WPP has confirmed Hephzibah Pathak as CEO of WPP Creative India, amid its Elevate28 restructuring programme.
Leadership landscape and workforce diversity
WPP continues to focus on increasing female representation in leadership positions globally. On the WPP board, women hold key executive roles including Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Senior Independent Director.
Key women leaders at WPP
Cindy Rose, who became CEO in 2024, leads WPP through its transition via the Elevate28 strategy. Her background in technology from nearly a decade at Microsoft informs her leadership as the agency shifts to a unified, integrated model.
Hephzibah Pathak takes on the WPP Creative India CEO role after a long tenure at Ogilvy, where she spearheaded talent initiatives like the JUNO programme and Leadership Dialogues, and served on industry juries and councils.
Babita Baruah, now CEO of VML India, has risen through roles at Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R over two decades, bringing cultural leadership informed by her specialization in Women and Leadership Management.
Deepshikha Dharmaraj leads Burson Group India, anchoring her leadership in three decades of experience across PR and integrated communications, and holding roles in the Public Affairs Forum of India and Global Women in Public Relations.
Devika Bulchandani serves as WPP’s Chief Operating Officer, having previously led Ogilvy as Global CEO. Under her leadership, Ogilvy was recognised for creativity and effectiveness in the agency network.
Kainaz Karmakar, Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy India, is known for campaigns that have achieved commercial success and cultural impact.
Upali Nag Kumar heads Strategy for WPP Media South Asia, bringing insights-driven leadership across a consequential regional market.
Priti Murthy, President of Client Solutions for WPP Media South Asia, brings two decades of experience in consulting and advertising, positioned at the intersection of organizational change.
Analysis
This gathering of leadership roles across functions and geographies illustrates WPP’s deliberate elevation of women in strategic positions during the Elevate28 transformation. Female representation at both global and regional levels suggests a commitment to gender diversity, though pay gap data signals that senior operational roles remain less accessible, an issue WPP acknowledges.
The women profiled—spanning creative, strategy, operations and client solutions—demonstrate how leadership depth and professional development intersect across markets. Their backgrounds in talent programs, academic engagement, and long-term organizational leadership reflect a pipeline enriched by both institutional experience and cultural acuity.
Conclusion
WPP’s leadership profile in 2026 is notably shaped by women across its executive, regional, and creative ranks. While the Elevate28 transformation unfolds, the prominence of women at these levels signals both progress in representation and ongoing work toward parity, particularly in the most senior operational roles.