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Ogilvy ends 32-year IBM creative partnership
WPP agency opts out of review amid broader group restructuring.
MUMBAI: Ogilvy just closed the longest chapter in advertising history because after 32 years, even the best client relationships sometimes need a clean page break. Ogilvy has ended its 32-year partnership as IBM’s creative agency of record, a relationship that began in 1994 when IBM consolidated its then-$500 million advertising business with the agency. The split was confirmed after Ogilvy chose not to participate in IBM’s upcoming creative agency review, according to a Campaign US report published on 14 March 2026.
The decision is understood to be commercial rather than creative, stemming from longstanding balance-of-trade tensions between WPP and IBM. In December 2025, IBM had initiated a media review in which WPP Media, the incumbent, also declined to participate.
The move aligns with WPP’s wider transformation under CEO Cindy Rose. The group is reshaping into four operating divisions WPP Media, WPP Creative, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions across North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and Asia-Pacific. The three-year “Elevate28” strategy aims to reverse revenue declines, reduce internal fragmentation and shift away from the traditional holding-company model toward a more integrated, technology-led operation.
Central to this shift is WPP Open, a platform connecting data, media and creative workflows at scale. The changes reflect intensifying pressure from consulting firms, tech companies and investor demands for durable growth in an AI- and automation-driven industry.
Despite the structural evolution, Ogilvy remains a cornerstone of WPP’s creative network, with reorganized capabilities spanning advertising, PR, customer experience and consulting through Ogilvy One. The agency continues to hold major global accounts while adapting to a market that increasingly favours fewer, more capable partners.
In an advertising world where partnerships once lasted decades, Ogilvy and IBM’s parting isn’t just the end of an era, it’s a quiet sign that even the strongest creative bonds can’t outrun the industry’s relentless rewrite.
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Delhivery appoints Neelam Dhawan as Chairperson
Tech veteran succeeds Deepak Kapoor effective 1 April 2026.
MUMBAI: Neelam Dhawan just took the driver’s seat at Delhivery because when logistics needs sharper direction, even the board calls in a Microsoft-level navigator. Delhivery has appointed Neelam Dhawan as non-executive independent director effective 20 March 2026, with her elevation to chairperson of the Board from 1 April 2026. She succeeds Deepak Kapoor, who steps down after more than eight years, as disclosed in the company’s regulatory filing on 31 January 2026.
Dhawan brings over three decades of leadership in technology, having served as managing director at HP India Sales, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise India and Microsoft India. A graduate in Economics from St. Stephen’s College and an MBA from FMS, Delhi University, she is recognised by Fortune, Forbes and Business Today as one of the ‘Most Powerful Women in Business’. She has shaped India’s IT sector, served on the NASSCOM Executive Council (2009–2017) and is a strong advocate for workplace diversity and STEM education for girls.
She currently serves as independent director on the boards of Hindustan Unilever, Tech Mahindra, Ather Energy, Fractal Analytics, Capillary Technologies India and Capita PLC, and as a director at Nudge Lifeskills Foundation.
Delhivery, MD & CEO Sahil Barua said, “We are delighted to welcome Neelam Dhawan to the Delhivery Board as our Chairperson. Her exceptional track record in leading some of the world’s most iconic technology companies, as well as her diverse set of experiences as a seasoned Board Member will be invaluable as Delhivery continues to scale its technology-led logistics platform.”
In a logistics world where speed and strategy must race in sync, Delhivery isn’t just adding a chairperson, it’s bringing aboard a proven leader who knows how to steer complex tech ecosystems through growth lanes and beyond.
