GroupM's Vinit Karnik elevated to MD of Content, Entertainment, Sports; Ajay Mehta elevated to head - content, GroupM

GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, today announced it will consolidate its industry leading Content, Sports, and Entertainment offerings to create GroupM Content and Sport. The unified offer will provide GroupM clients with exclusive access to the most scaled and compelling premium content opportunities in the Indian market, enabling marketers to enhance brand engagement through culturally relevant and consumer-centric initiatives.

The combined offering will be led by Vinit Karnik who has been elevated to a new role as Managing Director of Content, Entertainment, and Sports for GroupM India. Vinit will drive a unified strategy, leveraging GroupM’s unique scale, expertise, and technology in Content, Entertainment, and Sports to foster brand love and consumer attention. Vinit will be supported by Ajay Mehta, who previously led Content for Mindshare, and Subhamoy Das who will lead the Content and Sports verticals respectively.

The move is part of GroupM’s ongoing business transformation to accelerate growth and innovation by unifying its teams and capabilities to provide more integrated, agile, and effective solutions for clients.

Prasanth Kumar, CEO - GroupM South Asia, said, “As we are witnessing the interplay and evolution of media ecosystems, this step enables us to build a simple and uniquely compelling capability that allows our clients to combine the best ideas, properties, and partnerships and align their brand objectives with consumer passions and interests."

Kumar added that "with Vinit’s leadership and the strong support of our entertainment, content, and sports teams, we are building a content powerhouse.”

Vinit Karnik, Managing Director - Content and Sports, GroupM India said, “The integration of Content, Entertainment, and Sports allows us to create holistic experiences that will take our clients’ brands to new levels of relevance and consumer engagement." Karnik said that the firm's focus will be on harnessing advanced analytics, with data-driven strategies, innovative content creation, and strategic partnerships to drive engagement and brand value in culturally impactful ways.