'Not going anywhere for 3 years': Shashi Sinha said as IPG Mediabrands India appoints dual leadership
Shashi Sinha had previously told Storyboard18 exclusively on the succession plan, "We have charted out a future and I have said 'there has to be someone from within, you let me know and I am happy to handle the transition'"
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IPG Mediabrands India has set a new leadership structure, naming two executives to jointly helm the company as it prepares for a potential acquisition by global advertising giant Omnicom Group. Shashi Sinha, a veteran of the Indian media industry and the current CEO of IPG Mediabrands India, has been named Executive Chairman. At the same time, Amardeep Singh, the chief executive of Interactive Avenues - IPG’s digital marketing arm, has been appointed CEO of the larger India operation. Amid growing speculation about his retirement, Sinha told Storyboard18 that he intends to stay on, stating, "I'm not going anywhere for three years."
On the succession plan, Sinha had previously told Storyboard18 exclusively, "Without getting into names, I did speak to our global team and I said, it is for you to decide but this is the way I see it. We have charted out a future and I have said 'there has to be someone from within, you let me know and I am happy to handle the transition'... We have a plan. Whether the plan fructifies or not, depends on how the global environment is."
The dual leadership arrangement, set to remain in place for the next three years, is being framed as a stability-oriented strategy designed to position the agency for long-term growth in an increasingly digital and consolidated marketplace.
Singh, who founded Interactive Avenues and later guided its acquisition by IPG Mediabrands, is credited with scaling the agency more than thirteenfold over the past decade, establishing it as a leader in the digital advertising space.
With a career spanning nearly four decades, Sinha stands as one of Indian advertising’s most enduring figures, having spent the majority of his professional life within the Interpublic Group (IPG) ecosystem. The New York-based holding company, which oversees global networks such as FCB, McCann, and IPG Mediabrands, has been Sinha’s professional home since his early days in the industry. Over the course of 25 years, he rose through the ranks, from leading the media function at FCB Ulka to assuming the role of CEO for all IPG Mediabrands media operations in India in 2013.
Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Sinha is a prominent voice in the broader advertising community. He currently serves as chairman of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) and has previously held leadership roles at several influential industry bodies, including The Advertising Club, the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC), and the Media Research Users Council (MRUC). His active engagement with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) highlight a deep-rooted commitment to the evolution and integrity of the industry.
