MAM
Sharat Kuttikat joins DDB Mudra west as creative director
MUMBAI: Sharat Kuttikat joins DDB Mudra west as creative director and will be based out of Ahmedabad. Kuttikat will partner with Jayesh Vaghela who has been with the agency for a number of
years and will oversee the creative side of the agency‘s client roster including Arvind, Zydus Wellness, Smphony, Nirlife, Rotomac and others.
Both Kuttikat and Vaghela will work under the guidance of DDB Mudra Group chairman & CCO Sonal Dabral.
Prior to this, Kuttikat has worked with Stark Communications Bangalore as creative director. He has also worked with Happy Creative Services as associate creative director, Ogilvy & Mather as a creative group head and Frank Simoes, Delhi. Kuttikat was the founder/creative head of Anonymous Creative. This will also be his second stint with DDB Mudra as he has worked with Mudra Communications, Kochi in 2002-03.
In his 12 years stint Kuttikat has worked with some well-known brands such as Vodafone, SAP, Karnataka Tourism, Bengaluru International Airport, Lee Jeans, Basics Life, Wipro Technologies, The Federal Bank, Malayala Manorama Classifieds and Rohan Builders.
DDB Mudra Group chairman & CCO Sonal Dabral said, “Our
Ahmedabad office is a very important part of the DDB Mudra Group and it needed a team not only rooted and conversant in traditional thinking but also fully adept at new media and new age creativity. Sharat and Jayesh are just that team. I‘m very excited to have Sharat on board and am sure along with Jayesh he will take DDB Mudra Ahmedabad to new heights.”
On joining DDB Mudra west, Kuttikat said, “Honestly joining DDB Mudra west was an easy decision. A great opportunity to work on prestigious brands, an enviable mix of categories, and not to mention, the people you get to work with. Also, to be operating from an office where it all began for Mudra is special. The ambition is to partner with brands and drive them to greater glory, while staying true to the amazing culture DDB Mudra has. I cannot be more excited.”
DDB Mudra Group is a part of the Omnicom group. DDB Mudra Group comprises three agency networks, six specialist agencies and eleven strategic business units which offer their expertise under four disciplines (Media, OOH, Retail and Experiential).
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.
