Himanshu Shekhar steps down from GroupM Southeast Asia as CEO

Throughout his various leadership positions, Himanshu Shekhar partnered with both global and local clients, including Unilever, Nestlé, GSK, Indofood, and Shopee, among others.

By  Storyboard18Jan 7, 2025 1:02 PM
Himanshu Shekhar steps down from GroupM Southeast Asia as CEO
Renowned for his strategic acumen and leadership, Himanshu Shekhar has been instrumental in expanding and strengthening GroupM's footprint across key regional markets, notably Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. (Image: LinkedIn)

In a move that marks the end of a 25-year journey, Himanshu Shekhar, GroupM's CEO for Southeast Asia since May 2023, is stepping down this month, as per reports.

Renowned for his strategic acumen and leadership, Shekhar has been instrumental in expanding and strengthening GroupM's footprint across key regional markets, notably Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Based in Indonesia, Shekhar first joined GroupM through MindShare, where he led the Unilever team in the Indonesian market starting in 2010.

In 2018, he was promoted to CEO of GroupM Indonesia—succeeding Ed Thesiger—and went on to drive data-driven marketing solutions for top global and local brands like Unilever, Nestle, GSK, Indofood, and Shopee.

His responsibilities expanded further in May 2023 when he assumed the role of CEO for the entire Southeast Asia region.

While Shekhar has yet to announce his next move, his departure aligns with a broader leadership reshuffle within GroupM's Asia-Pacific operations, the report adds.

Last year, the company introduced a series of organizational changes aimed at consolidating its regional capabilities and fostering deeper collaboration among its agencies, including Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediaCom.

First Published on Jan 7, 2025 12:35 PM

More from Storyboard18

Brand Makers

WPP's Communications & Corporate Affairs' Director Chris Wade steps down

WPP's Communications & Corporate Affairs' Director Chris Wade steps down

Brand Makers

IndiGo appoints NITI Aayog's former CEO Amitabh Kant as Non-Executive Director

IndiGo appoints NITI Aayog's former CEO Amitabh Kant as Non-Executive Director

Brand Makers

From Virality To Viability: Creators decode the future of content and commerce

From Virality To Viability: Creators decode the future of content and commerce

Brand Makers

‘Didn’t imagine we’d be here’: Darpan Sanghvi of Good Glamm apologizes for unpaid salaries

‘Didn’t imagine we’d be here’: Darpan Sanghvi of Good Glamm apologizes for unpaid salaries

Brand Makers

Bira 91's parent company B9 Beverages restructures its leadership team

Bira 91's parent company B9 Beverages restructures its leadership team

Brand Makers

Liverpool star Diogo Jota dies in Lamborghini crash in Spain, days after his wedding

Liverpool star Diogo Jota dies in Lamborghini crash in Spain, days after his wedding

Brand Makers

The trio of video, social and retail to lead India’s adex growth in 2025: MAGNA

The trio of video, social and retail to lead India’s adex growth in 2025: MAGNA

Brand Makers

Americana Restaurants' Alok Pandey joins Tim Hortons, Middle East as CEO

Americana Restaurants' Alok Pandey joins Tim Hortons, Middle East as CEO