AD Agencies
Boutique agency Infectious Advertising hires Akshay Kapnadak as chief creative officer
MUMBAI: It’s the coming together of two creative guys to build something bigger than the sum of both. Infectious Advertising creative chairman & founder Ramanuj Shastry has roped in veteran Akshay Kapnadak as the boutique agency’s chief creative officer. In his new role, Akshay will work together with Ramanuj to elevate the agency’s creative product to the next level.
An alumnus of the JJ Institute of Applied Arts, Akshay has been building brands and winning awards for close to 27 years. He spent the first 16 years of his career at McCann Erickson Mumbai, starting as a trainee and rising to the rank of executive creative director.
During this time, Akshay built strong teams and developed campaigns for a diverse range of clients, including global brands like Coca-Cola and L’Oréal, and leading Indian brands like Parachute, Pears, Radio Mirchi, and NDTV.
His work has earned both local and international accolades, including Gold at Cannes Lions and The One Show. He has served on juries at Cannes Lions, Clio Awards, AdFest Asia, and Goafest. After McCann, Akshay ventured into independent consulting, mentoring start-ups, and leading design and communication projects across South and Southeast Asia.
Ramanuj and Infectious Advertising CEO & co-founder Nisha Singhani are infectiously excited to have Akshay on board, if you read on and hear what they have to say about Akshay’s joining the agency.
“I worked very closely with Akshay for nearly half a decade at McCann,” says Ramanuj. “He is a fab guy with a brilliant mind and boundless energy. It will be lovely to work together again. Can’t wait for him to join.”
Adds Nisha: “We are thrilled that Akshay has chosen to join us. He is an exciting mind, a lovely person, and aligns perfectly with our values and our mission to deliver impactful ideas for our clients. I’m confident that he will lead us to new creative heights.”
Akshay, on his part , is over the moon on being on-boarded at the agency. Says he: “Infectious has built a reputation for strategic solidity and authentic storytelling. I’m excited to join this passionate team and eager to contribute to Infectious’ vision to build brands with purpose, ingenuity, and integrity,”
The 11 year old Infectious’ leitmotif is: creating work that solves problems facing brands and businesses. Among their clients figure National Geographic, ALD Automotive, Bayer Crop Sciences, UltraTech Cement, Inorbit Malls, IDFC, and TBZ – The Original, and many more. It recently launched its content arm-Epidemik Content, delivering content with best-in-class production that’s value for money, embracing AI and new-age storytelling.
With Akshay being signed on the three are expecting an epidemic of creativity to hit Infectious
AD Agencies
Publicis posts €4.19bn Q1 revenue, 6.4 per cent growth; backs FY outlook
Ad giant signals Q2 acceleration as AI and new deals power momentum
PARIS: Publicis Groupe continues to outperform the industry, delivering a strong start to 2026 under Chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun. Despite a volatile global macro environment, the company has now outpaced the industry for nearly 20 consecutive quarters.
For Q1 2026, total revenue reached €4,191 million, up from €4,161 million last year, with organic growth of 6.4 per cent. Net revenue, which excludes pass-through costs, stood at €3,460 million, reflecting organic growth of 4.5 per cent.
Exchange rates had a negative impact of €268 million, mainly due to a weaker US dollar and pound sterling. Acquisitions, including Adge.AI and 160over90, contributed an additional €46 million.
Performance across regions was largely positive, with some variation:
- North America, accounting for 59 per cent of net revenue, grew 4.7 per cent
- Europe recorded growth of 3.9 per cent, led by the UK at 6.2 per cent, while France grew 1.6 per cent
- Asia Pacific posted 5.9 per cent growth, driven by China at 11.7 per cent
- Latin America grew 13.3 per cent
- Middle East and Africa declined 5.1 per cent due to geopolitical challenges
AI-powered marketing services, which now make up 86 per cent of the business, grew 5.6 per cent. However, the technology segment, representing 14 per cent of revenue, declined slightly as clients reduced spending on large-scale transformation projects.
Sharing his outlook, Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun said, “Publicis had a very strong start to the year, outperforming the industry for almost 20 quarters in a row despite the volatile macro environment. Organic revenue growth reached 6.4%, leading to 4.5% in net and further increasing the gap with our peers.” He added that the company remains confident of delivering industry-leading performance. “We are confirming our industry-leading organic growth guidance of 4 to 5%, with the 4% rock solid, and a sequential organic growth acceleration in Q2 despite a higher comparable.”
Publicis continued its expansion with the acquisition of Adge.AI in March, followed by 160over90 in April to strengthen its sports and culture marketing capabilities.
Net financial debt stood at €1,156 million at the end of March, reflecting a seasonal shift from the net cash position at the end of 2025. Average net debt over the past twelve months was €1,035 million.
The company has reaffirmed its full-year guidance, expecting net revenue organic growth of 4 to 5 per cent in 2026. It also anticipates an operating margin slightly above 18.2 per cent and free cash flow of approximately €2.1 billion.
With expectations of stronger performance in the second quarter, Publicis remains well positioned to sustain its growth momentum.
