After six years as CEO of BBDO India, Suraja Kishore is stepping down, marking the end of a transformative tenure. He joined the Omnicom-owned agency in 2019 and also led teamX India, which handled the Mercedes-Benz account. Speaking to afaqs!, Kishore emphasized that he’s “not moving on, but moving forward,” reflecting his philosophy of growth and evolution.
“I have always chosen people over company. I chose Josy, and we have had a wonderful, intuitive partnership,” he shared. Calling BBDO a culture rather than a company, he described nurturing its “tribe” as deeply fulfilling. Quoting Proust, Kishore hinted at personal reinvention, saying that to gain “new eyes,” one must break away from familiar ground.
During his time at BBDO, the agency earned prestigious accolades, notably the D&AD White Pencil in the Sustained Impact category for Ariel’s Silent Separation film, part of the influential Share The Load campaign—a creative milestone with real societal impact.
Before BBDO, Kishore spent over five years at McCann Erickson (now McCann Worldgroup) and also held roles at Publicis Groupe, Lowe Lintas, and Mudra Communications, building a career that spans over two decades.
His departure coincides with Omnicom’s ongoing acquisition of IPG in several markets. Around the same time, IPG-owned McCann Worldgroup saw its chief strategy officer, Jitender Dabas, move to Cheil X as CEO, marking significant shifts in the Indian advertising landscape.
