Talent tracker of the week: Key leadership changes across media, tech and advertising

New Delhi: This week’s people movements reflect the steady reshaping of leadership across media, technology, advertising and consumer businesses. Broadcasters continued to recalibrate their organisational structures, global networks announced senior exits, and agencies strengthened operational and strategic capabilities through internal elevations and external hires. Technology and consumer brands also saw fresh appointments across sales, marketing and business leadership, signalling ongoing adjustments to shifting market priorities and the growing influence of AI-led workflows.

SAB TV’s Adhikari brothers resign; IIT professionals take charge to drive AI-led growth

Sri Adhikari Brothers Television Network has initiated a board overhaul as promoter-group directors Kailasnath Adhikari and Ravi Adhikari step down following a change in management under SEBI takeover regulations. Independent and non-executive directors have also resigned. The company is set to induct professionals from IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and other institutions, with the Adhikari family retaining its promoter role. The restructuring is positioned to reinforce corporate governance, shift operational oversight to external experts and support the broadcaster’s future growth, including technology-driven and AI-focused initiatives effective November 18, 2025.

Ashish Sehgal to join Times Network as CEO

Ashish Sehgal is set to join Times Network as Chief Executive Officer after leaving Zee Entertainment Enterprises in August 2025, where he served as Chief Growth Officer and led the advertising revenue vertical. His appointment follows a period of senior leadership changes at the broadcaster, including the exits of MK Anand in 2024 and Varun Kohli in 2025, with interim responsibilities handed to Rohit Gopakumar. Sehgal previously held senior sales roles at Star India and began his career with Univista TV and Times FM, bringing extensive experience across broadcast and advertising functions.

Tushar Shah moves on from Sony Pictures Networks India after 16 years

Sony Pictures Networks India has announced the departure of Tushar Shah, Chief Marketing Officer and Business Head – Movies, Regional, FTA and Infotainment Channels. His last working day will be 31 March 2026, after which he will complete the transition and handover process. Including an earlier stint from 2002 to 2005, Shah has spent more than 19 years with the network, overseeing strategy across key channel portfolios and leading the rebranding of SPNI’s broadcast network. The company said it will share its succession plan in due course as it prepares for the next phase of leadership changes.

DDB global CEO Alex Lubar exits as Omnicom–IPG merger fuels questions over agency’s future

Alex Lubar has stepped down as global CEO of DDB Worldwide as Omnicom progresses towards its $13.5 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group, intensifying speculation over the future of the DDB brand. Lubar, who joined DDB in 2022 and became global CEO in 2023, will move to Fundamentalco, a consulting firm founded in 2024. Omnicom is not expected to name a successor, adding to industry talk that DDB could be restructured or phased out as part of wider consolidation plans. The merger, pending final European approval, is positioned to deliver significant cost efficiencies and a streamlined global creative network.

Ogilvy Indonesia elevates Kapil Arora to CEO role

Ogilvy has promoted Kapil Arora to CEO of its Indonesia operation, effective 1 January 2026. He succeeds Sieg Penaverde, who is moving on after six years leading the agency’s integrated business. Arora, a 24-year Ogilvy veteran, previously served as Chief Operating Officer in Indonesia and has held leadership roles across Ogilvy Delhi, Vodafone India and 82.5 Communications. Over the past two years, he has overseen major client relationships in Indonesia and supported the agency’s expansion across content, social, PR and influence. Penaverde is credited with guiding the agency’s post-pandemic transformation and strengthening its operations in the market.

Dell appoints Anurag Arora as Senior Director and GM for India consumer business

Dell Technologies has named Anurag Arora as senior director and general manager for its consumer sales business in India. Arora, who joined the company in 2020, will oversee growth, sales and strategy across the consumer segment, including Dell.com and retail channels. He brings 28 years of experience spanning sales, product management, channel distribution, large-format retail, e-commerce and brand websites. Dell positions his appointment as a continuation of its efforts to strengthen the consumer business in a competitive market, highlighting his understanding of omnichannel operations and his role in shaping the company’s India strategy over the past four years.

Samsung appoints TM Roh as co-CEO, returns to dual-leadership structure

Samsung Electronics has appointed TM Roh as co-CEO and head of its device experience division, which includes mobile, TV and home appliances, restoring the company’s dual-leadership model. The structure had shifted to a single CEO after the death of co-CEO Han Jong-Hee in March, with Roh serving as acting head of the consumer business since April. The appointment reinforces Samsung’s focus on its strongest-performing divisions, particularly memory chips and mobile. It also separates oversight of the chip and consumer operations once again, with Jun Young-hyun continuing to lead the semiconductor business against growing competition in AI-related hardware.

Vignesh V joins Samsung Ads India as Director of Ad Sales

Samsung Ads India has appointed Vignesh V as Director, Ad Sales, where he will oversee business expansion and advertiser relationships as the company strengthens its Connected TV operations in India. Vignesh brings over two decades of experience in media sales, revenue strategy and commercial leadership, having previously served as Senior Vice President at JioStar and held roles at Amazon, Disney, NDTV and Zee Entertainment. His background includes leading teams across digital and television advertising, scaling revenue channels and building operational frameworks.

VML appoints Rakesh Chawla as CEO of VML Enterprise Solutions Hub

VML has appointed Rakesh Chawla as CEO of its Enterprise Solutions Hub in India, where he will oversee engineering, delivery excellence and emerging technology capabilities, including agentic and generative AI. The hub functions as a global centre of excellence, integrating technology and creativity to support clients across markets through scalable solutions. Chawla brings experience from leading technology teams at Microsoft, Amazon, Sears and IBM, and has previously developed Global Delivery Centres with a human-centred engineering approach.

Gutenberg elevates Amardeep Singh to Co-Founder and President

Gutenberg has promoted Amardeep Singh to Co-Founder and President as the agency adjusts to global shifts in marketing workflows driven by artificial intelligence. Singh, who joined in 2007, has played a significant role in the agency’s expansion across seven countries and its move towards AI-enabled operations. The company links his expanded role to wider industry pressure to modernise, noting that enterprise adoption of AI remains limited, with most teams still in early stages. Singh has helped develop a model combining human oversight with AI-driven processes, supporting Gutenberg’s next phase of operational development centred on speed, personalisation and measurable outcomes.

Almas Khan takes over as Head of Marketing and CSR at Dun & Bradstreet India

Dun & Bradstreet India has appointed Almas Khan as Head of Marketing and CSR, giving her responsibility for brand initiatives, customer engagement and the organisation’s CSR programmes. Khan brings more than twenty years of experience in integrated marketing and digital transformation, having previously served as Head of Marketing at CRIF, where she oversaw work across India and supported projects in the Middle East. Her earlier career includes roles at ICICI Bank, Western Union and Reliance Life. The company positions her appointment as part of efforts to strengthen brand visibility, deepen client engagement and support its data-led approach in a changing market.

Hashtag Orange appoints Anirban Chaudhuri as Chief Strategy Officer

Hashtag Orange has named Anirban Chaudhuri as Chief Strategy Officer as the agency updates its leadership structure to reflect shifts in integrated marketing. Chaudhuri brings more than 26 years of experience across brand strategy, integrated communications, media investment, market research and financial sector insights. The agency links his appointment to its wider strategic direction as it strengthens its planning capabilities. Chaudhuri said his focus will be on deepening strategic functions to help clients navigate changing market conditions and build resilience. 

Gaurav Ramdev joins Visa as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia

Visa has appointed Gaurav Ramdev as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, placing him on the region’s leadership team and aligning him with the company’s Asia Pacific marketing structure. Ramdev joins from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as Chief Growth and Marketing Officer and led brand, digital, product and PR functions. His previous roles include senior marketing positions at RazorpayX, Coca-Cola, ITC, Orkla Group and Britannia. He also serves on ASSOCHAM’s National Council on Branding and Marketing and is a member of the Advertising Standards Council of India’s Consumer Complaints Council.