Cheil South West Asia has elevated Kumar Awanish to the role of Group Chief Operating Officer (COO), where he will lead the organisation’s operational strategy and support its next phase of growth.
Previously serving as Chief Growth Officer, Awanish will now report to Sungkyoon Kim, who was recently appointed President and CEO of Cheil SWA. Based out of the agency’s Gurugram office, he will work closely with the leadership team to strengthen the group’s operational framework and drive business performance.
In his expanded role, Awanish will also focus on advancing Cheil SWA’s digital transformation agenda, helping integrate technology, data and creativity more effectively to deliver innovative and future-ready solutions for clients.
Commenting on the appointment, Kim said that Cheil SWA is entering a new phase of transformation shaped by artificial intelligence, and that Awanish’s experience and leadership will be instrumental in guiding the group through this evolving landscape.
With over two decades of experience in advertising and marketing, Awanish has worked across technology-driven marketing, data strategy and brand-led growth initiatives. Prior to his current role, he served as Chief Growth Officer at Cheil India, where he led a team of more than 100 specialists across multiple disciplines.
Over the course of his career, he has held positions at organisations including Airtel, Snapdeal, Times Internet, GroupM and Oppo, gaining experience across both agency and client-side environments.
Reflecting on his new role, Awanish said he looks forward to strengthening AI adoption across the organisation while continuing to combine advanced technology with human creativity. He added that bringing media and creative capabilities closer together will help Cheil SWA remain agile and deliver more integrated, full-funnel impact for its clients.