Dentsu India has appointed John Thangaraj as Chief Strategy Officer – Creative & Media, a strategic leadership role aimed at redefining the marketing landscape in India. This move underscores dentsu’s commitment to walking the talk on integrating creative excellence with media effectiveness, in ways that are most meaningful for client outcomes.
John will report to Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative & Media Brands, South Asia, and Narayan Devanathan, President & Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia. In this role, he will connect the creative and media practices to drive collaboration across functions and align them with dentsu’s overarching philosophy of ‘Innovating to Impact’ – a commitment to rediscover the original promise of integration.
With deep expertise in consumer insight, data-led strategy, and breakthrough creativity, John will bring a unified strategic lens across both creative and media verticals. His direction will ensure dentsu continues to lead with work that is not only imaginative but also rooted in strategic rigor.
John is known for his sharp strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and ability to deliver tangible results. Before joining dentsu, he served as Chief Strategy Officer at Havas Creative Network, where he led innovative campaigns and strategies that redefined brand engagement. Prior to that, he was the Group Chief Strategy Officer at FCB India, where he was responsible for shaping the strategic direction across a diverse set of agencies – Ulka, Interface, India, and Kinnect.
Amit Wadhwa said, “This role requires a unique blend of courage, humility, and trust. John brings the strategic firepower needed to drive our vision forward, along with the emotional intelligence to unify teams, challenge conventions, and inspire real progress. His ability to navigate complexity while keeping the end goal in sight makes him the ideal leader for this pivotal role.”
Narayan Devanathan added, “In a world that is sometimes foolishly obsessed with the new and shiny, it’s both refreshing and bold to recognize that challenging times don’t always call for change. They call for creativity amidst chaos, assurance amidst ambiguity, and for a leader who can collect and connect dots in strikingly imaginative ways. That’s not just John’s mandate, it’s his forte. In this integrated strategy leadership role, he will be instrumental in shaping client outcomes as much as the industry’s future itself.”
John Thangaraj commented, “In all honesty, I have never been more excited to begin a new role. The world has changed and so must we. Marketing is more challenging than ever, and clients are increasingly looking for outcomes rather than outputs – sometimes driven by media and data-fueled creativity, and at other times by creative and consumer-driven media interventions. By combining strategic thinking across both creative and media practices, dentsu has set the benchmark for truly outcome-based integrated marketing. This network has some of the best talent in the industry, and I’m thrilled to be part of this exceptional team. Full speed ahead!”
