Rewind 2023: Realignments, acquisitions, movements ruled Indian advertising

The year 2023 saw several important developments, realignments, rejigging of roles & responsibilities, and movements in the Indian advertising industry. Adgully takes a look back at the key developments and trends seen in the Indian advertising industry during the year.

Reorganisation at Dentsu

Dentsu India made several key level appointments during the year, even as there were some top level exits. In January, Sapna Arora was appointed as Chief Client Officer. February saw two senior level exits – Anu Gulati and Ajay Gahlaut. March saw Harsha Razdan come on board as CEO, South Asia, Dentsu. Also in March, Anita Kotwani was elevated to CEO - Media, South Asia, dentsu. In her expanded role Kotwani leads all Dentsu’s Media businesses across South Asia, including Carat, iProspect, dentsu X, Posterscope, and media investment arm Amplifi. This was followed by Ashish Khanna’s appointment as Global CEO, Dentsu Global Services.

In June, following an extensive tenure of approximately six years with Dentsu X, CEO Roopam Garg decided to leave the organisation. This was followed by Aalap Desai’s exit as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Dentsu Creative West and Dentsu Creative Experience in India in July. July also saw two key appointments – Surjo Dutt replaced Desai as CCO (Chief Creative Officer) for the West & South regions; while Jose Leon was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of Dentsu X.

August saw the appointments of Manzoor Alam as Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Creative India, and Aneesh Jaisinghani as Senior Group Executive Creative Director of Dentsu Creative India.

Bye-bye JWT

In October, WPP announced a major evolution in its offering to clients with the merger of Wunderman Thompson (previously known as JWT and J Walter Thompson) and VMLY&R, with the combined entity christened as VML. VML will be operational from 1 January 2024.

Walter Thompson (JWT) merged with digital agency Wunderman in 2018 to form Wunderman Thompson. JWT has had a long history in India of over 90 years and was earlier known as HTA (Hindustan Thompson Associates) before the merger. While JWT started its India operations in 1929, the agency was launched globally in 1864.

The October 2023 merger effectively ended three of WPP’s most successful brands – J. Walter Thompson, Young & Rubicam, and Wunderman – as they have been absorbed by VML.

Piyush Pandey takes on an advisor’s role

In September, Ogilvy India announced an important leadership transition that will take effect from January 1, 2024 – Piyush Pandey, currently Chairman Global Creative & Executive Chairman of Ogilvy India, will step down from this role and don the hat of Chief Advisor, working closely with the leadership team. A veteran of the Indian advertising industry and an integral part of Ogilvy for over four decades Pandey has built up a formidable legacy over the years that is hard to match.

Hephzibah Pathak is taking on the role of Executive Chairperson of Ogilvy India. She will be Ogilvy India’s first ever woman in this role. VR Rajesh, another stalwart of the agency, has been elevated as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the agency.

Also read:

Being Piyush Pandey - The ad man, his creative thinking and his formidable legacy

I’ve never planned my career, but have taken every day as a game: Piyush Pandey

AdAsia 2023 Seoul

Advertising doyen Ramesh Narayan was presented with the AFAA Honorary Life Member Award at the AdAsia Congress, held at Seoul Korea in October. With this, Narayan becomes the only person to be presented all the three prestigious awards that AFAA presents every alternate year at the AdAsia.

Sam Balsara, head of Madison World was Leader of the Indian Delegation to the AdAsia 2023 at Seoul.

EssenceMediacom launches

It was in April 2022 that GroupM united Essence and Mediacom to form Essencemediacom, which combines Essence’s digital and data-driven DNA with MediaCom’s scaled multichannel audience planning and strategic media skills. The developments, which follow the April 2021 launch of WPP’s global data and technology business Choreograph, combines Essence with MediaCom and Mindshare with Neo to construct a new 9,000-strong cross-channel performance platform based on AI technology.

EssenceMediacom formally launched in February 2023. Led by Global CEO Nick Lawson, EssenceMediacom comprises of 10,000 people across 120 offices globally. In India, EssenceMediacom has announced the leadership elevation of Navin Khemka as CEO, South Asia, and Sonali Malaviya as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, South Asia.