Leo India appoints Anish Kotian as Executive Director

MUMBAI: Some career journeys come full circle and this one returns with a passport full of experience. Leo India has appointed advertising veteran Anish Kotian as Executive Director, marking his return to the agency after building a leadership career across Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

Kotian announced the move on LinkedIn, writing, “Started as Executive Director, Leo India. Good to be back!” He takes on the role after nearly two decades in advertising spanning India, Vietnam and Southeast Asia, with experience across agency leadership, business growth, digital transformation, AI, platforms, e-commerce and integrated marketing.

Most recently, Kotian served as Chief Growth Officer at Ogilvy Vietnam, where he led Bates & Partners while overseeing new business development for the wider Ogilvy Group. During his five-month stint, he said the agency secured $1 million worth of new business in just four months, adding clients including Red Bull, Marico and Afotech.

Before that, he was Managing Director of Bates & Partners in Vietnam, following a four-year tenure at Publicis Groupe Vietnam, where he held multiple leadership roles, including Groupe Managing Director for Publicis Communications, Deputy Managing Director for Publicis Worldwide and Director Client Services.

As Groupe Managing Director, Kotian oversaw creative agencies including Leo Burnett, Publicis Worldwide and Saatchi & Saatchi, leading a team of more than 200 creative professionals across a portfolio featuring brands such as Mondelez Kinh Do, Heineken, Samsung, Abbott, P&G, GSK, Sanofi, Mercedes-Benz, Nestlé, Mitsubishi, Marico and Disney.

Under his leadership, Publicis Groupe Vietnam secured Gold for Leo Burnett and its first-ever Silver for Publicis Worldwide at the Campaign Asia Agency of the Year Awards in 2022. The group also won Creative Agency of the Year at the MMA APAC Awards, Agency of the Year at MMA Vietnam, and delivered Vietnam’s first-ever Silver APAC Effie in 2022 before repeating the achievement in 2023.

Kotian’s earlier career includes nearly six years at BBH India, where he managed brands including Marico, BookMyShow, Audi India, Abbott and Star Sports’ Pro Kabaddi League, while contributing to campaigns for Uber and Red Bull BC One. He also completed BBH’s global Mini-MBA programme and represented the agency in Publicis Groupe’s Executive Development Programme.

Before BBH, he held senior client leadership roles at Contract Advertising, Rediffusion Y&R, Ogilvy, Grey Group and Digital Driftwood, working across iconic brands such as Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Celebrations, Colgate, Shoppers Stop, Taj Hotels, Rasna, Diageo, Parle Products, Ambuja Cement and Yahoo!

Kotian’s appointment comes as agencies increasingly seek leaders with international experience and expertise spanning creativity, technology and commerce. His return to Leo India brings together global leadership exposure, award-winning creative credentials and deep client experience at a time when agencies are reimagining growth in an AI-powered, digitally driven advertising landscape.