, currently President, Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever, will take over as CEO and MD of Hindustan Unilever from August 1, 2025, becoming the first woman to hold the post. Rohit Jawa, who took charge in 2023, will step down on July 31, to pursue new opportunities.

Nair, a veteran at HUL since 1995, has led key portfolios across Home Care and Beauty & Personal Care. She has also served as Global CMO for Unilever’s Beauty & Wellbeing business before taking over as its President in 2023.

Hardeep Singh Brar succeeds Vikram Pawah as BMW Group India’s President and CEO

Vikram and hardeep
Hardeep Singh Brar (left) and Vikram Pawah ( right)

BMW Group has named Hardeep Singh Brar as the next President and CEO of its India operations, effective 1 September 2025. Brar, who is currently Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Kia India, brings over 30 years of experience across auto brands including Maruti Suzuki, Volkswagen, Nissan and General Motors.

He takes over from Vikram Pawah, who will move to lead BMW Group’s operations in Australia and New Zealand. Pawah has been associated with BMW since 2017 and played a key role in expanding the brand’s footprint in India and driving its electric mobility push.

Aditya Mangla appointed CEO of Zomato’s food delivery business

Aditya Mangla
Aditya Mangla

Zomato parent Eternal has named Aditya Mangla as the new CEO of its food delivery unit for a two-year term, effective immediately. He takes over from Rakesh Ranjan, who has completed his tenure and will now serve in an advisory role.

Mangla has been with Eternal since 2021 and has led functions including product, supply, and customer experience. He previously worked across startups in product, marketing, and P&L roles, and holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon, ISB, and NSIT.

Coursera appoints Ashutosh Gupta as MD for India and APAC

Ashutosh-Gupta
Ashutosh Gupta

Coursera has named Ashutosh Gupta as Managing Director for India and Asia Pacific. He will lead the platform’s enterprise efforts across the region, partnering with governments, universities, and companies to scale digital and AI-focused skills.

Gupta previously served as Operating Partner at Avataar Ventures, and held leadership roles at LinkedIn, Google, Cognizant, and Infosys. He holds degrees from IIM Lucknow and IIT BHU.

Emami promotes Kaushik V as VP Marketing

Kaushik-V
Kaushik V

Emami has elevated Kaushik V to Vice President, Marketing. He has been with the company since 2022, previously leading the Relief Oils, Talc, and Skincare portfolio, including brands like Navratna, DermiCool, and Creme 21.

Kaushik brings over two decades of experience, with past roles at Philips, Nokia, P&G, and Quess Corp, as well as entrepreneurial stints in brand consulting and D2C strategy.

Pratik Vaja appointed Head of Marketing at Licious

Pratik-Vaja
Prati Vaja

Licious has named Pratik Vaja as its new Head of Marketing (AVP). Vaja, who announced the move on LinkedIn, joins the meat and seafood brand as it marks its 10th anniversary.

He was previously Head of Marketing at More Retail and spent seven years at ITC. Vaja holds a master’s in marketing from JBIMS and a bachelor’s degree in computer science.

Gaunik Jeet Singh joins Knauf India as Head of Marketing

Gaunik-Jeet-Singh
Gaunik Jeet Singh

Gaunik Jeet Singh has been appointed as the Head of Marketing (Marketing Director) at Knauf India. He announced the move on LinkedIn.

Prior to this, Singh was GM – Marketing, Corporate Brand & Scooters at Hero MotoCorp, where he led the strategic direction for a Rs 3,500 crore portfolio, including top scooter brands like Hero Pleasure, Destini, XOOM, and Maestro. He exited the company following a major reshuffle in the C-suite in June 2025.

Before Hero, Singh was associated with Airtel for over four years, contributing to brand and marketing strategy. He holds an MBA in Marketing from the Symbiosis Institute of Management.

Khatija Lokhandwala steps down as Head of Brand Marketing at Zivame

Khatija-Lokhandwala
Khatija Lokhandwala

Khatija Lokhandwala has exited Zivame after a 5.5-year tenure, where she served as Head of Brand Marketing.

During her time, Lokhandwala led campaigns like Dekho Maine Kya Kiya, Wear Your Confidence, and Unhooked!, focusing on inclusivity and breaking social taboos around lingerie. Prior to Zivame, she held marketing roles at INBISCO, Jyothy Laboratories, and CavinKare across segments like personal care, home care, and confectionery.

Jaisalmer Marriott Resort and Spa appoints Pooja Gauur as Director of Marketing

marriott
Pooja Gauur

Pooja Gauur has been named Director of Marketing at Jaisalmer Marriott Resort and Spa, where she will oversee brand strategy, guest experience design, and marketing efforts to position the resort as a premier desert destination.

With over 12 years of experience in luxury and hospitality marketing, Gauur has previously led initiatives at properties such as Jaipur Marriott, Udaipur Marriott, and Courtyard by Marriott Bhopal. She joined Marriott International in 2019 and has worked on multiple pre-openings.

She holds a marketing leadership certification from IIM Bangalore and is active in mentoring early-career professionals.

Famous Innovations appoints Shiv Sethuraman as Chief Transformation Officer

Shiv Sethuraman
Shiv Sethuraman

Famous Innovations has named Shiv Sethuraman as its Chief Transformation Officer. With global leadership experience at Ogilvy Paris, TBWA\India, and Cheil South West Asia, Sethuraman brings strategic depth to support the agency’s growth and creative evolution.

He will help scale operations while maintaining the company’s independent spirit and creative focus.

TBWA India appoints Abhishek Chaturvedi as EVP and Branch Head, Gurgaon

Abhishek Chaturvedi
Abhishek Chaturvedi

Abhishek Chaturvedi has been named Executive Vice President and Branch Head for TBWA India’s Gurgaon office. In his new role, he will oversee the agency’s strategic, creative, and operational functions across North India and report to Namrata Nandan, Chief Business Officer.

Chaturvedi joins from Edelman India, where he was Head of Strategy and SVP, and has over two decades of experience with brands like Voltas, Saffola, and Zomato. He has held leadership roles at Digitas, McCann, and Ogilvy, combining a deep understanding of brand storytelling with data-led strategy.

Emami Zomato WPP HUL Hindustan Unilever Licious leadership Coursera BMW Group India
Advertisment