Published on: April 21, 2026
WPP has named Hephzibah Pathak as Chief Executive Officer of WPP Creative India, reinforcing its strategy to unify its agency ecosystem while maintaining strong individual brand identities across the region.
The appointment, announced internally by Kyoko Matsushita, reflects a dual approach—retaining the unique strengths of WPP’s creative agencies while encouraging greater collaboration to unlock growth opportunities.
Pathak, who has been a long-standing leader at Ogilvy, will continue serving as Executive Chairperson of Ogilvy India alongside her new responsibilities. Her elevation comes at a time when India is becoming a key growth market for global networks, driven by increasing demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
“Strong leadership in our diverse APAC markets is critical to us becoming the trusted growth partner for our clients,” Matsushita said in the note, positioning Pathak’s appointment as central to WPP Creative’s regional ambitions.
WPP Creative oversees a portfolio of leading agency brands including VML, Ogilvy, Burson, AKQA, Grey, Landor, and Design Bridge & Partners.
According to Matsushita, these agencies will “remain distinct, bringing differentiated craft and brand value to market,” even as WPP works toward a more integrated operating model—an approach that mirrors broader industry trends toward simplification without losing specialist expertise.
The regional leadership structure also includes Bernadette Chan and Andy Kochar, highlighting a strengthened governance framework across Asia-Pacific. As CEO of WPP Creative India, Pathak will focus on enhancing brand visibility, deepening client partnerships, and driving growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding advertising markets. She is expected to work closely with agency leaders to deliver integrated solutions while maintaining creative excellence across the network.
Her immediate priorities include aligning multiple agency capabilities and fostering collaboration to “deliver unparalleled client value, unlocking growth and upholding the distinctiveness and tradition of creative excellence” across WPP’s portfolio, as noted in the internal communication.
Industry observers view this move as a consolidation of Pathak’s leadership within WPP, especially given her track record at Ogilvy India, where she has led key transformations and major client engagements.
The leadership change comes as global advertising groups intensify their focus on India, supported by strong economic growth, rapid digital adoption, and rising marketing investments from both domestic and multinational brands.
By appointing a dedicated India CEO while aligning closely with regional leadership, WPP appears to be adopting a hybrid strategy—balancing local agility with regional scale. Matsushita described Pathak as “pivotal in driving our success” in APAC, underlining India’s importance within WPP’s broader regional roadmap.
WPP in its statement said, “As announced during our recent Strategy Update, WPP is creating a lean regional leadership team to develop the WPP Creative operating model. This model will support our creative, design, and PR agencies, including VML, Ogilvy, Burson, AKQA, Landor, Design Bridge & Partners, and others.”
“In India, Hephzibah Pathak has been appointed CEO of WPP Creative, representing all the iconic agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella. She will work collaboratively with the agency brand CEOs to enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access to our full talent pool. Our iconic agency brands continue to be a key part of the ecosystem, and the focus remains on client benefit and integrated creative excellence.”
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