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“Focus on what you can control”: Inside the leadership mindset of WPP Media’s Prasanth Kumar
From sports analogies to lessons from colleagues and family, Prasanth Kumar shares how he leads WPP Media South Asia through disruption while staying grounded. Catch the key highlights of Kumar's exclusive interview with Storyboard18's Editor, Delshad Irani.
WPP Media's Prasanth Kumar
Beyond market strategies and technology bets, Prasanth Kumar reflects on leadership in ways that reveal how he steers WPP Media South Asia through disruption. His philosophy is grounded in focus, accountability and a certain calmness amid volatility.
“What is in your control, you should focus on that. What is not in your control, you should not get distracted,” he said.
That has informed how the company navigated restructuring, rebranding and leadership transitions. “We are fortunate to have a strong team, we are fortunate to have very strong clients, we are fortunate to have very strong partners,” Kumar said. “So we all need to work together," said the WPP Media CEO in an exclusive interview with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani.
Kumar has been consistent in drawing on sports metaphors to make sense of leadership. “So don't play to the gallery. Play for yourself. Play for the match. Teamwork is important. And game winning is a derivative,” he said.
He also places emphasis on collaboration within the broader industry. “At every phase, you need collaboration. But the definition of collaboration changes depending on the phase in which you are,” he said. “The more we collaborate with each other, the better it is.”
On the challenges of consolidation in the agency business, Kumar again leaned on resilience. “The consolidation is part of every industry, right? In media, it is happening, in creative it is happening, in production it is happening, and you will see this happening in every part of the world,” he said. “The important part is, how do you make sure that you are constantly evolving yourself to that consolidation.”
Kumar is candid about what keeps him up at night. “Some movies, binge watching, and then the other part is learning. I want to look at what is happening in other industries. For example, fintech is amazing, the way they are coping up with technology,” he said.
Inspiration, he adds, comes from many directions. “I have many, starting from my bosses, my brothers, my friends, my colleagues, and of course, family. Inspiration is mutual and ongoing. It comes from conversations, feedback and the ability to stay grounded,” he said.
He has learned to value feedback not as criticism but as part of growth. “Sometimes your friends will tell you, don’t fly too high, come down. Sometimes your boss will tell you, you need to speed up. Sometimes your colleagues will tell you, you need to slow down,” he said.
For a leader responsible for steering WPP Media’s growth in one of the world’s most dynamic markets, the guiding principle remains clear: stay grounded, focus on what is controllable and keep learning. “Because when you are focusing on the right things, I think you will sleep peacefully,” Kumar said.
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