Talent Tracker of the week: Key leadership changes and appointments

New Delhi: This week’s roundup highlights the latest leadership changes, appointments, and strategic hires across India’s corporate, marketing, and advertising sectors. From senior executive transitions and new CEO or CMO inductions to key roles in marketing, communications, and business strategy, these updates showcase how companies are strengthening leadership, driving growth, and positioning themselves for future opportunities.

Castrol India MD Kedar Lele resigns; Saugata Basuray named Interim CEO

Castrol India has announced that Managing Director Kedar Lele will step down from his role effective December 31, 2025, to pursue other opportunities.

The company’s board has appointed Saugata Basuray as Interim Chief Executive Officer from January 1, 2026, until a new Managing Director is named. Basuray will continue to serve as Whole-time Director and Head of B2C Sales alongside his interim role, the company said in a regulatory filing.

Chandana Agarwal exits 82.5 Communications after 15-year stint

Chandana Agarwal, President for North and East at Ogilvy’s 82.5 Communications, has resigned from the agency after 15 years. She is currently serving her notice period and said she is exploring new opportunities.

Agarwal played a key role in building 82.5 Communications’ North operations, leading accounts such as Havells, MG Motor, TCS, Lava Mobiles and Luminous. Before joining 82.5 Communications, she served as Managing Partner and GBM Head at Ogilvy, and has also held senior positions at Dentsu Marcom, Rediffusion, McCann and JWT.

Indian Oil Corporation appoints Saumitra Srivastava as Director (Marketing)

Saumitra P. Srivastava has taken charge as Director (Marketing) at Indian Oil Corporation after over three decades with the company.

An IIT Roorkee alumnus with an Executive MBA from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Srivastava previously served as Executive Director (Corporate Strategy). He has held leadership roles across LPG, sales, and marketing, driving initiatives in digital transformation and non-fuel retail formats such as Dhruva.In his new role, he will lead IOC’s marketing operations and guide its transition towards a more agile, customer-centric, and sustainable fuel ecosystem.

Ogilvy names Kirsty Muddle as CEO for Australia and New Zealand

Ogilvy has appointed Kirsty Muddle as CEO of Ogilvy Network ANZ, effective early 2026. She succeeds Sally Kissane, who stepped down in July after three decades with the agency.

Muddle currently serves as CEO of Practices & Products at Dentsu ANZ, leading creative, PR, customer experience, and data practices. A founding partner at cummins&partners, she previously held senior roles at Mindshare in the UK and Australia. At Ogilvy, she will lead integrated operations spanning advertising, PR, social, consulting, and health.

Utkarsh Srivastav joins Cyient as chief marketing officer

Cyient has appointed Utkarsh Srivastav as Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing global brand strategy, customer engagement, and market positioning.

Srivastav brings extensive B2B marketing experience from L&T Technology Services and HCLTech, having led initiatives such as the ER&D Hackathon and global brand rollouts. He has also managed CXO marketing, account-based campaigns, and sports partnerships, including Manchester United and the Volvo Ocean Race.

Rolls-Royce appoints Sashi Mukundan as Executive VP, Transformation India

Rolls-Royce has named Sashi Mukundan as Executive Vice President, Transformation India. Mukundan, joining in October, will lead government and business relations to support the growth of Rolls-Royce’s operations in the country.

Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, said Mukundan’s appointment reflects the company’s commitment to deepening its footprint in India and collaborating on power and propulsion technologies for domestic and global markets.

Omnicom Advertising Group names Sean Donovan President of OAG Asia

Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG) has appointed Sean Donovan as President of its Asia division, effective immediately. Donovan joins from TBWA Worldwide, where he was President for Asia for over five years.

OAG, launched in August 2024, brings agencies including BBDO, DDB, and TBWA under a unified leadership. Donovan will report to global CEO Troy Ruhanen and focus on strengthening collaboration across networks, enhancing client partnerships, and driving creative and technological innovation in the region.

Ananta Quest appoints Viral Oza and Aditya Save as Co-Founders

Ananta Quest, a platform for individuals aged 50–65, has named Viral Oza and Aditya Save as its co-founders. Launched by Sanjay Mehta, former founder of Mirum, the initiative supports Primers, those navigating life beyond 50, in health, wealth, and reinvention.

Oza brings over 30 years of marketing and brand strategy experience across FMCG, telecom, media, and real estate, while Save, an entrepreneur and executive coach, contributes more than 25 years of experience in business leadership, human insight, and professional reinvention. 

Asheesh Pandey takes charge as Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India

Asheesh Pandey assumed charge as Managing Director and CEO of Union Bank of India. Bringing over 27 years of banking experience, he has previously held leadership roles across Union Bank, Bank of Maharashtra, and Corporation Bank.

Pandey began his career at Corporation Bank in Mumbai and later served as Executive Director at Bank of Maharashtra, overseeing corporate credit, treasury, digital lending, and technology-driven initiatives. At Union Bank, he managed integration, operations re-engineering, and digital solutions including WhatsApp Banking, Video KYC, and Robotic Process Automation. 

Creativeland Asia appoints Navonil Chatterjee as Chief Strategy Officer

Navonil Chatterjee has been appointed Chief Strategy Officer at Creativeland Asia, while continuing as Managing Partner at Crossbow Insights.

Chatterjee brings over 20 years of experience in brand strategy and communications, with senior roles at Rediffusion Y&R and Rediffusion Brand Solutions. He also served as a Strategic Brand Consultant at BRAND CHATTER before joining Creativeland Asia, where he will lead strategic initiatives across the agency.

Rupee112 appoints Hitesh Yadav as Head of Marketing

Rupee112 has named Hitesh Yadav as its Head of Marketing. Yadav brings over a decade of experience in digital marketing and performance-driven strategies across fintech, insurance, and media sectors.

Previously, he was Digital Marketing Lead at Sammaan Capital Limited, and has held senior roles at RenewBuy, INNOCEAN India, Publicis Groupe, ARM Worldwide, and HT Media. At Rupee112, Yadav will oversee marketing operations, leading brand growth initiatives, digital strategy, and performance-focused campaigns.

Sheran Mehra joins IndusInd Bank as Chief Marketing Officer

IndusInd Bank has appointed Sheran Mehra as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). She will lead the bank’s brand, marketing, and digital engagement strategy.

Mehra joins from Tata Digital, where she served as Chief Business Officer and Chief Brand Officer, driving loyalty growth for Tata Neu and contributing to India’s first Super App launch. With over 25 years of experience across banking, travel, FMCG, and digital services, including roles at DBS Bank, Barclays, Mahindra Holidays, HSBC, and Ogilvy, she brings expertise in brand storytelling, data-driven marketing, and customer engagement.

Sonali Khanna joins Monks as India Head, Business and Integration

Monks, the digital and data-driven unit of S4Capital plc, has appointed Sonali Khanna as India Head, Business and Integration.

Khanna will lead business solutions, integration strategy, and creative planning, collaborating with Managing Director Ketan Desai to expand client partnerships and enhance Monks’ digital marketing offerings. She will align the company’s data, creative, media, and technology capabilities to drive measurable brand growth.

With over 25 years of experience, Khanna previously served as President and Branch Head at Lowe Lintas South and held senior roles at MullenLowe Lintas and Grey Worldwide, working across FMCG, e-commerce, luxury, telecom, and digital-native brands.

Janvi Mehta joins Publicis Media as AVP, Trading and Media Partnerships

Publicis Media has appointed Janvi Mehta as Associate Vice-President, Central Trading & Media Partnerships, for Publicis Media Exchange.

Mehta joins from WPP Media, where she was Senior Director, Digital Trading. Earlier, she served as National Account Director, Digital, at Times Network. She began her career with Red Bull and has also held roles at ByteDance, NBC Universal, Times Internet, Zomato, and HT Media.

Ragini Das joins Google as Head of Google for Startups India

Ragini Das has been appointed Head of Google for Startups (GFS) in India, based in Gurugram.

Das co-founded leap.club, a social-professional network for women, and previously spent over six years at Zomato, contributing to Zomato Gold’s growth in India and its international expansion. She started her career with Trident Group India. At Google, Das will leverage her experience in scaling businesses, building networks, and mentoring founders across India.

Gaurav Bhaskar takes charge of Global Comms and Public Affairs, APAC at Google

Gaurav Bhaskar has been appointed Senior Director, Global Communications and Public Affairs, APAC at Google.

Bhaskar brings over 25 years of experience in communications and public affairs, including 16 years at Google where he led communications across India, Southeast Asia, and South Asia. He has also held senior roles at Rediff.com, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications, Genesis Burson Marsteller, and Perfect Relations.

In his new role, Bhaskar will oversee Google’s communications and public affairs strategy across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on AI adoption, growth, and inclusive opportunities.

FCB India appoints Hari Krishnan as Chief Growth Officer

FCB India has named Hari Krishnan as Chief Growth Officer. Based in Mumbai, he will report to Group CEO Dheeraj Sinha and focus on driving growth across the network through full-funnel marketing and new business development.

Krishnan brings over 20 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and consulting, having worked with Mullen Lowe, Grey Group, JWT, and Tilt Brand Solutions. He has collaborated with brands such as Britannia, Unilever, Tata Tea, Tanishq, Titan, Maruti Suzuki, Audi, and Flipkart.

YAAP appoints Priyanka Magan as Head, Gurugram

YAAP has named Priyanka Magan as Head, Gurugram, strengthening its leadership amid expansion plans. Magan brings over 17 years of experience across global networks and independent agencies, including Dentsu Creative, Rediffusion, FCB, and Intertwined.

She has led campaigns for brands such as Google, Uber, BMW, Royal Enfield, Adidas, ICICI, Dabur, and Uniqlo, and previously ran her own boutique agency. At YAAP, Magan will focus on creative innovation, talent development, and technology-driven storytelling to support the company’s growth.

Daniel Schulman named Verizon CEO, succeeds Hans Vestberg

Verizon Communications has appointed Daniel Schulman as its new CEO, replacing Hans Vestberg, who has held the role since 2018. Schulman, formerly Verizon’s lead independent director, brings extensive leadership experience from PayPal, Priceline, Virgin Mobile USA, American Express, and AT&T.

At PayPal, he grew revenue from $8 billion to $30 billion and expanded its global customer base. Schulman also holds board roles at Lazard, Cisco, JUST Capital, and Valor Capital Group, and is expected to steer Verizon through its next phase of growth in mobility, broadband, and technology innovation.

Shambhavi Mishra appointed Head of Marketing at Gourmet Investments

Gourmet Investments has named Shambhavi Mishra as Head of Marketing, overseeing its portfolio of international dining brands in India, including PizzaExpress, Chili’s American Grill & Bar, and P.F. Chang’s.

Mishra, who previously led marketing for PizzaExpress and Chili’s, brings expertise in digital strategy, consumer engagement, and large-scale campaigns. She has also managed brand strategy at Impresario Handmade Restaurants for SOCIAL, antiSOCIAL, Smoke House Deli, and others. An alumna of ISB and MICA, Mishra will drive marketing across Gourmet Investments’ full portfolio while integrating inclusivity and digital-first approaches.

Amresh Khar joins Rodim India as SVP, Sales & Marketing

Rodim India, a BASF brand, has appointed Amresh Khar as Senior Vice-President, Sales & Marketing (India). Khar will lead the company’s expansion strategy, sales initiatives, and strengthen its presence in Indian and international automotive markets.

With over 22 years in the automotive sector, he has held leadership roles at Mahindra First Choice Wheels, Volkswagen Group Sales, Castrol India, and Honda Cars, and founded Mad About Wheels. An IIM Bangalore alumnus, Khar holds an MBA from UBI Brussels and a Bachelor’s in Engineering from Maharashtra.