Ogilvy India restructures creative leadership across network following the announcement of Sonal Dabral joining and departure of Rajiv Rao

Following the appointment this week of Sonal Dabral as Group CCO and Vice Chairman at Ogilvy India and the resignation of National CD Rajiv Rao, the network has restructured it’s creative leadership.

The new, integrated creative leadership structure at Ogilvy India sees six new chief creative officer appointments. Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia today announced:

·      Ajay Gahlaut is named Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy North and Deputy CCO, Ogilvy India.

·      Sukesh Nayak, Kainaz Karmakar and Harshad Rajadhyaksha have been elevated to Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy West.

·      And, Mahesh Gharat and Azazul Haque are named Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy South.

All CCOs will report directly to Sonal Dabral, Group CCO and Vice Chairman Ogilvy India.

Pandey said the six new chief creative officers will lead the newly integrated creative departments across Ogilvy’s offices in India, bringing advertising and digital creatives together into cohesive, integrated units to serve clients better.

“Ogilvy’s heart is its creative product. As the communication landscape changes, these young leaders have been tasked with pulling Ogilvy’s creative strengths, across media, together to deliver new age, industry leading, integrated work,” said Pandey (pictured right).

“Every Ogilvy office in India has fantastic young creative leaders at the helm. Their work speaks for them. Ajay, Sukesh, Kainaz, Harshad, Azaz and Mahesh will lead the new integrated creative culture in each of our offices with positivity and freshness. They have the maturity and sensitivity to partner the senior talent we have in each office, and lead them as a team. New energy is essential to keep creative cultures vibrant and the new integrated mandate will lead to deeper integrated, better work across our clients.”

Kunal Jeswani, CEO, Ogilvy India:  Ajay, Sukesh, Harshad, Kainaz, Azaz and Mahesh represent the best of Ogilvy creative leadership. The work each of them has championed over the last few years is already new age, integrated work for our biggest clients, and is clearly head and shoulders above the best in our industry. Ogilvy is the epitome of divine discontent, constantly striving to produce better, more creative and more effective work for our clients. Putting these creative leaders in integrated creative leadership roles is both a recognition of their talent and a reflection of our commitment to driving creative excellence across every consumer touch-point.”

Pictured from top left: Ajay Gahlaut, Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Mahesh Gharat, Kainaz Karmakar, Sukesh Nayak and Azazul Haque