Talent Tracker: Key leadership changes across industries this week

New Delhi: As companies respond to evolving market challenges and opportunities, leadership changes continue to play a crucial role in shaping organisational strategies and direction. This week’s Talent Tracker presents a roundup of significant appointments, promotions, and resignations across diverse sectors such as marketing, executive management, and creative leadership.

Notable updates include strategic hires at Aurionpro Solutions, PNB Housing Finance, and Fox Corporation, alongside leadership transitions at Ogilvy India, TVS Motor, Bestseller India, and WHSmith India. These shifts illustrate how organisations are realigning leadership roles to navigate growth, innovation, and changing market demands.

This report offers a snapshot of the evolving leadership landscape as companies seek to strengthen their teams and adapt to industry transformations.

Neeraj Bassi returns to Ogilvy India as Head of Consulting and Strategic Planning (North)

Neeraj Bassi has rejoined Ogilvy India to lead its Consulting practice and serve as Head of Strategic Planning for Ogilvy India (North), based in Gurugram. Bassi brings 28 years of experience in advertising and consulting, having worked with agencies including Publicis, Havas, Cheil, McCann Erickson, and JWT Dubai. He previously held senior roles at Ogilvy until 2015.

Vishal Chinchankar resigns as CEO of Madison Digital and Madison Media Alpha

Vishal Chinchankar has resigned from his position as CEO of Madison Digital and Madison Media Alpha, both part of Madison World. Chinchankar joined Madison Media in 2017 as Chief Digital Officer and was promoted to CEO in April 2021. His departure comes amid Madison World’s ongoing discussions to sell a 70% stake, with interest from global groups like Publicis Groupe and Havas Network. Chinchankar’s previous roles include leadership positions at MEC India, Mindshare Interaction, Reliance Digital TV, and Prodigi. Neither he nor Madison World has commented on his resignation or future plans.

Creative agency Tilt appoints Subbaraju Alluri as CEO, SEA

Integrated creative agency Tilt, part of HM International Holdings, has named Subbaraju Alluri as Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Asia. With over 20 years of experience in marketing and communications, Alluri will lead Tilt’s regional growth, enhance its integrated services, and expand its presence across key Asian markets. HM International Holdings’ CEO William Chan welcomed Alluri, highlighting his strategic leadership and regional expertise. Alluri expressed enthusiasm about guiding Tilt’s evolution and strengthening client partnerships in Asia.

TVS Motor appoints Sudarshan Venu as Chairman and Managing Director

TVS Motor Company’s Board of Directors has unanimously approved Sudarshan Venu as the new Chairman and Managing Director, effective August 25, 2025. Current Chairman Sir Ralf Speth will step down after the Annual General Meeting on August 22, 2025, and assume the role of Chief Mentor for three years starting August 23.

Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, expressed confidence in Sudarshan Venu’s leadership, citing his strong track record as Managing Director. Sir Ralf Speth thanked the company and said he was honoured to have led TVS Motor, expressing optimism about Sudarshan’s future stewardship. Sudarshan Venu acknowledged the opportunity and praised Sir Ralf’s mentorship in driving global expansion and innovation at TVS.

Sumit Dhingra takes over as CEO and Country Director of Bestseller India

Bestseller India has appointed Sumit Dhingra as its new Chief Executive Officer and Country Director, effective June 2025. Dhingra joins after nearly five years at Crocs, where he served as Vice President and General Manager for Southeast Asia Distributors, overseeing operations across India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Prior to Crocs, he spent almost a decade at Arvind Fashions Limited in senior leadership roles managing prominent brands such as Arrow, Izod, and Aéropostale. Bestseller India cited Dhingra’s strategic vision and extensive industry experience as key assets to drive growth and strengthen the company’s position in the evolving fashion market.

Shantanu Chakravartty takes over as CEO and Director of WHSmith India

WHSmith India, the Indian franchise of the British travel retail company, has appointed Shantanu Chakravartty as Chief Executive Officer and Director. Having been with the company for seven years, Chakravartty brings over 15 years of experience in travel retail and operations.

Chakravartty plans to triple WHSmith India’s revenue within four years and expand the store footprint fivefold. Currently, the company operates 40 stores across metro stations, airports, and university campuses. He emphasised a focus on technology and data-driven operations to enhance customer experience and drive growth.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chakravartty played a key role in maintaining business continuity and supporting the sector through the creation of the Airport Services Association of India, where he serves as General Secretary.

Chirag Alawadhi steps down as CEO of The Leapfrog Network

Chirag Alawadhi has resigned as Co-Founder and CEO of The Leapfrog Network after more than three years leading the creative agency. His departure also marks the end of a nine-year career in agency building.

Alawadhi announced the move on LinkedIn, stating he will now focus on developing content ecosystems and strategic consulting rather than starting a new agency. Under his leadership, The Leapfrog Network became known for digital campaigns and community engagement, working with brands like EMAMI, Lenskart, Airtel, Reliance, and Tata Motors.

Satish Sharma joins PhysicsWallah as Chief Marketing Officer

Satish Sharma has joined PhysicsWallah (PW) as Chief Marketing Officer, starting in May 2025 and based in Noida.

With over 20 years of experience spanning marketing, operations, and product development, Sharma previously held leadership roles at Unyscape Infocom, including CMO and COO, where he supported early-stage businesses. Earlier, he gained experience at IBM and Tata Steel in project and team management.

Dushyant Panda takes over as VP, Marketing at Razorpay

Dushyant Panda has been appointed Vice President, Marketing at Razorpay, where he has been working for over four years. Previously Senior Director, Panda managed central and payments marketing and led the SME business, overseeing brand narrative, product marketing, digital growth, and performance marketing across Payments, Platform, Engage, and POS units.

From 2021 to 2023, he served as Director of Marketing and Head of Business for Razorpay’s emerging segment, handling marketing and P&L responsibilities for the SME vertical.

Earlier, Panda held marketing roles at NestAway Technologies and worked as a brand research consultant at Kadence International. 

Fixderma appoints Aakriti Jain as Head of PR and Marketing Communications

Fixderma, the dermatologist-prescribed skincare brand, has named Aakriti Jain as Head of PR and Marketing Communications. Jain will work alongside CEO and co-founder Shaily Mehrotra to steer the brand’s communications and marketing strategy during its next growth phase.

With over 13 years of experience across FMCG, technology, luxury retail, lifestyle, real estate, and corporate communications, Jain will lead integrated campaigns, consumer engagement, brand visibility, and coordination of online and offline activations.

NAOS India promotes Roshan Kunder as Director, Marketing, Ecommerce & Modern Trade

NAOS India has promoted Roshan Kunder to Director, Marketing, Ecommerce & Modern Trade. In this role, Kunder will oversee the integration of the company’s digital platforms and develop a CRM framework to enhance consumer experience.

He will also focus on strengthening the positioning of Bioderma, emphasising its scientific innovation and intellectual property, and work on expanding NAOS’s retail presence in India.

The Script Room appoints Alisha Sharma as Executive Creative Director 

Independent creative agency The Script Room has named Alisha Sharma as its new Executive Creative Director. Sharma brings over a decade of advertising experience, having worked with brands like Spotify, PepsiCo, Amazon, and Asian Paints.

Her acclaimed work includes key campaigns for Spotify in India and has earned recognition at Cannes Lions, One Show, and Clio Awards, among others. Sharma has held senior roles at agencies including Ogilvy and Leo Burnett.

Co-founders Rajesh Ramaswamy and Ayyappan Raj praised her appointment, highlighting her creative vision as integral to the agency’s future growth. Sharma expressed enthusiasm for joining a team focused on storytelling and creative collaboration.

Mahindra Group appoints Asha Kharga as Chief Customer Officer of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts

The Mahindra Group has appointed Asha Kharga as Chief Customer Officer of Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India (MHRIL), effective July 1, 2025. Kharga, who currently holds the same position at the Mahindra Group level, brings over 28 years of leadership experience in brand transformation and customer experience.

In her new role, she will focus on enhancing guest experiences, evolving brand strategy, and supporting MHRIL’s expansion plans, including increasing its resort footprint to 10,000 keys by 2030.

Mukundan Menon CP to replace Pradeep Bakshi as MD at Voltas

Voltas has announced key leadership changes amid a strategic transformation of its business operations. Pradeep Bakshi, the current Managing Director, will step down at the end of his tenure in August 2025.

Mukundan Menon CP has been appointed as Managing Director Designate effective April 1, 2025, and will officially assume the MD role from September 1, 2025. Menon joined Voltas in July 2023 as Executive Director and Head of the Room Air Conditioner Business.

The company stated that this leadership restructuring aims to strengthen Voltas’s position as it adapts to evolving market dynamics and consumer expectations.

Rajeev Shukla to take over as Interim BCCI President After Roger Binny’s Retirement

Rajeev Shukla, the current vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), is set to become the interim president following Roger Binny’s retirement on July 19, when he turns 70. BCCI rules prohibit office-bearers from holding positions beyond the age of 70.

Shukla, 65, who has served as vice-president since 2020, will lead the BCCI until fresh elections are held at the board’s Annual General Meeting in September. A Rajya Sabha MP from the Congress party, Shukla has also previously chaired the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Roger Binny, who took over as BCCI president in 2022, is a celebrated former cricketer known for his role in India’s 1983 World Cup triumph and for coaching the India Under-19 team to victory in the 2000 ICC Under-19 World Cup. Before heading the BCCI, he served as president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

Aurionpro Solutions appoints Sachin Salian as CMO

Aurionpro Solutions has named Sachin Salian as its new Chief Marketing Officer. With 20+ years of experience in strategic marketing and brand leadership, Salian will oversee global marketing, including brand strategy, digital engagement, and communications.

Previously, he held senior roles in tech companies across B2B and B2C sectors, focusing on digital transformation and customer engagement.

He holds a PGDM in Marketing and Strategy from IIM Lucknow and certifications in digital marketing.

PNB Housing Finance appoints Bhavya Taneja as Chief Marketing Officer

PNB Housing Finance has promoted Bhavya Taneja to Chief Marketing Officer, effective May 31, 2025. Taneja, who joined the company in 2019 as National Head – Marketing, becomes a Senior Management Personnel.

With over 16 years of experience, including leadership roles at HSBC India, Kotak Mahindra, and IIFL Wealth, Taneja has led brand management, PR, digital outreach, and integrated campaigns. He holds qualifications from IIM Indore and other institutions.

As CMO, he will drive PNB Housing Finance’s marketing strategy to boost brand visibility and growth.

Puja Vohra joins Fox Corporation as Chief Marketing Officer and EVP, Advertising Sales

Fox Corporation has appointed Puja Vohra as Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Advertising Sales, effective June 16, 2025. Reporting to Jeff Collins, she will lead ad sales marketing strategies across Fox Entertainment, Fox News, Fox Sports, and Tubi.

In this newly created role, Vohra will unify the portfolio’s value proposition, develop messaging, and support sales teams to drive growth and market expansion.

Vohra joins from Paramount Global, where she was EVP, Marketing for Paramount+, and previously held senior marketing roles at Warner Media and NBCUniversal. Born in India, she holds degrees from Delhi University and IIM Calcutta, and has completed executive programs at Harvard and Stanford.