From Storytellers to System Builders: What happened to CCOs in Indian Advertising?
The role of the Chief Creative Officer (CCO) in Indian advertising has undergone a dramatic transformation. Once seen as a ceremonial title, the CCO is now at the forefront of strategy, culture, and technology—shaping not just campaigns but entire brand ecosystems.
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In Indian advertising, where once a CCO’s focus was largely limited to television and print campaigns, today’s creative chiefs are tasked with crafting integrated brand experiences across platforms, cultures, and technologies. Among the most prominent names in this space are Prasoon Joshi, CEO & CCO of McCann Worldgroup India; Josy Paul, Chairman & CCO of BBDO India; and Rajdeepak Das, CCO of Publicis Groupe South Asia.
The formal title of CCO is well established C-suite in the Indian advertising landscape, and industry veterans argue that the core responsibilities—leading creative vision, inspiring teams, and driving brand impact—have long existed under different labels.
The origin of creative leadership
According to Prathap Suthan, Managing Partner and CCO at Bang In The Middle, his creative leadership journey began much earlier. Having taken on the role of creative director in the mid-1990s at Mudra Communications, and later as National Creative Director (NCD) at Grey Global Group in 2003, Suthan reflects on the subtle differences between the roles.
“In India, there is hardly any difference between a national creative director and a chief creative officer. But in my view, a CCO is a little bigger than an NCD. You assume a wider responsibility—not just for your agency, but for the industry at large. You become a mentor across the board.”
The rise of the title
Yash Kulshresth, co-founder and CCO at ^atom network, recalls that while the title came later, the responsibilities were always there. During his time at Dentsu Webchutney as a creative director, he was already shaping creative culture, leading pitches, and mentoring teams.
“That’s where I really learnt what it meant to run an agency from the creative front,” he says. “When I started ^atom with Abhik Santara (director & CEO), the responsibilities only grew. The title of CCO was eventually introduced, but the role had existed long before that. So technically, the badge started at ^atom.”
For Kulshresth, being a CCO today means building not just campaigns, but systems and engines that are adaptable, scalable, and rooted in real-time cultural contexts.
Creative leadership in a fragmented, AI-powered landscape
Fifteen years into his advertising career, Kulshresth observes that the expectations from a CCO have fundamentally shifted.
“Earlier, a CCO could be a ‘once-a-year’ presence—showing up for big films or pitches. Today, clients want their CCOs in the trenches—shaping ideas, challenging briefs, and influencing business outcomes.”
This shift has made scalability and adaptability critical. At ^atom, this led to the creation of Aura.ai, the agency’s in-house creative AI arm, designed to scale content without losing storytelling soul.
“AI helps us pitch better, make sharper decks, and find faster solutions,” says Kulshresth. “But it can’t replace instinct or taste. That’s what will always differentiate great creative work.”
The early days: When the CCO title first emerged
Ashish Khazanchi, now Managing Partner at Enormous, officially stepped into the CCO (as NCD) role in 2007 at Publicis Ambience, after over a decade in the industry.
“I always behaved like a CCO—even when I wasn’t officially one,” he reflects.
At Publicis, he led high-profile accounts such as Citibank, Bharti AXA, and Lakmé until 2013. Khazanchi believes the title of CCO has grown to reflect the changing nature of media consumption.
“Back then, there was no Instagram. Twitter was barely considered. Today, the fight for consumer attention is intense. A CCO must understand how attention works across all platforms, even those that didn’t exist before. It’s not just about crafting communication anymore—it’s about managing an attention economy.”
A multifaceted role: From ideas to infrastructure
Rayomand J. Patell, founder-chairman and CCO of Firestarter, sees the CCO role as having expanded far beyond its original boundaries. He previously served as Group CCO at Laqshya Group, and also held CCO roles at Schbang and Idealake.
He says, “Today, the CCO isn't just someone who inspires teams or reviews work. They’re responsible for large-scale organisational changes that foster a culture of creativity—not just within the creative department, but across the organisation.”
Despite the evolution, Patell believes the core client expectation remains the same. He adds, “Clients want a CCO who’s a real partner—someone they can trust, who takes responsibility, and doesn’t just enjoy the perks of the position.”
The AI Paradox: Assistant or Adversary?
The emergence of AI has sparked debate in the creative community. While many see it as an enabling tool, others caution against becoming overly dependent.
“AI is the greatest assistant ever,” says Khazanchi. “It helps agencies visualise better, sell faster, and streamline the mundane. But it won’t generate real breakthroughs. Those still come from human insight,” he adds.
Patell, however, calls today’s AI hype "a metaverse-level bubble" that still has to burst.
He states, “AI has ethical challenges, environmental costs, and the risk of hallucinated outputs. Right now, we’re in a phase of wild optimism. Eventually, we’ll enter consolidation—where only those with real creativity and taste will make something meaningful.”
He adds a real-world perspective, “If I lose my credit card abroad, the last thing I want is a bot. It’s the human experience that builds trust and loyalty. That’s why companies like Apple are valued the way they are.”
The future CCO: Ecosystem builders and cultural catalysts
Kulshresth believes the modern CCO must build ecosystems of attention, not just ad campaigns. He says, “Clients today want more than communication—they want impact. A CCO’s job is to ensure work doesn’t just exist; it must break through noise and earn attention.”
At ^atom, a collaborative, flat hierarchy fuels this vision.
He states, “You can’t know everything anymore. So we’ve created a culture where everyone contributes—planners, coders, producers, even interns. That’s been our biggest advantage.”
What lies ahead: Creativity under time compression
With fragmentation across media and rising client expectations, Khazanchi says time has become the scarcest resource.
He adds, “The time to solve problems is shrinking. That’s the real challenge—not just fragmentation, but time compression. Agencies have to deliver breakthrough work faster than ever.”
He also points out a generational shift: the average age of the CCO has dropped in the last 15 years. But the fundamentals remain.
“No matter how much technology advances, the eternal truths of creativity—insight, craft, and relevance—will never fade.”
As AI continues to reshape the creative industry, the CCO of the future will be part strategist, part technologist, part culture-shaper—and always a creative visionary.
Kulshresth concludes, “No matter how many tools arrive, it’s the people with an eye for what’s beautiful, relevant, and human who’ll be remembered. AI won’t replace CCOs. But the ones who don’t adapt might.”
