Manesh Swamy steps in as co-founder and chief creative officer at First AI

MUMBAI: Manesh swamy has hit reset—and rewrite. After more than 20 years in India’s creative and digital advertising business, the award-winning creative leader has co-founded First AI consultancy pvt. ltd., stepping in as co-founder and chief creative officer.

Based in Navi Mumbai, Swamy’s new venture positions itself as a hybrid consultancy, product studio and creative partner, combining human craft with AI-led speed. At First AI, AI stands for artistic imagination, analytical implementation and audience interaction, driven by an always-on innovation mindset.

Before starting First AI in June 2025, Swamy served as managing director and chief creative officer at LS Digital Group from April 2024 to March 2025. Prior to that, he spent close to five years at LS Digital in senior leadership roles, including chief creative officer and senior vice president, senior vice president creative social media pr and marcom, and vice president creative, helping shape large-scale digital and creative mandates.

Earlier, Swamy was vice president creative at Logicserve Digital between 2019 and 2021, where he led creative strategy and brand storytelling. His longest tenure was at Hungama Digital Services, where he spent 15 years, joining as a senior visualiser and rising to associate creative director and later creative director. During this period, he played a key role in building the creative function and helped the company win more than 100 metals at national and international award shows.

Over the years, Swamy has spearheaded campaigns for leading brands including HDFC Life, Canon, Mankind Pharma, Tata Motors Finance, Tata Pravesh, Tata Indicash, Videocon D2H, Bajaj Allianz, Mrs Bectors Group, Ebro India, PepsiCo, Mahindra Auto, Nerolac Paints, Singapore Tourism, Milton, Intel, UB Group, ACC and Eros Now.

A regular on global and Indian juries, Swamy has judged YouTube Works Awards, Digixx, Goafest Abbys and AdFest Pattaya, and was named in Social Samosa’s 40 Under 40 list in 2019.