WPP Media Leadership Expansion
WPP Media elevates five executives to senior leadership, strengthening programmatic and client services in India.
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Key Points
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Kanik Yadav’s background before WPP Media includes a multi-year stint at Mirchi, where he held roles across brand solutions and impact properties and rose to Senior Account Manager – Impact IPs, complemented by earlier positions at Sportzlive, Atlantis Research, PCL Technology and a stint at Convergys.
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Pankaj Nagpal’s Mindshare tenure spans since 2009, including leadership of the exchange for Rodeos cluster and later heading Mindshare’s exchange for the north and east operations, where he drove investment efficiencies for clients such as Lufthansa, Muthoot Finance, Volvo Cars and Dyson.
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As partner, digital media, Nagpal led PepsiCo India’s digital strategy for about eight years, playing a pivotal role in drafting the beverage giant’s programmatic roadmap and measurement framework while also guiding social media and influencer partnerships.
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Mohit Kakar is a Video Council Member at IAB SEA+India and brings a track record in AI-enabled planning and integrated media solutions, having served as VP Solutions Design at WPP Media and led digital and regional programs at EssenceMediacom (Globe Telecom and SK-II across ASEAN, Hong Kong and Taiwan) among other prior roles.
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Punit Kulkarni’s 16+ year career includes roles at PharmEasy as Assistant General Manager and Senior Growth Manager, plus leadership positions at GNC, GEP Worldwide and Logicserve Digital, underscoring a broad background in digital transformation, performance marketing and growth across multiple sectors.
WPP Media has promoted five executives to senior leadership roles, strengthening its programmatic, planning, and client services teams across India and Asia-Pacific. The moves span both internal elevations and new appointments, according to Social Samosa and Adgully.
The promotions include Pankaj Nagpal rising to Senior Vice President and Head of Programmatic Practice, alongside four other leaders stepping into vice president roles. The wave of appointments signals WPP Media's push to scale automated media buying and deepen its digital capabilities.
Nagpal Takes the Helm of Programmatic Strategy
Pankaj Nagpal's elevation to SVP is the most senior of the five moves. He brings more than two decades of experience in media strategy, trading, and investment planning, according to Adgully. His Mindshare tenure stretches back to 2009.
Nagpal led PepsiCo India's digital strategy for roughly eight years. He built the brand's programmatic roadmap and measurement framework from the ground up. He also drove investment efficiencies for clients including Lufthansa, Muthoot Finance, Volvo Cars, and Dyson. In his new role, he will oversee WPP Media's full programmatic practice and push further into automated media buying, Adgully reported.
Kakar and Yadav Bring Planning and Entertainment Muscle
Mohit Kakar moves up to Vice President, Planning. He previously served as VP of Solutions Design at WPP Media, where he focused on AI-enabled planning and integrated media solutions, according to Social Samosa. He is also a Video Council Member at IAB SEA+India.
Kakar led digital and regional programs at EssenceMediacom, including campaigns for Globe Telecom and SK-II across ASEAN, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Kanik Yadav, meanwhile, steps up to Vice President, Sports and Entertainment. He spent several years at Mirchi in brand solutions before joining WPP Media nearly four years ago.
Kulkarni Elevated to Lead Client Services in Mumbai
Punit Kulkarni becomes Vice President, Client Services. He has been with WPP Media for nearly four years, most recently as Partner and Digital Lead, according to Pitchonnet. He is based in Mumbai.
Kulkarni's 16-plus year career spans performance marketing, digital transformation, and growth leadership. He held senior roles at PharmEasy, GNC, GEP Worldwide, and Logicserve Digital before landing at WPP. Adgully noted his appointment was first shared publicly through a LinkedIn post.
Five Promotions Point to a Broader India Growth Push
Taken together, the five moves cover three strategic pillars: programmatic scale, planning innovation, and client servicing. WPP Media is clearly betting on home-grown talent to drive its next phase of growth in India and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Programmatic advertising — where software buys ad space automatically in real time — is one of the fastest-growing parts of the media industry. By naming a dedicated SVP to lead that practice, WPP Media is putting organizational weight behind the shift, according to Adgully. The other four VP appointments broaden the bench at a critical layer of management.
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