MAM
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi appoints Debanjan Basak as executive creative director
Mumbai: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has appointed Debanjan Basak as its executive creative director. He will be based in Gurugram and report to Rohit Malkani, Jt. national creative director at L&K Saatchi & Saatchi.
With over 15 years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry, Debanjan brings with him a wealth of expertise across brand building, copywriting, storytelling and digital marketing. Prior to joining L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, Debanjan was with Havas India as a group creative director. His earlier stints include Contract Advertising, Dentsu Creative, and Percept.
Debanjan has developed communication for brands such as Ikea, Netflix, Bata, Carlsberg, Reckitt, Amul Innerwear, Platinum Guild International, Hindustan Times, Maruti Suzuki, Shell Lubricants, Westside, Toyota, and more. His other notable achievements include campaigns featured in Lürzer’s Archive and Kyoorius Elephants.
Commenting on Debanjan’s appointment, Malkani said, “Good things come to those who wait, and I am certainly hoping the adage proves true with Debanjan (Debu). His hire comes after a long hiatus, and we are excited to have him on board. Debu belongs to a rare tribe of young creative leaders who combine new-age thinking with technology and culture. His passion for crafting and polishing communication across mediums is commendable. He garnishes all of this with a lop-sided grin and humaneness that is endearing. We can’t wait for him to add muscle to an already buoyant Delhi office.”
Debanjan, added, “I am very excited for the opportunity. Both Rohit and Hindol are great individuals who have done some pathbreaking work. I really look forward to working with them. Moreover, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has been doing some stellar work across categories and winning awards at the same time. Its continued focus on creating meaningful and relevant work for clients is something I want to build on. I have always believed that advertising is nothing but a conversation which the brand has with consumers. If you make the conversation interesting, consumers will listen to you. After all, nobody wants to be part of a boring conversation.”
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
