Ogilvy Chair Hephzibah Pathak Appointed CEO of WPP Creative India

WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as Chief Executive Officer of WPP Creative India, marking a key leadership move as the company restructures its creative operations under a unified model.

Pathak, who currently serves as Executive Chairperson at Ogilvy, will lead the newly formed WPP Creative unit in India. This unit brings together multiple agencies including VML, AKQA, Burson, Landor, and Design Bridge & Partners under a single umbrella structure.

Her appointment positions her as the central leadership figure for WPP Creative in India, responsible for driving integration across creative, design, and public relations capabilities. She will work closely with agency brand CEOs to enhance collaboration, expand capabilities, and deliver seamless, integrated solutions to clients.

The move is part of WPP’s broader global strategy to simplify operations and create a more connected creative ecosystem. The WPP Creative model aims to function as an “operating system” that enables individual agency brands to retain their identity while benefiting from shared capabilities and talent pools.

WPP has emphasised that its agency brands will continue to operate independently while leveraging the integrated structure to deliver stronger client outcomes. The initiative is also aligned with the company’s long-term goal of driving efficiencies and achieving targeted cost savings as part of its transformation strategy.

Pathak has been with Ogilvy since 1997 and made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead the agency in India in its 95-year history. Her extensive experience and long-standing association with the organisation are expected to play a key role in shaping WPP Creative’s success in the Indian market.

Her leadership comes at a time when the advertising and marketing industry is increasingly moving towards integrated solutions, requiring closer collaboration across creative, technology, and communication functions to meet evolving client demands.