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“He didn’t just change advertising, he changed people”: Roshan Abbas pays tribute to Piyush Pandey
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Roshan Abbas remembered Piyush Pandey as a mentor, a storyteller, and a man whose warmth and wisdom touched everyone - from spot boys to CEOs.
Abbas, whose company Encompass became part of the Ogilvy family through WPP, recalled working alongside Pandey on several projects, including government and brand campaigns, and of course, cricket.
Roshan Abbas, founder of Kommune and an angel investor, paid an emotional tribute to legendary adman Piyush Pandey, who passed away on October 24. In a reflective LinkedIn post, Abbas described Pandey as “less a colleague, more a mentor” - someone whose presence lit up every room and whose generosity defined an entire generation of advertising professionals.
Recalling their first meeting in Mumbai, Abbas wrote about how Pandey’s booming voice and wit instantly put people at ease. “From the very first meeting, he was a burst of life and laughter. You always left his presence a little wiser and a lot lighter,” Abbas shared.
What stood out most for Abbas was Pandey’s humility and warmth.
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“He noticed everything. Remembered everyone. He knew the secretaries before he knew the bosses. He treated the spot boy with the same affection as the CEO,” Abbas wrote, calling this “his magic - an instinctive human warmth that no award or title could capture.”
Abbas, whose company Encompass became part of the Ogilvy family through WPP, recalled working alongside Pandey on several projects, including government and brand campaigns, and of course, cricket.
“He was a lover of the game, and when the IPL pitch came around, he’d be right there, sleeves rolled up, tossing out ideas like confetti. Karmayudh still echoes in my mind - that unmistakable Pandey genius.”
The post also highlighted Pandey’s philosophy on storytelling. Abbas remembered asking him during a WPP Stream session about the one truth that defines storytelling. Pandey’s response stayed with him forever:
“Most people tell a story. It’s important to share a story. Because when you share it, it belongs to both.”
“That one sentence could define his entire philosophy - generous, inclusive, deeply human,” Abbas reflected.
Among Abbas’s most cherished memories was hosting Pandey during the pandemic, when the veteran adman recalled how the iconic Kuch Khaas Hai Zindagi Mein jingle came to life within 24 hours.
“On screen, Louis Banks played the keys, Shankar sang, and even through the glitchy Zoom, magic flowed. I saw tears in his eyes that day - honest, unfiltered emotion from a man who made the whole country hum his tunes,” Abbas wrote.
A week later, Pandey had called him asking for the video. “Every time we met after, he’d say it was one of his most cherished memories,” Abbas added.
“He never took credit. He only gave it. To have Piyush Sir appreciate a line you wrote felt like being bestowed a Padma Shri. To be like him, that was the benchmark,” Abbas wrote in closing.
Signing off his tribute, Abbas wrote:
“Large-hearted. Fearlessly Indian. Oh Captain, my Captain - may you keep sharing your stories wherever you are. Because you didn’t just change advertising. You changed people.”
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