MAM
Sungkyoon Kim takes charge as president and chief executive of Cheil SWA
Data and AI veteran to steer 1,000-strong team as agency doubles down on tech-led marketing
GURGAON: Cheil South West Asia has named Sungkyoon Kim as president and chief executive of the Cheil SWA group, handing the reins to a data-and-digital heavyweight as advertising hurtles into its AI age.
Based at the agency’s Gurgaon headquarters, Kim will lead a 1,000-strong talent pool across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata, spanning creative, data, technology, retail, media and experiential.
Kim brings more than 30 years’ experience in marketing strategy, data and analytics, and consumer psychology. He joins after serving as head of digital platform business, overseeing Samsung.com, and leading the DnA (data and analytics) center at Cheil, where he drove CRM and data initiatives.
His track record leans heavily on data-led transformation. He has led programmes to strengthen CRM, media, marketing and AI capabilities, including the design and deployment of a real-time digital media optimisation platform that integrated cross-channel spend and performance data to sharpen investment efficiency and ROI. He also pushed the development and rollout of LLM-powered AI agents for real-time analysis and automated insight generation.
An Adobe Experience Platform expert, Kim has spearheaded marketing automation projects that unified customer data and enabled real-time, personalised cross-channel campaigns. He also played a key role in setting up Cheil’s global data center in India, boosting offshore R&D and global operational efficiency.
“The advertising landscape is at a pivotal shift,” Kim said. “As AI continues to redefine marketing, our future success sits at the intersection of human psychology and data-driven technology. My goal is to drive an AI-led transformation that goes beyond the surface, embedding innovation into the very fabric of our business functions. Alongside our incredible talent, I look forward to delivering dynamic, high-impact marketing solutions our clients expect in this new era.”
With data as fuel and AI as engine, Cheil SWA is betting its next chapter will be written in algorithms as much as ideas. Kim is now firmly in the driver’s seat.
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Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
