Published on: October 29, 2026
MUMBAI, October 29, 2026: VML India has announced a leadership transition, effective December 1, 2026, as the agency prepares for its next phase of growth and creative innovation. The move underscores its focus on driving business growth, encouraging senior leadership mobility, maintaining strategic continuity, and strengthening client partnerships.
Babita Baruah, currently CEO of VML India, will step into a senior regional leadership role as Head of the Ford business. Succeeding her, accomplished industry leader Kiran Ramamurthy will become CEO of VML India.
Babita Baruah has over three decades of industry experience, including two decades managing blue-chip brands such as The Coca Cola Company, Unilever, Nestlé, and Kellogg’s. Prior to leading VML India, Baruah served in Bangkok as Regional Client Lead for the Ford International Market Group and Executive Director at VMLY&R Thailand. Under her stewardship, VML India has consistently delivered strong business performance and earned major creative accolades, including recognition at Cannes Lions and the Effies. In her new role, she will focus on building the Ford business for VML across the region.
Kiran Ramamurthy, current CEO of Grey 82.5, brings over 30 years of marketing and advertising leadership, spanning mainline advertising, design, tech and content production. He has partnered with leading Indian and global brands including Unilever, Amazon, Toyota, IBM, Coca Cola, ITC, De Beers and Tata Consumer Products. In addition to pioneering centralised marketing services in India through the Lenovo Marketing Hub, Kiran drove transformation and growth at 82.5, successfully leading the integration of Grey and 82.5.
Commenting on the appointments, Hephzibah Pathak, CEO of WPP Creative India, said: “The leadership transitions reflect our commitment to nurturing exceptional talent across our network while maintaining absolute continuity and momentum for our clients. VML enters this next chapter in a position of strength, backed by strong operational and creative achievements over the past year.
Babita has done a tremendous job steering VML India, and her elevation to lead the Ford business regionally is a well-deserved recognition of her international leadership. In Kiran, VML gains a dynamic leader whose diverse experience, operational acumen, and creative hunger make him exceptionally well-suited to drive the agency’s vision. I look forward to Kiran’s dynamic leadership to take the agency into its next chapter while celebrating Babita’s continued impact across the region
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