Taproot Dentsu, the creative agency under the umbrella of dentsu India, has revealed significant leadership adjustments in preparation for the future. Ayesha Ghosh, formerly in charge of the Mumbai office, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and will now oversee both Mumbai and Gurgaon offices. Having been with Taproot Dentsu since December 2015, Ghosh has led a highly successful office, securing crucial new businesses while fostering a culture conducive to creativity.
Joining her in this new phase is Shashank Lanjekar, who has been promoted to Chief Strategy Officer (CSO). In his expanded role, Lanjekar will be responsible for strategic planning across both Taproot Dentsu offices in Mumbai and Gurgaon. His tenure since 2017, primarily heading Planning for the Mumbai office, has been marked by his ability to delve deep and infuse an intuitive touch into campaigns.
Pearl Vas, with the agency since 2018, takes on enhanced responsibilities in Mumbai, advancing to Senior Vice President (SVP), Strategic Planning.
Under the creative leadership of Santosh Padhi, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer (CCO) at Taproot Dentsu, the Mumbai office’s creative team has expanded into four units, each led by a senior creative figure. Neeraj Kanitkar, with nine years at Taproot Dentsu, will be promoted to Executive Creative Director (ECD), overseeing Facebook and other significant brands. Yogesh Rijhwani, with almost five years at the agency, will also be promoted to ECD, having worked on brands such as Aquaguard and Set Wet.
Abhishek Deshwal, joining from Lowe Delhi as ECD, and Purva Ummat, coming from McCann Erickson Delhi as Senior Creative Director (SCD), complete the quartet of senior creative leads.
Abhinav Kaushik, previously Executive Vice President (EVP) on the Honda business, has been promoted to Head of Taproot Dentsu, Gurgaon, while Titus Upputuru remains in charge of creative for the Gurgaon office.
Agnello Dias, Co-Founder and CCO at Taproot Dentsu, will step back further from active work, continuing as a consultant for key brands. His association with dentsu international concludes this month. Santosh Padhi will continue as Co-Founder and CCO, playing a more hands-on role in both Mumbai and Delhi offices.
Despite these changes, Taproot Dentsu maintains its core values of a compact structure, senior involvement, and a focus on authentic work. The agency has actively invested in its India workforce, with the new leadership poised to navigate challenges and create success stories for client brands.
Agnello Dias expressed his satisfaction with the talent at Taproot Dentsu, particularly noting the readiness of Neeraj and Yogesh for their elevated roles.
Santosh Padhi highlighted the agency’s commitment to being future-ready, with a younger average age indicating a positive direction. He emphasized the creative leadership of Neeraj, Yogesh, Abhishek, and Purva, along with the national heads Ayesha and Shashank.
Ayesha Ghosh, the newly appointed CEO, expressed excitement and nervousness about her role, acknowledging the high standards set and challenging business environment. She emphasized the opportunity to work with a talented team and the support of Paddy, Shashank, and others in maintaining Taproot’s high standards.
Shashank Lanjekar, the CSO, sees this as a career-defining opportunity to lead a young team toward impactful work. He emphasized the strategic planning function’s commitment to clarity for creative disruption.
The organizational changes at dentsu international are expected to further enhance Taproot Dentsu’s ability to offer a future-ready, digitally strong approach, positioning the agency for continued success.
