AD Agencies
First Create Behaviour, FCB Ulka’s mantra debuts with Merino mandate
MUMBAI: Merino Group has awarded its brand strategy & creative mandate to FCB Ulka Delhi, following a multi-agency pitch. The mandate involves work for Merino Laminates, Merino Furniture, and their FMCG food brand Vegit. The mandate includes ATL, BTL & digital.
Merino Laminates is a popular brand in the laminate segment and leading manufacturer and exporter of decorative laminates for interiors. Vegit, a subsidiary, features in the Ready-to-Cook category. Merino spokesperson said, “Merino will endeavour to bring resident knowledge of the trade obtained over years, & its application into all facets of Business Activity.”
FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “FCB’s new creative mantra – First Create Behaviour, and our new planning protocol – Brand Bedrock, debuted at this pitch. The other debut was that of our new regional leadership team, Debarpita Banerjee (president north & east), Surjo Dutt (national creative director) and John Thangaraj (executive planning director).”
FCB Ulka president north & east Debarpita Banerjee added, “This is an exciting, even though a bit nascent side of the decorative market. This space throws up immense potential and allows fresh thinking, giving us a chance at category creation.”
AD Agencies
WPP appoints Hephzibah Pathak CEO of WPP Creative India
Ogilvy India chair takes charge of unified creative model in key market
NEW DELHI: WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as chief executive officer of WPP Creative India, putting a local leader at the helm of its newly created creative operating model in one of its most important growth markets.
The move brings clarity to how WPP’s global restructuring will play out in India, weeks after the group unveiled WPP Creative as part of its Elevate28 strategy. The unit sits alongside WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, and is designed to simplify what the company previously described as an overly complex structure.
Pathak, who continues as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, will represent all agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella in India. Her role centres on driving integration across brands, expanding capabilities and ensuring clients can tap into the network’s full talent pool without friction.
WPP said Pathak will work closely with agency brand CEOs to “enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access”, while maintaining the distinct identities of its agencies.
The portfolio under WPP Creative includes leading networks such as VML, Landor, AKQA and Grey, along with Burson and its affiliated firms. Leaders across these agencies will now report into Pathak, even as each brand continues to operate independently within a unified system.
The appointment also formalises a dual-track strategy in India, preserving agency identities while accelerating collaboration. Pathak is expected to work closely with media leadership to align creative and media capabilities, reflecting growing client demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
WPP Creative global CEO Jon Cook has described the unit as “not an agency” but an operating system that helps creative, design and PR brands work together more effectively. The group has been clear that it is not merging or phasing out legacy agency brands, instead aiming to reduce complexity on the client side.
Pathak brings nearly three decades of experience within the network, having joined in 1997 and held roles ranging from Mumbai office head to chief client officer. She made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year presence in the country.
Her expanded mandate positions India at the centre of WPP’s Asia-Pacific strategy, with a focus on strengthening brand presence, deepening client relationships and unlocking growth in a fast-evolving market.
The appointment signals WPP’s intent to move beyond the traditional holding company model towards a more integrated, AI-enabled structure. With Pathak now steering WPP Creative India, the group appears set to test whether simpler structures can indeed deliver sharper creative outcomes.
