US ad agency Wieden+Kennedy to wind down India operations; leadership departs

MUMBAI: Advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) is winding down its India operations, citing a need to reassess its market strategy as the American firm refines its global priorities. The agency will close its Mumbai office by the end of 2024 and reduce its workforce in the Delhi office, with the remaining employees focusing on global operations instead of local advertising services.

The decision to wind down operations in India comes amid changes in W+K’s global strategy. According to the agency, the focus has been on growing in locations that better serve current clients and future opportunities. India, while a significant market, does not fit into W+K’s immediate plans, prompting the agency to scale back rather than double down on the region. The company said that this is not necessarily a permanent exit from India but a pause to reconsider how the Indian market fits into its long-term global vision.

“We’re not ruling out the possibility of ramping up again in the future,” the agency said in a statement, hinting at a potential re-entry once they have a clearer strategy for the region.

For now, however, W+K will focus its resources elsewhere, leaving the Indian advertising space behind after two-and-a-half years of growth under the current leadership.

Leadership departs at W+K India

The agency’s chief creative officer Santosh Padhi (Paddy) and president Ayesha Ghosh have resigned, along with Delhi head Shreekant Srinivasan, marking a leadership transition during this wind-down period. They will remain in their roles until the end of 2024 to ensure a smooth transition.

Paddy and Ghosh, who joined W+K in early 2022, played a key role in establishing W+K’s presence in India. Together, they opened the Mumbai office and oversaw both creative and business operations in Mumbai and Delhi.

The company worked on campaigns for brands including Vida from Hero Motocorp, Jindal’s Steel of Oman, Jockey’s Freedom or Nothing, G Shock’s Rise Above the Shocks, Hero Cycles’ Cycle Hero Hai, Clove Dental’s Whistle, and Brownkind skin care, among others.

Despite the work, the decision to wind down operations was driven by the broader global strategy rather than any local performance issues.

In the statement, Paddy expressed mixed emotions about leaving, reflecting on the journey of building W+K India from the ground up. “I’m proud of the brands we brought in and the work we produced,” he said, highlighting the creative freedom the global W+K team afforded him and the Indian team.

The agency’s global leadership explained that the focus is on aligning W+K’s operations with current client needs and future business opportunities, which, at this point, means scaling back in India.

“We are taking a moment to figure out how the Indian market fits into our future,” the agency said, leaving the door open for a possible re-entry into the market.

For the foreseeable future, however, W+K will not be taking on new client opportunities in Delhi or Mumbai.

As W+K streamlines its operations and reduces its workforce, the remaining Delhi employees will report directly to the agency’s global leadership. These employees will focus on critical shared services and supporting global business functions rather than working on local advertising campaigns.

“We are grateful to Paddy, Ayesha, and all the employees in Mumbai and Delhi for their hard work and dedication,” W+K said, noting that the agency is working to ensure a smooth transition for the departing staff as the operations wind down.