MAM
Bishwajeet Samal drives back to India to take the wheel at Volkswagen
MUMBAI: In the breakneck world of auto branding, one man just took a U-turn—with flair. Bishwajeet Samal, the marketing maestro with nearly two decades of strategy-fuelled acceleration across global marquees, has returned to Indian turf as the new head of marketing & PR at Volkswagen India. And let’s just say—he’s not parking gently.
Announced in April 2025, this move marks Samal’s homecoming after a four year stint at the Wolfsburg HQ where he drove Volkswagen’s global media engine like a high-performance ID.7 on the Autobahn. His resume reads like a greatest hits of automotive communication: global brand campaigns, electric vehicle launches, joint business deals with digital behemoths like Google and Meta, and a knack for turning media chaos into KPI gold.
Before swapping currywurst for curry once again, Samal held the role of global lead – campaigns & media management at Volkswagen, where he handled 360-degree integrated campaigns for icons like the Tiguan, Golf, and the all-new Tayron. He also led global media strategy, orchestrated agency pitches, and advised regional markets from Europe to India and Russia. Now he’s back to do what he does best—shift Indian brand narratives into top gear.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as head of marketing & PR at Volkswagen India!” Samal shared on Linkedin, with all the calm of a man who has helmed marketing for the world’s second-largest car manufacturer.
This isn’t his first lap around the VW India circuit. From 2018 to 2020, he already wore the marketing crown, implementing brand transformations and ROI-rich strategies while juggling PR, CRM, digital, and retail like a marketing octopus. Even before that, he held key regional media roles and was instrumental in Volkswagen’s brand entry into the Indian market.
Samal’s return to the Indian division comes at a pivotal moment. As Volkswagen looks to redefine its market strategy in a fiercely competitive automotive landscape, having a globe-trotting strategist at the helm could be the turbocharged push the brand needs.
From spearheading the company’s IPL campaigns in its early India innings to commanding boardroom tables in Wolfsburg, Samal has driven both reach and relevance. Now he’s back on native soil—helmet off, sleeves rolled—and ready to hit the gas.
Brands
Adidas elevates Sartaj Kadian to director of digital marketing
Performance marketing lead steps up to drive AI-led, full-funnel growth across MENA and CIS
DUBAI: Adidas has promoted Sartaj Kadian to director digital marketing, tightening its grip on performance-led growth as brands double down on data, AI and cross-channel precision in a fiercely competitive retail landscape.
Kadian, who has spent over five years with the sportswear giant, most recently led performance marketing across MENA and CIS, steering media strategy and innovation to deliver both brand lift and commercial impact. In his new role, he will take charge of end-to-end digital marketing, with a sharper focus on integrating brand storytelling with measurable, full-funnel outcomes.
A digital marketing leader with over a decade of experience across global markets, Kadian has built and scaled high-performing teams, managed multi-million euro budgets and consistently delivered double-digit growth anchored in ROI. His playbook blends marketing mix modelling, AI-led optimisation and deep analytics to align marketing spends with business priorities.
Before adidas, Kadian led digital marketing, CRM and analytics at Landmark Group, where he drove omni-channel strategies spanning customer acquisition, engagement and retention across retail and e-commerce funnels. Earlier stints at McKinsey & Company and Mu Sigma saw him specialise in analytics-led marketing, predictive modelling and demand forecasting for large-scale clients.
His elevation comes as Adidas sharpens its digital muscle in key growth markets, where consumer journeys are increasingly fragmented and performance accountability is non-negotiable. The mandate is clear: fuse creativity with data, and turn every consumer interaction into measurable value.
In a market where clicks must convert and brand love must sell, Kadian now sits at the nerve centre of adidas’s digital ambition—where strategy meets scale, and data decides the winners.
