MAM
Publicis India appoints Russell John as VP for strategy
MUMBAI: Publicis India has announced the appointment of Russell John as vice president for strategy. John will be based out of Mumbai and will play a key role in shaping ideas and insights and nurturing growth for a number of brands for the agency. He will report to Sudeep Gohil, CSO and managing partner at Publicis India.
Russell joins Publicis India from Lowe Lintas where he was an associate vice president. He was one of the planners on the global team for Lifebuoy across the markets of South Asia, South East Asia, North Africa and the Middle East. Apart from that, he also managed the regional planning mandate for a host of brands including Pepsodent, Housing.com, Paranjpe Realty, Tata Tea, Britannia, Sonata Watches, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Bajaj Bikes, UTI Mutual Funds, Karvy Finance, BPCL among others.
Sudeep Gohil mentions, “From our initial meetings, I was excited about Russell joining us and working with our clients. He has a rare blend of characteristics, which make him a great person for the growing team. Humility, curiosity, passion, intelligence and a magnetic personality. I’m very enthusiastic to see his ideas come to bear on the work we are doing in the agency.”
Expressing his views on joining the agency, John adds, “In Sudeep Gohil, Srija Chatterjee and Paritosh Srivastava I found leaders who I wanted to associate with. It seemed like a buzzing and encouraging environment, which would give me an opportunity to add value to both the group as well as a varied set of brands. I am looking forward to lots of exciting associations and doing some great work for Publicis India.
Apart from Lowe Lintas, Russell has also worked for Leo Burnett and Brand David Communications where he handled diverse set of brands. Many of his projects have gone on to win multiple awards across international award shows. Particularly noteworthy is his contribution for Lifebuoy that ended up winning Effectiveness awards across the India Effie, APAC Effie and Global Effie award platforms.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
