Jitender Dabas is set to exit Cheil X and take charge as Group CEO of Omnicom Advertising India’s BBDO cluster, according to multiple industry sources familiar with the development. Although neither network has made a formal announcement, the leadership shift is understood to be final and part of a wider reorganisation following the global merger between Omnicom Group and Interpublic Group.
In his new role, Dabas will oversee the BBDO Group in India, which brings together three creative agencies BBDO India, FCB Ulka and Mudra Group. The cluster accounts for a substantial portion of Omnicom Advertising India’s creative operations, spanning long-established agency brands, integrated creative capabilities and multi-city networks.
The timing of the move coincides with a period of flux for Omnicom’s Indian business. The Omnicom-IPG merger has prompted leadership realignments and structural recalibration across markets as the networks look to streamline overlapping functions, reconfigure agency portfolios and build more integrated operating models. In India, this has translated into sharper cluster-level leadership and clearer accountability across creative agencies.
Dabas brings nearly 25 years of experience across strategy, creative leadership and network management. He joined Cheil X as CEO in May 2025 after a 14-year tenure at McCann Worldgroup, where he most recently served as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer for India.
Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at JWT, Grey Worldwide and FCB Ulka, giving him exposure across multiple global networks and agency cultures experience that positions him as a cross-network operator rather than a single-agency specialist.