Grey India appoints Harsh Kapadia as Chief Creative Officer

Grey today announced the appointment of Harsh Kapadia as chief creative officer (CCO) of Grey India. 

A Mumbai-born creative leader with extensive global experience, Kapadia joins from MRM New York (part of McCann Worldgroup), where he has served as CCO since 2021. He will be based in India and report to Grey’s global chief creative officer, Gabriel Schmitt. 

This strategic hire underscores Grey's commitment to strengthening its creative firepower in the critical Indian market and leveraging his unique blend of local understanding and international best practices. The move to Grey represents a return to the WPP network for Kapadia, who brings valuable experience from his previous tenures at VML and JWT. 

"Bringing together the proven leadership of Anusha Shetty with the creative vision of Harsh, whose experience spans the spectrum from cutting-edge AI-driven technology solutions to time-tested traditional advertising, sets Grey India up for an exciting future,” said Sarah Trombetta, chief executive officer, Grey APAC. “This breadth of worldclass expertise will allow us to craft uniquely effective campaigns that resonate with diverse Indian consumers across all platforms and touchpoints." 

Kapadia will partner with Anusha Shetty, CEO of Grey India, who brings over 25 years of marketing and advertising experience. Together, they will spearhead Grey India's next phase of growth across its Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore studios. 

Gabriel added, "India presents a tremendous opportunity, both culturally and economically. We need to be at the forefront of marketing and communications, creating exceptional work for the remarkable brands we represent there. Kapadia’s experience in New York, London, Melbourne and India, coupled with his deep understanding of the local culture, makes him the ideal leader to drive lasting value for our clients. With Harsh Kapadia and Anusha Shetty at the helm, our clients will gain a significant creative advantage and unparalleled client partnerships. Can’t wait to see the ideas flowing." 

"Harsh's return to India is an extraordinary win for Grey," said Anusha Shetty. "He is a well-known creative force with deep experience across brands and strongly believes in the application of technology to ideas and ideas to technology; we couldn’t have asked for a stronger addition to leadership." 

Kapadia, a Mumbai native, has worked across four continents and has extensive experience in the Indian market. He has led campaigns for global clients such as Google, Reckitt, Motorola, Lego, New Balance, and Diageo.

“I’m thrilled to continue my global journey while returning to WPP and lead Grey India at such a transformative moment. Partnering with Anusha and the exceptional team at Grey, I’m eager to harness the philosophy of Cultural MacGyverism—blending rich local insights with cutting-edge marketing—to create work that drives real business impact,” said Harsh Kapadia.