Brands
DDB Mudra and WARC hunt for India’s sharpest young strategists
MUMBAI: Creativity may sell, but strategy decides what to sell—and how. On 26 November, DDB Mudra Group and Warc will host Portfolio Evening: Strategy Edition in Mumbai, the first platform of its kind aimed at unearthing brand strategy talent in India. Open to those with five years’ experience or less, it’s a rare chance for junior strategists to present their work to 20 of the country’s most influential agency leaders.
The format is straightforward: participants get 20 minutes to pitch their thinking to two jurors, who respond with direct feedback. No panels, no platitudes—just work and critique. The winner walks away with exclusive access to Warc’s Creative Impact Unpacked from Cannes, a compendium of case studies from the industry’s most celebrated campaigns.
To enter, applicants must submit two pieces of work by 15 November—either from their existing portfolios or in response to briefs provided by the organisers. The jury will be looking for clear problem definition, sharp consumer insights and strategic recommendations that hold water.
The evening also marks the India launch of Warc’s Future of Strategy 2025 report, which maps how planning is adapting to artificial intelligence and fragmented media. It’s a timely addition: as algorithms increasingly dictate what people see, the role of the human strategist—someone who can spot patterns, frame problems and shape narratives—becomes either more valuable or more obsolete, depending on whom you ask.
The jury includes Dheeraj Sinha, group chief executive for India and South Asia at FCB; Menaka Menon, president and managing partner for growth and strategy at DDB Mudra Group; S Subramanyeswar, group chief executive for India and chief strategy officer for Asia-Pacific at MullenLowe Lintas Group; and Prem Narayan, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy India, among others. Between them, they’ve shaped campaigns for some of India’s biggest brands.
For an industry that often celebrates execution over thinking, Portfolio Evening is a statement: strategy matters. Now it has a stage.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
