The duo will continue reporting into Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications India
Leo Burnett India has announced two key elevations in its senior leadership. The agency has elevated Dheeraj Sinha and Rajdeepak Das to Managing Directors. Dheeraj and Raj currently serve as the Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett South Asia, respectively. The duo will continue to be based out of Mumbai and will report into Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications, India. Their new roles are in addition to their current responsibilities.
Speaking about the development, Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications India said, “Four years back we started on an incredible journey as a team. We challenged every rule book, every status quo. We wanted to create ‘Wave Three’ where engagement, experience and utility would be celebrated as much as a piece of content. We wanted to create a maker culture.
In this period, Indigo Consulting became a digital powerhouse. We launched Arc Worldwide and made it one of the leading experiential agencies, and built Prodigious into one of the finest production houses in India. We created epic work and had great fun doing it.”
He further added, “Leo Burnett now needs a new chapter. The Power of One has given Leo Burnett access to the best specialist operations in the country. Backed by the expertise of Indigo, Arc, Prodigious MSLGroup and Publicis.Sapient, the agency is now in the best position to partner our clients’ businesses. Raj and Dheeraj have, together, transformed Leo Burnett India into the formidable force it is today. They have always led from the front and it is the right time to acknowledge the role they already play. Our collective ambition remains the same; to be the best in the world, bar none.”
In his new mandate, Dheeraj Sinha will be responsible for the agency’s revenue growth, in addition to heading its strategic and planning output. Rajdeepak Das’ new role will see him leverage Leo Burnett’s Humankind philosophy in order to elevate Burnett’s creative product.
Speaking about his promotion, Dheeraj Sinha said, “I am looking forward to leading Leo Burnett at possibly the best time that the agency has ever had. Our success at Cannes Lions last year – being the only agency to win for innovation and effectiveness – is a good framing of our agency ambition. As a Chief Strategy Officer, in various jobs across Asia, I have been deeply involved in the business aspect of the agency over the last decade. I am now looking forward to running the business hands-on. I am fortunate to have Raj’s partnership and Saurabh’s backing in my new role.”
Added Rajdeepak Das, “I am incredibly proud of where Leo Burnett’s creative output stands today. The last three years have been a great journey. We have turned our agency into one of the youngest and most dynamic creative companies in the region. Having said that, I believe we are only as good as our last piece of creative work. There is so much more to take on and achieve and I can’t think of a better partner than Dheeraj to take on my new responsibilities with.”