Talent tracker of the week: Notable leadership changes across industries

New Delhi: This week saw significant leadership changes and appointments across India and global organisations, spanning media, technology, retail, automotive, and consumer brands. Notable shifts include senior marketing, strategy, and executive roles, reflecting a continued focus on digital transformation, content integration, and international growth. Key movements include appointments at Sony Pictures Networks, Meta, Switch Mobility, Avenue Supermarts, PepsiCo, and Nvidia, among others. Leaders are taking on expanded responsibilities, new strategic mandates, and regional oversight, signalling evolving priorities in brand management, digital innovation, and operational excellence.

Sony Pictures Networks shifts to combined linear and digital model, rejigs leadership

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has realigned its leadership and business strategy, moving from a linear-first model to a combined linear and digital approach. The restructuring consolidates revenue functions under Chief Revenue Officer Rajesh Kaul and strengthens leadership in ad sales, distribution, and digital monetisation. Executives including Akshay Agrawal, Makarand Palekar, and Ranjana Mangla have taken on expanded roles, while Nachiket Pantvaidya, Ajay Bhalwankar, Rajaraman Sundaram, and Ambesh Tiwari lead content clusters across channels. Managing Director Gaurav Banerjee will provide interim oversight of the digital vertical until a new head is appointed. The changes integrate television, OTT, and YouTube under a content-first, platform-agnostic strategy.

CVL Srinivas to retire as WPP India Country Manager on March 31, 2026

CVL Srinivas, Country Manager of WPP India, will retire on March 31, 2026, after more than three decades in advertising and media. Srinivas, who became WPP India Country Manager in 2017, previously led GroupM’s operations across India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh and was the founding Managing Director of Maxus (now Wavemaker). He has also worked with Madison, Starcom, BCCL, and played a key role in industry bodies including BARC, ABC, MRUC, RSCI, IAA, and MMA India. WPP is expected to announce his successor in the coming weeks.

Sonal Verma joins Arc Worldwide India as Managing Director

Publicis Groupe India has appointed Sonal Verma as Managing Director of Arc Worldwide India, its experiential and shopper marketing arm. Verma, who joins from Cheil India where she was Senior Vice President & Head of Brand Experience, will report to Chief Product Officer Kedar Teny. Arc Worldwide focuses on shopper marketing, experiential services, retail design and one-to-one engagement, helping brands influence consumer decisions at key points. Verma brings over 25 years of experience in integrated marketing and brand experiences and will lead the agency’s operations to strengthen experiential and connected commerce capabilities, delivering insight-driven and scalable solutions across consumer, retail and digital touchpoints.

Former Donald Trump advisor Dina Powell McCormick joins Meta as President

Meta has appointed Dina Powell McCormick as President and Vice-Chairman, moving her from the board into a senior operating role. McCormick, a former Goldman Sachs partner and ex-White House official, will oversee strategy and execution, focusing on AI infrastructure, global data centre investments, and long-term capital partnerships. She will collaborate with Meta’s compute and infrastructure teams to ensure large-scale projects deliver business impact and economic benefits. Her background spans over 25 years in finance, public service, and economic development, including senior roles at Goldman Sachs, the White House, and BDT & MSD Partners.

Coach appoints Arjoon Bose as Vice President Marketing across EMEA and India

Coach has appointed Arjoon Bose as Vice President Marketing, overseeing Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India, with the role based in London. Bose joins the fashion and retail brand after serving as global chief marketing and digital officer at Bel. He brings extensive international experience, having held senior marketing and brand leadership roles at General Mills across Europe, Australia, Asia and Latin America, and spent over a decade at L’Oréal in global and regional positions. His background spans brand strategy, creative leadership, digital marketing and business growth across FMCG and consumer brands.

Amazon Ads India appoints Akila Jayaraman as Head of Agency Partnerships

Amazon Ads India has appointed Akila Jayaraman as Head of Agency Partnerships for its Local Customer Solutions team. In the role, she will lead agency collaborations across media, e-commerce, Amazon DSP, and full-funnel advertising solutions, helping brands connect performance with insights. Jayaraman joins from JioAds, where she managed e-commerce advertising strategy and product marketing across platforms including Ajio, Tira and JioMart. She has also held senior positions at Cheil India, Essence, Madhouse, Comviva, Ericsson India, and Feedback Business Consulting, bringing extensive experience in media planning, digital strategy, performance marketing, and consumer insights across India and global markets.

Coca-Cola elevates Sanket Ray to expanded regional leadership role

The Coca-Cola Company has expanded Sanket Ray’s responsibilities, appointing him to an additional regional role alongside his current position as president of India and Southwest Asia, effective March 31. Ray will also serve as Emerging Large Markets Lead, overseeing India and Southwest Asia, Greater China and Mongolia, and Japan and South Korea. The move is part of a broader leadership restructuring as Coca-Cola creates new market groupings across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Ray will lead one of these groupings, reporting to incoming chief executive Henrique Braun, who will take over on March 31, 2026.

Disney forms enterprise marketing unit, names Asad Ayaz Chief Marketing and Brand Officer

The Walt Disney Company has created a new enterprise marketing and brand organisation to align marketing efforts across its businesses and strengthen global brand consistency. Asad Ayaz has been appointed Chief Marketing and Brand Officer to lead the unified set-up and will report to CEO Bob Iger. The new structure brings together marketing capabilities across Disney’s segments to support a more connected approach to audience engagement and campaigns. Ayaz steps into the expanded role after leading marketing for The Walt Disney Studios and Disney+, and serving as Chief Brand Officer since 2023.

Anshul Asawa takes charge as CEO of Avenue Supermarts effective February 1

Avenue Supermarts has approved the appointment of Anshul Asawa as Chief Executive Officer and Key Managerial Personnel, effective February 1, 2026, following the completion of Ignatius Navil Noronha’s term as Managing Director and CEO on January 31. The board has also cleared Asawa’s appointment as Managing Director for a three-year term starting April 1, 2026, subject to shareholder approval. Asawa joined Avenue Supermarts in March 2025 as CEO Designate after a 30-year career at Unilever, where he held senior leadership roles across India, Asia and Europe.

Nishant Gupta joins as VP, Chief Strategy, Transformation and Deployment at PepsiCo India & South Asia

Nishant Gupta has taken over as Vice President, Chief Strategy, Transformation and Deployment at PepsiCo India & South Asia. He joins from Tata Consultancy Services, where he led strategy and transformation engagements for consumer and retail clients across India, the Middle East and Africa. Gupta brings over 25 years of experience spanning consulting and corporate roles, with expertise in strategy, digital and AI-led transformation, supply chain optimisation, go-to-market models and customer experience. His earlier roles include leadership positions at KPMG India, Accenture, Genpact and Nestlé India, as well as co-founding direct-to-consumer dairy venture Farmery.in.

Sonali Singh joins Switch Mobility as Head of Marketing

Sonali Singh has been appointed Head of Marketing at Switch Mobility, bringing extensive experience in brand management, digital strategy, and campaign execution. She previously led strategic marketing initiatives at Tata Motors, including regional campaigns, influencer programmes, and cross-functional planning. Singh has also held senior roles at BSH, Deloitte, Panasonic India, and HCL Infosystems, working across product and corporate marketing, omnichannel campaigns, partnerships, and brand positioning, with a focus on driving engagement and growth across online and offline platforms.

Spalba appoints Deepanshu Gupta as CEO

Spalba has appointed Deepanshu Gupta as Chief Executive Officer as the event-tech platform enters its next phase of growth. Gupta brings experience across live events, experiential marketing and technology-led business transformation. In the role, he will oversee strategy and execution, with a focus on strengthening Spalba’s experiential offerings, advancing its technology and marketplace platforms, expanding operations in priority markets, and improving governance and delivery processes. The appointment reflects the company’s intent to scale its operations while placing greater emphasis on technology-driven execution within the experiential marketing ecosystem.

AdCounty Media India appoints Gaurav Dikshit as Board Advisor

AdCounty Media India has appointed Gaurav Dikshit as Advisor to its Board. Dikshit brings over two decades of experience across media planning, marketing strategy, digital transformation and content development, having worked with agencies and brands including Grey Worldwide, RK Swamy, Starcom, Mindshare, Samsung India and GroupM. In his advisory role, he will work with the leadership on strategic direction, partnerships, growth priorities and market expansion, drawing on his background in agency leadership, corporate strategy and entrepreneurial ventures within digital and content-led ecosystems.

Admitad names Samrat Dutta Commercial Director for APAC

Admitad has appointed Samrat Dutta as Commercial Director for the Asia-Pacific region. In this role, Dutta will lead the company’s commercial strategy across APAC, with responsibility for driving business growth, managing partner relationships and expanding Admitad’s regional footprint. He brings experience across digital advertising, performance marketing and the agency ecosystem, with a focus on revenue growth and regional market development. Prior to joining Admitad, Dutta held senior commercial and sales leadership roles, including Country Manager for Vietnam and Business Director for Global Agency Solutions APAC. His background spans digital media, advertising and technology-driven businesses across diverse Asian markets.

Nissan appoints Thierry Sabbagh Divisional VP and President, Middle East, KSA, CIS and India

Nissan has expanded Thierry Sabbagh’s responsibilities to include India, effective 1 January 2026, as part of senior management changes across its AMIEO region. He will serve as Divisional Vice President and President for the Middle East, KSA, CIS and India, covering Nissan and Infiniti operations. The move is positioned as a step towards leadership continuity and stronger execution in key markets. India remains a priority for Nissan, with plans to launch three new models over the next 14 to 16 months and expand its dealer network to 250 customer touchpoints nationwide.

James Varghese exits OAP Mediatech, launches OTS Communications as Founder & CEO

James Varghese has left OAP Mediatech after 19 years to launch OTS Communications, a full-service media agency offering integrated solutions across Out-of-Home, BTL activations, retail signage, and ATL media. Drawing on over 33 years of industry experience, Varghese aims to provide hands-on, senior-level involvement in strategic media planning, execution, and performance-driven solutions. OTS Communications is structured to work closely with clients across the campaign lifecycle, combining strategic clarity, disciplined execution, and accountability to deliver measurable media outcomes. The venture marks Varghese’s transition from a longstanding corporate career to entrepreneurship in integrated media services.

Kapiva appoints Piyal Das as Head of Creative and Director, Marketing

Kapiva has named Piyal Das as Head of Creative and Director, Marketing, strengthening the ayurvedic wellness brand’s senior leadership. Das, who joins from Leo Burnett where he was Creative Director for brands including Durex, Dettol and Veet, will oversee the brand’s creative and marketing direction, shaping communication and consumer engagement across platforms. With prior senior roles at HT Media, Havas Creative Network and The Glitch, as well as entrepreneurial experience in food and hospitality, Das brings a mix of agency and brand-side expertise to Kapiva, focusing on integrated campaigns and brand strategy.

Airtel Business appoints Shreyas Mehrotra as CMO and Head of Digital Sales

Airtel Business has elevated Shreyas Mehrotra to Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Digital Sales. He will continue to oversee digital sales for the enterprise arm of Bharti Airtel. Mehrotra has been with Airtel for several years, most recently leading marketing and digital sales for Airtel Business, working across product propositions, go-to-market strategy and customer journeys. He previously played a key role in building Airtel Black and has held senior marketing positions at Tata Teleservices and Ola, along with brand roles at Marico.

ServiceNow appoints Kaustubh Chandra as India CMO

ServiceNow has appointed Kaustubh Chandra as Chief Marketing Officer for India. In this role, he will lead the company’s marketing operations across the country, overseeing brand strategy, demand generation and customer engagement. Chandra joins from Airtel Business, where he served as CMO and Head of Digital Sales Group, driving integrated marketing and sales initiatives across domestic and international markets. He brings experience across B2B technology, telecom and enterprise services, having held leadership roles at organisations including NTT, IBM India and Dion Global Solutions. His mandate includes strengthening ServiceNow’s market presence and unified go-to-market approach in India.

boAt elevates Sammyak Jain to Business Head for international markets

boAt has elevated Sammyak Jain to Business Head, International Business, as it steps up its focus on overseas growth. In the expanded role, Jain will oversee the company’s international business, including market entry and expansion across priority geographies, while continuing to lead enterprise and ODM sales, along with strategy and operations. Jain has been with boAt since 2022 and brings experience in strategic planning and execution, having previously worked at Bain & Company and Rocket Internet. He holds a BTech from IIT Delhi and an MBA from IIM Calcutta.

Nvidia appoints Google Cloud’s Alison Wagonfeld as first-ever CMO

Nvidia Corporation has appointed Alison Wagonfeld, formerly of Google Cloud, as its first Chief Marketing Officer, effective February. Wagonfeld will report to CEO Jensen Huang and lead the company’s global marketing and communications efforts. She brings nearly a decade of experience building Google Cloud’s marketing operations and driving business growth in highly competitive markets. The appointment marks a strategic shift for Nvidia, which has historically operated without a dedicated CMO, as it expands enterprise relationships, regional operations, and market development initiatives, including a planned $50 billion push into China, alongside its ongoing focus on AI and semiconductor leadership.

Swatee Dobriyal joins VFS Global as Senior General Manager

Swatee Dobriyal has joined VFS Global as Senior General Manager, as announced via LinkedIn. She brings close to two decades of experience across corporate communications, reputation management and stakeholder engagement. Prior to this role, Dobriyal was Communications Lead for India and South Asia at Air India, where she handled corporate reputation, crisis communication and regional messaging. Earlier, she spent over five years at LIXIL in Asia-focused leadership roles, working across India, China and South-East Asia on brand strategy, ESG communication and internal engagement. Her career also includes senior stints at Edelman, Avian Media, Integral PR and Genesis Burson-Marsteller.

The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa appoints Pushkar Upadhyay as Director of Sales & Marketing

The Westin Jaipur Kant Kalwar Resort & Spa has named Pushkar Upadhyay as Director of Sales & Marketing for its newly launched luxury property. Upadhyay brings extensive experience across global and domestic hospitality brands, including Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Le Méridien, and Radisson, with expertise in business development, brand visibility, and revenue growth. In his new role, he will lead sales, marketing, and positioning efforts for the resort, supporting its commercial success and establishing it as a benchmark for luxury and wellness in Rajasthan, leveraging both strategic insight and people-focused leadership.