MAM
Komal Kakkar heads to HP India as head of corporate communications
MUMBAI: It’s been some journey for Komal Kakkar. She began her career in 2008 as a PR executive in the Grasshoppers after completing her post graduate diploma in advertising and PR, pulic relations and image management from the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communications. Today she’s perched right on top at multinational tech firm HP India as the head of corporate communications.
The young professional who familiarised herself with German by studying it for three years at the Max Mueller Bhavan, was with Samsung Electronics in corporate communications for more than five years based in Gurgaon. She resigned in January 2024 and took time off to introspect. (Wish we all could have the courage to do that!)
Prior to Samsung, Komal spent seven years and more at Apollo Munich Health Insurance Co where her knowledge of German would have been handy. She also got herself communication agency exposure by working as a senior management associate at Ipan Hill & Knowlton between 2008 and 2010.
Komal, who carries her positivity openly, said on Linkedin: “The year 2024 has been super special. After an enriching sabbatical filled with many adventures, a yoga certification, bucket-list travels, meeting some incredible people on the way, and self-discovery, I’m happy to share that I’ve joined HP as the Head of Communications for India. This time away was transformative—it gave me the space to reflect, rejuvenate, and return with a fresh perspective. I’m thrilled to channel this newfound energy into creating impactful communication strategies for HP, a brand with the vision to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere.”
All we can say to Komal, is more power to you!
MAM
WPP appoints Estée Lauder’s Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer
Former Estée Lauder executive to lead operations, technology and culture overhaul under WPP’s three-year growth plan
LONDON: WPP has appointed Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer in a newly created role tasked with delivering the group’s Elevate28 strategy.
Choueiri joins from The Estée Lauder Companies, where she led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including the “One ELC” operating model and major upgrades to enterprise marketing, data and analytics capabilities. She also led the redesign of enterprise technology teams and served on the company’s AI taskforce, driving AI strategy, adoption and value realisation across the business.
At WPP, she will be responsible for designing, implementing and embedding the operating model behind Elevate28, the company’s three-year growth plan unveiled in February 2026. She will lead efforts to improve innovation, efficiency and integration across WPP’s client offerings, with a focus on delivering agile, outcome-driven solutions and measurable growth.
Choueiri will oversee organisational transformation across the group, working closely with product and enterprise technology teams to deploy AI, data and technology to build new capabilities and improve operational performance. She will also work with the people function to embed cultural change, strengthen an agile performance mindset and support talent development across the organisation.
Before joining Estée Lauder, she held senior roles across consulting and digital agencies, including at Accenture, Masaï (a Bain & Company spin-off), and Kearney, with experience spanning strategy, data and digital marketing transformation.
Cindy Rose, chief executive officer of WPP, said Choueiri brings a strong track record of leading large-scale transformation across operations, technology and culture, adding that her appointment will help accelerate the group’s next phase of growth under Elevate28.
Choueiri said WPP’s strategy represents an ambitious opportunity to reshape how the company operates and delivers for clients, adding that she looks forward to building integrated solutions and fostering a culture of innovation and change.
She will be based in New York and will join WPP’s executive committee.
