Mumbai: Ogilvy India (South) has announced changes in its creative leadership with chief creative officers (CCOs) Kiran Anthony and Mahesh Gharat having put in their papers and deciding to move on from the agency. Gharat will be moving into a full-time direction and Anthony will continue to lead Vi in a consultant’s role while he also pursues directing, said the agency in a statement.

The agency also announced its new creative leadership in Bengaluru, and across the South markets. Puneet Kapoor will join Ogilvy in March 2022 as Ogilvy India (South) chief creative officer, and will work with Ogilvy India's chief creative officers and the president of Ogilvy India (South). Prior to this, Kapoor was with Lowe Bengaluru, where he was regional creative officer.

“Kiran Anthony and Mahesh Gharat have led some of the most memorable campaigns this industry has seen. They have won critical pitches, built terrific teams, and put Ogilvy on the world stage more than once," said Ogilvy India chief creative officers Kainaz Karmakar, Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Sukesh Nayak about the creative duo. "Having contributed a great deal to Ogilvy, they now want to go after their dream of becoming film directors. This means we still get to keep them close, just in a different role.”

Kapoor’s advertising career spans 24 years across Lowe, Ogilvy, McCann, BBH and as a founder of Eleven Brandworks. His most celebrated recent work includes campaigns for Unacademy, Swiggy, Fastrack, Titan, Myntra, Udaan, Xiaomi, Redbus, Flipkart, Cleartrip, Britannia, ITC Foods and TVS.  

“I salute and thank Mahesh Gharat and Kiran Anthony for their stellar contribution to Ogilvy for a very long time," commented Ogilvy chairman global creative and executive chairman India Piyush Pandey. "It’s never easy to see your bright stars leave. However, when they step out to actualise their dreams, you can only cheerlead and wish them fulfilment in what they have chosen as their next journey and destination.”