Cheil South West Asia (SWA) has elevated Kumar Awanish to the role of Group Chief Operating Officer. Previously serving as Chief Growth Officer, Awanish will now oversee the agency’s operational strategy as it enters its next phase of transformation.
In his new role, Awanish will report to Sungkyoon Kim, President and CEO of Cheil SWA, and will be based at the agency’s Gurugram headquarters. He will focus on strengthening operational excellence and driving collaboration across the group while supporting its transition toward becoming an AI-first organisation.
Commenting on the promotion, Sungkyoon Kim said,
“Cheil SWA is ushering a new phase of advertising transformation led by AI. Kumar Awanish has the right skill set and experience to lead the group into this dynamic journey. He is passionate about Cheil SWA group and his enthusiasm for work is contagious. I wish him the best in his new role and looking forward to his second innings at Cheil SWA group”
A seasoned marketing and advertising leader with over two decades of experience, Awanish has worked across organisations including Airtel, Snapdeal, Times Internet, GroupM and Oppo.
Speaking about his appointment, Awanish said,
“I am incredibly grateful to our global and local leadership for their trust in me to drive our vision forward. We are on a mission to double down on AI literacy across all functions and group agencies, empowering our people to use AI not just for efficiency, but as a catalyst for human creativity. By blending advanced capabilities, with human ingenuity, we are architecting the future of Cheil SWA. This evolution is strengthened by the reunion of media and creative, ensuring that an agency of our scale remains agile and delivers the holistic, full-funnel impact our clients deserve”
