MAM
Kaushik Sengupta joins WPP Media as vice president – investment
Media strategist brings 20 years of experience from Wavemaker and Madison.
MUMBAI: In advertising, where every rupee must work harder than the last, the person steering the investment strategy can make all the difference. Kaushik Sengupta has been appointed vice president – investment at WPP Media, effective March 2026, taking charge of strategic media investments for one of the world’s largest advertising and marketing services networks.
Based in Gurugram, Sengupta will oversee the group’s investment mandate, focusing on optimising media spending, forging high value partnerships and delivering stronger return on investment for a portfolio of blue chip clients navigating an increasingly complex mix of digital and traditional media channels.
The appointment marks the latest step in Sengupta’s two decade long career in media investment strategy.
Before joining WPP Media, he spent nearly nine years at Wavemaker India, where he served as client lead – investment and associate business director. During his tenure, he played a key role in shaping investment strategies and scaling media buying operations for major client accounts.
Earlier, Sengupta built a significant part of his career at Madison World in Kolkata, where he worked for 11 years and rose to the role of account controller. His work there focused on media planning, buying and strategic account management, laying the foundation for his later leadership roles in the industry.
With experience spanning media planning, large scale buying operations and strategic account management, Sengupta brings a blend of institutional knowledge and market insight to his new role.
At WPP Media, his focus will be on aligning media investment strategies with evolving audience behaviour and helping brands maximise efficiency and effectiveness in a landscape increasingly shaped by data, digital platforms and cross channel measurement.
As the advertising ecosystem grows more fragmented and competitive, Sengupta’s appointment underscores the rising importance of strategic media investment leadership in delivering measurable business outcomes for global and domestic brands alike.
MAM
Ogilvy appoints Carol Reed as Global Chief Innovation Officer
Advertising veteran joins to drive human-first innovation in an AI-powered world.
MUMBAI: Carol Reed has found a new creative canvas and this time, she’s bringing her innovation brush to one of advertising’s most iconic names. Ogilvy Group has appointed Carol Reed as its new global chief innovation officer. Reed, who previously served as Chief Innovation Officer at WPP Open X, brings deep expertise at the intersection of creativity, technology, media, and commerce.
In a note announcing her move, Reed said she was drawn to Ogilvy because of its unmatched legacy. “The most powerful thing AI can do is make human creativity more extraordinary not replace it,” she stated. “This is an agency with something no algorithm can replicate, a 78-year legacy of ideas that change culture and drive real business results.”
Reed will focus on building new products, platforms, and partnerships to amplify Ogilvy’s creative heritage for clients and its global talent network. She will work closely with Global CEO Laurent Ezekiel and global chief creative officer Liz Taylor.
Her career began at Publicis Groupe’s Digitas as an associate media planner. She later moved to Omnicom Media Group and rose to senior vice president and programmatic lead at Digitas, where she built an in-house programmatic team of over 40 members. Most recently, at WPP, she served as executive vice president for data and product marketing.
With her appointment, Ogilvy strengthens its innovation leadership as the industry navigates rapid advancements in AI and technology.
From building programmatic teams to championing human creativity in an AI era, Carol Reed has consistently stayed ahead of the curve. Her arrival at Ogilvy signals a fresh push to blend cutting-edge innovation with the agency’s legendary creative spirit.
