MAM
CMOs court AI but still swear by human touch in Dentsu’s 2025 report
MUMBAI: In the age of algorithms, it seems imagination still has the final word. Dentsu Creative’s freshly released CMO Report 2025 reveals that while artificial intelligence is now deeply woven into marketing practice, senior marketers insist human creativity, empathy and cultural intelligence remain irreplaceable.
The study, titled Agents of Reinvention: Marketing at the Intersection of AI and Human Ingenuity, draws insights from 1,950 plus CMOs across 14 markets from India and the US to Japan and Brazil. Its central paradox? In a world governed by AI, humanity becomes the most valuable differentiator.
Key findings highlight the balancing act CMOs face:
. 30 per cent plus use AI daily, but 78 per cent agree AI can never replace human imagination, up 13 points from 2024.
. 87 per cent say strategy now demands more empathy and creativity, not less.
. 71 per cent fear invisibility without “winning the algorithm”, yet 79 per cent worry optimisation breeds sameness.
. 84 per cent believe brands must win share of culture, not just share of voice.
. 90 per cent see social and influencer content as outperforming traditional ads, while 91 per cent believe brands are built through creator collaborations (though 82 per cent fret about losing control).
Innovation budgets are rising too 70 per cent plus plan to allocate over 20 per cent of spend to innovation in 2026 and beyond.
The report also flags a striking shift in Connected AI adoption: 89 per cent expect “agentic AI” where digital agents curate travel, shopping and more to reshape business, but the same proportion say trust and taste will matter more than ever.
Global dentsu leaders underscored this duality. Global CCO Yasu Sasaki noted that AI “is exceptional at prediction, but creativity is unpredictable by nature,” while CSO Patricia McDonald warned that “if every brand chases the same signals with the same tools, we’re just running harder to stand still.”
For India Dentsu CEO of creative & media brands Amit Wadhwa summed it up neatly: “Algorithms may shape what we see, but imagination, empathy and culture shape what we remember.”
In other words, CMOs in 2025 aren’t just coding for clicks, they’re betting that the brands which out-human the algorithm will be the ones that endure.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
