KV Sridhar quits Leo Burnett

His last day with the agency will be on May 4.

Pops has been with the agency for 17 years. Overall, he has over 30 years of work experience in the advertising industry.

He says he has decided to take a break to "re-invent, re-discover and re-dedicate" himself and pursue "other interests."

Says Pops, "It has been a purposeful journey for me at Leo Burnett, growing with and having a chance to play a key role in shaping the agency's creative prowess. I have had the opportunity to work with and get to be friends with some of the brightest creative minds in the world, work on some of the most exciting campaigns, with some of the most amazing clients. I wish Saurabh (Varma) and Leo Burnett great success."

Saurabh Varma, chief executive officer, Leo Burnett Group India, says, "Pops has always been a young man at heart and once again his nomadic spirit has led him to look at things afresh and follow his heart to pursue new adventures. We want to thank him for his tremendous contribution over the years, building Leo Burnett India into the creative powerhouse it is today. The agency and I will continue to build on the creative trajectory he has set."

Pops, who started out as a Bollywood film billboard painter, has indeed come a long way. The press release shared by the agency sums up his contribution to Burnett as follows:

"Over the years, he helped the agency gain recognition at international awards shows including Cannes Lions, New York Festival, and local Indian awards. Under his creative leadership, Leo Burnett India went on to win agency of the year in the Leo Burnett global network, twice. He also led the agency to be ranked by Creativity magazine to be among the top 20 creative agencies in the world. Sridhar has also represented the agency on many Indian and International award juries."

Recently, Pops was in the news for joining the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).