MAM
Priyanka Dhar joins as client lead at Wavemaker WPP Media
Dhar steps into Wavemaker to lead Perfetti with strategy, speed and results
MUMBAI: Priyanka Dhar has taken over as client lead at wavemaker, the wpp media agency, steering the Perfetti account from February 2026. Dhar moves into the role after more than 2.5 years managing non-biddable delivery for tccc, where she focused on customer-centric media solutions, ROI-driven media management and innovative buying strategies aligned to brand objectives.
Dhar’s remit spans complete SLA adherence, collaborative agency partnerships and high-value media outcomes. Her work has consistently prioritised impactful storytelling, business insights and measurable results, cementing her reputation in media circles.
Before wavemaker, Dhar spent three years as delivery lead – non-biddable at wpp media, and held senior roles across omd worldwide, transsion holdings, groupm, star news, maxus, madison communications and mudra communications. Her portfolio covers brands including Bharti Axa Insurance, SC Johnson, Dabur, General Motors, Itel, Tecno, Oraimo and TCCC.
Across roles, Dhar’s responsibilities have spanned end-to-end media strategy, agency handling, budget forecasting, performance reporting, competitive analysis, team management, and driving innovative integrations across tv, print, digital and social.
At transsion holdings, she led pan-india marketing initiatives across offline, digital and social platforms for multiple brands. At radio and media agencies, she oversaw 360-degree amplification ideas, brand custodianship, annual strategy presentations and deal evaluation, consistently hitting client KPIs.
Dhar’s career trajectory reflects a blend of strategic thinking, executional precision and market insight. From grassroots media planning to high-level client delivery, she has built a track record of marrying innovation with business outcomes.
At wavemaker, she is set to leverage this experience to deliver scale, speed and sharp execution for Perfetti, while pushing boundaries in brand development strategy, competitive analysis and cross-platform media activation.
In a sector driven by velocity and results, Priyanka Dhar’s move underscores a clear mantra: combine business insight with creative execution, and the numbers follow.
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.
