MAM
Tata Communications lines up Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as next CEO
MUMBAI: A changing of the guard is loading at Tata Communications but the baton will pass only after the final green light. Tata Communications has named Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as its managing director and chief executive officer–designate, with the formal appointment to take effect once regulatory approvals are in place.
The Board will notify stock exchanges after receiving the necessary clearances, following which Lakshminarayanan will take over from the current MD and CEO A. S. Lakshminarayanan, who is set to retire on April 13, 2026.
Lakshminarayanan brings more than three decades of global leadership experience across multinational corporations, B2B start-ups and Indian enterprises. Most recently, he served as managing director and group vice president for Servicenow India and SAARC, where he led market expansion and enterprise adoption of AI-led digital transformation.
Before Servicenow, he headed Airtel Business in India, steering the enterprise unit to 50 per cent growth over three years and lifting market share from 30 per cent to 33 per cent. The business earned the chairman’s Award for Best Business Unit in FY23 under his leadership.
His career also spans the start-up ecosystem, with advisory roles at Sequoia Capital and operational stints at companies such as Mu Sigma and Capillary Technologies. Earlier, he played a pivotal role in establishing and scaling Dell’s India operations, growing the workforce to 15,000 and laying the foundation for a billion-dollar domestic business.
Commenting on the appointment, Tata Communications chairman N. G. Subramaniam said Lakshminarayanan’s experience in global enterprise, automation, AI and large deals would strongly complement the company’s growth strategy.
Lakshminarayanan said he looked forward to building on Tata Communications’ legacy by strengthening its customer-centric culture, investing in talent and executing strategy with focus and discipline.
The appointment, while subject to regulatory approval, signals Tata Communications’ intent to double down on technology-led growth as it prepares for its next leadership chapter.
AD Agencies
WPP and Ogilvy top the global charts as India joins the creative elite: Warc rankings
A record five-year streak for Ogilvy while India secures a top five global spot
MUMBAI: The global advertising world has a familiar king, but a new powerhouse is gatecrashing the palace. In the latest Warc Creative 100 rankings, the industry’s definitive audit of excellence, WPP has once again been crowned the top holding company. Not to be outdone, its crown jewel, Ogilvy, has secured the top network spot for a staggering fifth consecutive year.
It is a “five-peat” that proves Ogilvy’s creative engine is not just running but purring. While many networks rely on one or two superstar offices to carry the load, Ogilvy’s dominance is a team effort across the globe. Hot on their heels is sister agency VML, which took the silver medal for networks, ensuring a WPP clean sweep at the very top of the podium.
The biggest noise, however, is coming from the East. India has officially vaulted into the top five most creative nations on Earth. Once viewed primarily as a back-office for production, the country is now a front-row leader in imagination. Driven by the brilliance of agencies like Ogilvy Mumbai and Leo Burnett India, the nation is proving that its work does more than just look good on a trophy shelf. In a market where every rupee must work twice as hard, Indian campaigns are blending high-concept artistry with ruthless commercial effectiveness.
The individual accolades saw Heineken toast to success as the top brand, finally knocking Apple off its perch. Unilever remains the world’s most awarded advertiser, proving that big business can still have a big heart through its work for Dove and Vaseline.
The title of the world’s most creative campaign went to Publicis Conseil Paris for their AXA “Three Words” initiative. By subtly adding “and domestic violence” to insurance policies to provide immediate relocation cover, the agency proved that the best advertising doesn’t just sell a service, it provides one.
The 2026 rankings also signal a shift in the industry’s DNA. The era of boring business-to-business marketing is dead, with B2B campaigns cracking the top ten for the first time. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence has moved past the gimmick stage. The winners this year used tech not for the sake of a trend, but to drive genuine human emotion.
Whether it is Paris providing a safety net for the vulnerable or India redefining the global creative order, the message from this year’s Warc rankings is clear. The best work in the world is no longer just about catching the eye, it is about changing the world.
