In a rapidly evolving media landscape shaped by data, platforms, and shifting consumer behaviour, these select leaders are redefining how brands connect and grow. From reimagining media strategy to driving innovation across channels, these voices are setting the agenda for what comes next. This curated list of 14 leaders brings together sharp thinkers and decisive operators who have not only adapted to change but actively shaped it—leaving a distinct mark on the business of media through intent and influence.
Tejas Apte
Head of Media and Digital Marketing, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)
Tejas Apte leads Media & Digital at HUL, overseeing end-to-end media strategy, digital acceleration, and consumer data initiatives. With nearly two decades of experience, he began his career at Mindshare before moving to Marico and later joining HUL in 2011. In 2018, he took on a global role in Singapore as Unilever’s Global Media Director. Back in India since 2022, he has shaped award-winning campaigns across Cannes Lions and Effies. He also chairs the Media Forum at the India Society of Advertisers.
Jaikishin Chhaproo
Head, Media & Brand PR at ITC
Jaikishin Chhaproo is Head of Media & Brand PR at ITC Limited, with over 25 years of experience across FMCG, telecom, broadcast, and e-commerce sectors. He has spent close to a decade at ITC, leading integrated media strategy & brand communications. Prior to this, he held senior roles across organisations including HUL, Snapdeal, Godrej and Wipro. An alumnus of The Wharton School, he holds an MBA in Marketing from KJ Somaiya Institute of Management.
Gazal Bajaj
Head - Integrated Media and Experiences lead, Nestlé
Gazal Bajaj is Head - Integrated Media and Experiences Lead at Nestlé, with over 20 years of experience in growth marketing across media, digital, and content strategies. She has worked extensively on data and technology charters to curate integrated marketing plans. Known for her ability to work strategically and collaboratively across departments, she combines big-picture thinking with a pragmatic approach to execution, while driving adoption of new technologies and emerging trends.
Taranjeet Kaur
VP and head of media, digital marketing, brand PR, TCPL
Taranjeet Kaur is Head, Media & Digital Marketing and Brand PR at TCPL India, bringing over two decades of experience across leading agencies and corporates including Nielsen, RKS BBDO, OMD, GSK, Reckitt Benckiser, and Piramal Healthcare. She has worked on more than 40 brands across India and global markets. She has been recognised among India’s Most Influential Digital Leaders (2024) and Digital Power 100 (2020), and is a Cannes Media Lions 2008 winner.
Rajat Brar
Senior Director, Brand Operations, Procter & Gamble (P&G) India
Rajat Brar is Senior Director, Brand Operations at Procter & Gamble (P&G) India, where he leads the media function for the organisation. Since joining P&G in 2010 in Sales, he has built diverse experience across distributor management, modern trade, and sales strategy, working across India as well as the Middle East and Africa. Known for his people-first leadership, he is passionate about mentoring teams. Brar holds an engineering degree from NIT Kurukshetra and an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur.
Pratik Arun Shetty
Vice President, Growth & Marketing, Flipkart
Pratik Arun Shetty is Vice President, Growth & Marketing at Flipkart, where he leads strategic marketing, brand growth, customer engagement, and media planning and buying for the platform. With deep experience in building culturally resonant campaigns and integrated marketing strategies, he has played a key role in shaping Flipkart’s narrative across India. Under his leadership, the company has embraced creator-led commerce, immersive storytelling, and data-driven outreach, including flagship initiatives like The Big Billion Days.
Nikhil Dhar
Deputy General Manager – Media Planning & Investments, Maruti Suzuki India Limited
Nikhil Dhar is Deputy General Manager, Media Planning & Investments at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, with over 16 years of experience across marketing strategy, media planning, consumer insights, and sales operations. Dhar has also played a key role in developing Maruti Suzuki’s data-driven customer engagement and loyalty initiatives, while contributing to market research, brand measurement, and strategic marketing decisions that strengthen customer relationships and support business growth.
Sutithi Basu
Head of Media and Content, Reckitt
Sutithi Basu is an experienced Media Manager currently serving as Head of Media and Content at Reckitt. With a strong background in digital strategy, content, and marketing, she has successfully led media strategies and campaigns across various industries, including automotive, FMCG, and telecom. Previously, Basu held key roles at General Motors, PepsiCo, Microsoft, and GroupM, where they developed and executed comprehensive media plans that significantly enhanced brand visibility and consumer engagement.
Daijiro Nakano
Deputy Managing Director, Sony India
Daijiro Nakano is Deputy Managing Director at Sony India, where he plays a key role in shaping the company’s strategic direction to drive sustainable and profitable growth. Alongside overseeing overall business strategy, he leads Consumer Audio Video Marketing, Brand Activation, and media planning and strategy for India. With nearly three decades at Sony, he has held leadership roles across Japan, Europe, and the Middle East. Nakano holds a degree in Law and Political Science from Keio University, Japan.
Parinita P Singhi
Associate Director - Media and Brand, Groww
Parinita Singhi is a media strategist with over 14 years of experience across fintech, consumer technology, and global agency networks. Currently at Groww, she leads media strategy, planning, and partnerships for key initiatives, building scalable frameworks that deliver both reach and measurable business impact. Prior to this, she led media strategy at Xiaomi India. Her expertise lies in full-funnel planning, cross-channel integration, and aligning media effectiveness with business growth.
Jatin Punamiya
Head Of Media & Digital, L’Oreal India
Jatin Punamiya is Head Of Media & Digital, L’Oreal India, where he oversees media planning, digital marketing and audience data strategy across the company’s portfolio of brands. He joined L’Oréal in 2019 and has since held roles including Senior Manager–Digital (Garnier) and Demand Generation Lead, where he led the e-commerce media mandate. With over a decade of experience in digital and marketing strategy, he has previously worked with FoxyMoron, Reliance Brands, Pocket App and Zee Entertainment Enterprises.
Suman Saha
Head of Media and CRM, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd
Suman Saha is Head of Media & CRM at Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable Pvt. Ltd., where he leads media strategy, planning, and customer engagement initiatives. With over two decades of experience, he began his career at The Media Edge and Carat, before spending a significant tenure at Mindshare, rising to Business Director and leading planning for key clients. He later joined ITC Limited as Lead Technologist, managing media for personal care brands. Saha holds a Master’s degree in Communication Management (Media Planning) from SIMC, Pune.
Ritij Khurana
Associate Director– Marketing, Xiaomi India
Ritij Khurana is Associate Director, Marketing at Xiaomi India, where he leads brand strategy, media planning, and performance marketing for REDMI. He drives integrated marketing initiatives focused on accelerating brand growth and strengthening REDMI’s market positioning in India. Previously, he was Head of Marketing at Uni Cards and held key roles at PhonePe and CRED, leading impactful brand and growth campaigns. Earlier, at OnePlus, he worked across brand strategy, and media planning, contributing to the company’s expansion in consumer electronics while building scalable, insight-driven marketing programs that delivered consistent, measurable outcomes.
Rohit Kapoor
Senior Manager – Marketing, Media & Partnerships, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited
Rohit Kapoor is Senior Manager – Marketing, Media & Partnerships at Mahindra & Mahindra Limited, where he leads media strategy and strategic collaborations. He joined the company in 2023 after serving as Director, Media Planning & Strategy at Publicis Media, after working on integrated planning for brands including Hero MotoCorp. He has held key roles at GroupM and Accenture. Kapoor holds a PGDM in Marketing from IILM and a BCA from NSHM College of Management and Technology.
