FCB has made significant leadership changes in its India and South Asia operations, marking a pivotal moment in the company’s evolution. Rohit Ohri, who has admirably led FCB Group India to unprecedented heights over the past eight years, is embarking on a new global role as FCB Global Partner. Taking the reins from him will be Dheeraj Sinha, who is set to assume the position of Group CEO for India & South Asia in November. Sinha will report directly to FCB Global CEO Tyler Turnbull.
This announcement follows an extraordinary 2022 for FCB Group India, where the agency earned the prestigious title of Adweek’s International Agency of the Year for its impactful, purpose-driven work that has delivered tangible business results for clients on a global scale. Over the past six years, the agency has clinched 32 Cannes Lions and over 100 creative awards worldwide. It has also spearheaded high-profile campaigns that have transformed its creative reputation in India and beyond, attracted numerous major Indian and global multinational clients, and consistently achieved impressive revenue growth year after year. FCB Group India further expanded its influence by acquiring a majority stake in FCB Kinnect, a leading digital-first creative agency in the region, and introducing FCB/SIX, its digital media, customer experience, and performance offering, to the market.
FCB Global CEO Tyler Turnbull expressed his gratitude and excitement about this transition, stating, “Since Rohit joined FCB eight years ago, FCB India has witnessed phenomenal success under his leadership. It was time for his next challenge, and while we can’t thank him enough for all that he has done for the agency, I’m excited to have him join our global team to put his valuable experience to work for some important upcoming projects. Together, we have found his successor in Dheeraj — an amazingly talented, creatively focused, and driven leader who understands the economic power of creativity.”
Rohit Ohri reflected on his remarkable journey at FCB Group India, saying, “The last eight years at FCB Group India have been truly amazing. My mandate was to transform the creative reputation of FCB in India. By nurturing culture and cultivating talent, we’ve been able to deliver creative excellence consistently since 2018. I’m enormously grateful to my fabulous India team for the creative and business success we have seen. Our partnership with our clients has been our true strength in this creative transformation journey. Further, with the acquisition of Kinnect and the launch of FCB/SIX in India, I believe we are now uniquely poised to power our creative work with data and technology. I’m delighted to now work on the strategic priorities of our global network with Susan and Tyler as FCB Global Partner.”
After an extensive search for his successor, FCB determined that Dheeraj Sinha was the ideal candidate to lead the group into its next chapter. Sinha, who is joining FCB from Publicis Groupe, currently serves as CEO of Leo Burnett South Asia and Chairman of BBH India. During his tenure, he oversaw the transformation of Leo Burnett, elevating it from a mid-tier agency to a leading force in India, nearly doubling its size. Under his guidance, Leo Burnett secured significant revenue from new clients such as PepsiCo, IKEA, Airtel, Spotify, and others. Leo Burnett emerged as India’s #1 and Asia’s #2 agency at Cannes Lions in 2023. Sinha has also held pivotal leadership roles, including Chief Strategy Officer of South & Southeast Asia at Grey Group, where he instilled a culture of strategic thinking in Grey APAC.
Tyler Turnbull remarked on the appointment of Dheeraj Sinha, stating, “Dheeraj is a staunch advocate for the transformative power of creativity, backed by a proven track record of revitalizing businesses. His expertise in driving revenue growth for renowned creative brands and agencies aligns perfectly with our vision for the next phase of success in India.”
Dheeraj Sinha will officially assume his role at FCB in November and will collaborate closely with Rohit Ohri to ensure a seamless transition across the agency’s numerous offices, personnel, clients, and partners in India.
