Cheil South West Asia (SWA) has appointed Jitender Dabas, affectionately known as Jeetu, as the new CEO of Cheil X.
Cheil X functions as a full-service, independent agency within the Cheil India SWA group, handling a diverse range of accounts beyond Samsung. In his new role, Jitender will lead the agency’s operations across Delhi and Mumbai, while also overseeing the group’s extended network of agencies. His leadership will encompass creative, strategy, digital marketing, media, influencer marketing, tech, content production, retail design, and performance marketing.
He will further serve as a strategic advisor across all agencies within the Cheil SWA ecosystem.
Jitender joins from McCann Worldgroup, where he held dual roles as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for India, in addition to serving as Head of Effectiveness for APAC.
An IIT Delhi alumnus, Jitender is celebrated as one of the advertising industry’s leading strategic minds globally. With a remarkable career spanning WPP and IPG, he has been lauded for his impact on both creative effectiveness and strategic innovation. A WPP Atticus Award winner, he has served on the juries of prestigious platforms like Cannes Lions, 4A’s Jay Chiat Strategy Awards, WARC Awards, and the Effies (both national and regional). His work has earned over 100 advertising awards across Indian and international forums.
Carlos Limseob Chung, Managing Director of Cheil India and President of Cheil South West Asia, said:
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jitender Dabas to the Cheil SWA Group and family. His reputation as a professional and leader precedes him, and his appointment marks a significant milestone as Cheil X enters its next phase of growth and transformation. With our scaling up of our capabilities in digital marketing through Experience Commerce, content production through CYLNDR, retail design & branding through newRx, and digital media and influencer marketing, there couldn’t have been anyone better than Jeetu to drive this intersection of creativity, strategy, and technology into a new future-focused agency.”
Jitender Dabas shared his perspective on the move:
“I am really excited about leading Cheil X at the pivotal moment in its journey in India. As an industry, we are all acutely aware of the change that is upon us. The old models are giving way, and newer models haven’t yet crystallized. And the truth is that disruptive creativity and big brand strategy, only when deployed across the persuasion funnel, will lead to truly impactful outcomes. Cheil is a global leader when it comes to solutions at the intersection of creativity and technology, and I am excited about partnering businesses and brands in India with all the new-age capabilities that Cheil is building in India. I’m looking forward to creating something future-facing: an agency that doesn’t just keep up with change but leads it.”
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