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.
AD Agencies
Prakash Nair reportedly quits Ogilvy after 23 years
One of the agency’s longest-serving leaders has moved on, with his next destination still unknown
MUMBAI: After more than two decades at one address, Prakash Nair has left the building. The president and head of office, north at Ogilvy has moved on from the agency, according to highly placed industry sources. His next move remains unknown. Ogilvy did not respond to requests for comment.
Nair spent over 23 years at the agency, making him one of its longest-serving senior figures. He was elevated to lead the Gurugram office in April 2022, a role that put him at the helm of Ogilvy’s northern operations at a time of considerable churn across the advertising industry.
Before taking charge in the capital, Nair served as associate president at Ogilvy Mumbai, where he worked on some of the agency’s most prized accounts, including Mondelez, Tata Motors, and BP Castrol. Over the years, he built a reputation for driving modern, integrated, and award-winning work, the kind that wins metals at Cannes and keeps clients from straying.
His departure was marked in style. A farewell gathering was held in Delhi, attended by senior figures from across the advertising fraternity, a signal of the regard in which Nair is held in an industry that does not always pause to say goodbye properly.
Where he goes next is the question the industry is now asking. After 23 years at one of the world’s most storied agencies, the answer, when it comes, will be worth watching.
