Hephzibah Pathak, appointed executive chairperson of Ogilvy India

Hephzibah Pathak, executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of WPP Creative in India. This move aligns with WPP’s broader transformation strategy aimed at unifying its creative, design, and PR capabilities under a single integrated framework.

The newly formed WPP Creative unit brings together some of the industry’s most influential agency brands, including VML, AKQA, Burson, Landor, and Design Bridge & Partners. The goal is to foster seamless collaboration, enhance creative output, and deliver more integrated solutions to clients.

With this appointment, Pathak becomes the central leadership figure driving WPP Creative’s operations in India. She will work closely with individual agency CEOs to strengthen cross-agency integration, expand service capabilities, and provide clients with unified access to WPP’s diverse talent pool.

WPP emphasized that this new operating model is designed to streamline leadership structures across regions while preserving the strength of its individual agency brands. The company clarified that these agencies will continue to operate independently while benefiting from deeper collaboration under the WPP Creative ecosystem.

Pathak’s elevation marks another milestone in her long-standing career with Ogilvy, where she has been associated since 1997. In January 2024, she made history by becoming the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year legacy.

Globally, WPP Creative is led by Jon Cook and was introduced as part of WPP’s larger transformation roadmap. The initiative aims to simplify operations, boost efficiency, and unlock significant cost savings, with a target of £500 million annually by 2028.

Meanwhile, WPP CEO Cindy Rose reaffirmed the company’s commitment to its agency brands. She highlighted that the WPP Creative structure is not about replacing or merging brands but about enhancing their capabilities through a shared platform.

According to Rose, the new model acts as an “operating system” that enables each agency to deliver fully integrated solutions, ensuring better outcomes for clients while maintaining their unique identities.