MAM
Atul Agrawal takes charge as CEO of Indian Society of Advertisers
MUMBAI: The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), the country’s top voice for advertisers for more than 70 years, has appointed Atul Agrawal as its new chief executive officer. He took charge on January 2, 2026.
With nearly four decades of experience across some of India’s most admired corporate names, Agrawal brings both gravitas and perspective to the role. His career spans FMCG and corporate leadership, with deep roots in brand building, media strategy and corporate communications.
Calling the role both an honour and a responsibility, Agrawal said the timing could not be more significant. Marketing and media, he noted, are in the middle of a profound reset driven by changing consumer behaviour and rapid technological shifts.
He said his focus would be on promoting responsible, effective and efficient marketing by working closely with advertisers, agencies, broadcasters, media owners and other stakeholders. Strengthening ISA’s work on media transparency, measurement and accountability will be a key priority.
An alumnus of IIM Ahmedabad, Agrawal has previously worked with Hindustan Lever and at the Tata Group headquarters, where he was involved in corporate brand marketing, youth engagement initiatives, media buying and large sponsorship programmes. He has also served on ISA’s executive committee representing Tata Services and has contributed internationally as a jury member for the World Federation of Advertisers’ Global Marketer of the Year award.
Welcoming the appointment, ISA Chairman Sunil Kataria said Agrawal’s long association with the organisation and his leadership experience make him well placed to steer ISA at a critical moment for the industry.
Kataria added that with ISA leading initiatives such as the Media Charter, brand safety, viewability standards, first-party data frameworks and cross-screen measurement, Agrawal’s leadership would help turn intent into impact.
With its new CEO at the helm, ISA says it remains committed to working with the wider ecosystem to drive efficiency, accountability and sustainable growth for advertisers across India.
MAM
Republic Media Network appoints Mohit Dhamne as group CEO
Founding member elevated as network reports 149 million monthly digital users
NEW DELHI: Republic Media Network has appointed Mohit Dhamne as its group chief executive officer, elevating a founding member who has been part of the organisation since its inception in 2016.
Dhamne’s rise within the network has been steady and multi-layered. He began as head of finance, later taking on responsibilities as company secretary and EVP (Finance), before being elevated to chief financial officer in December 2023. In his new role, he will now oversee the group’s overall strategic and operational direction.
The network described him as a key architect of its evolution into one of India’s leading broadcast and digital news platforms. He brings cross-functional expertise spanning finance, law and management, backed by qualifications as a chartered accountant, company secretary, and a postgraduate management degree from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad.
Congratulating him, Arnab Goswami said Dhamne has been instrumental in shaping the organisation’s growth journey since inception. He added that the founding team’s shared experience and leadership framework will help the network pursue new opportunities and scale further.
The appointment comes at a time of strong momentum for the network. Over recent months, Republic has expanded its core business team by 30 per cent and strengthened its leadership structure with senior executives managing defined revenue portfolios across platforms.
On the digital front, Republic Digital has reported 149 million monthly users, according to Comscore data, reinforcing its position as one of India’s most widely consumed digital news offerings.
The growth has also been supported by expansion in its integrated brand solutions division, Republic Brand Studio, as the network continues to build a more diversified revenue ecosystem.
With this leadership transition, Republic Media Network is positioning itself for its next phase of expansion, combining broadcast strength with accelerating digital scale.
