dentsu has appointed Ajay Gupte as Chief Operating Officer, South Asia, strengthening its leadership team as the company accelerates its transformation and builds a more agile, integrated and future-ready operating model.
In his new role, Gupte will work closely with Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, and the regional leadership team to advance dentsu’s strategic priorities, drive operational excellence and translate the company’s growth ambitions into execution.
His mandate will include strengthening collaboration across the network, enhancing organisational capabilities and unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth. Gupte will also focus on building more client-centric ways of working and advancing dentsu’s ability to deliver connected solutions across Marketing, Technology and Consulting.
The appointment forms part of dentsu’s broader “Innovating to Impact” vision and its ambition to build an integrated, client-centric and innovation-led growth organisation. By bringing together capabilities across strategy, creativity, media, data and technology, the company aims to deliver measurable business impact for clients in an increasingly AI-powered world.
Gupte brings more than 25 years of experience across media, sales and marketing, having worked across India, Africa and Indonesia. He joins dentsu following his departure from WPP Media, where he served as President – Client Solutions before stepping down from the role at the end of January 2026.
During his nearly 15-year tenure with WPP Media, Gupte held several leadership positions across India and Southeast Asia. He managed operations across multiple markets and played a key role in driving business transformation, strengthening client relationships and accelerating growth.
At dentsu, Gupte is expected to play a pivotal role in strengthening operational excellence and enabling greater collaboration across the organisation. His responsibilities will also include supporting dentsu’s Business to Business to Society (B2B2S) approach, which focuses on creating lasting value for clients, businesses and society.
Working alongside Razdan and the South Asia leadership team, Gupte will help accelerate dentsu’s transformation journey while strengthening the organisation’s ability to respond to evolving client needs and deliver integrated solutions across marketing, technology and consulting.