Leo Burnett appoints Abhimanyu Khedkar, Neetika Aggarwal, and Saurabh Dahiya to its senior leadership team

Leo Burnett Mumbai, part of the Publicis Groupe India, has announced new appointments to its senior leadership team. The agency is poised to leverage its momentum and success, and the leadership team will power the leap forward to the next phase of growth.

The leadership structure is designed for a culture of greater empowerment, agility in decision making, and the capability to drive more of the new age solutions for clients that Leo Burnett has been making a name for itself for. The Leo Burnett Mumbai senior leadership team now comprises Abhimanyu Khedkar elevated as managing partner, Neetika Aggarwal appointed as managing partner, and Saurabh Dahiya as head of strategy.

Abhimanyu Khedkar started his journey with Leo Burnett 8.5 years ago and has now been promoted to managing partner. He has worked on some of the biggest brands in the Burnett portfolio and his work has been recognised at many international and national platforms. His dedication and accomplishments over the years have been instrumental to Leo Burnett’s success and he continues to be an important force in driving the future of the agency.

As managing partner, Neetika Aggarwal joins the Leo Burnett Mumbai team to bolster its partnerships, expertise, and capabilities. In a career spanning over two decades, Neetika has accrued enviable experience working with some of the Indian and global brands including Nestle for its confectionary portfolio, PepsiCo foods, Airtel, TOI, Microsoft, Nokia, LG, IndusInd Bank.

She also led some of the biggest digital interventions for Facebook including the Facebook Thumbstopper and Instagram Love Runs Deep properties. Her last stint before joining Leo Burnett was with VMLY&R. Prior to that she spent a few years with WPP@CP where she was the business and integration lead for Colgate Palmolive, bringing in expertise across ecommerce, CRM and FPD.

Saurabh Dahiya joined us a few months ago as executive director & head of strategy. In just a short span of time he has been indispensable to the agency in sharpening its strategic creativity capability to drive growth & transformation for clients. Saurabh brings over 18 years of experience, with a career spanning the Middle-East, South East Asia & India in brand, digital and customer experience strategy. Saurabh’s knack for harnessing truth & talent to help brands matter in culture, changing contexts and commercial landscapes will add depth and perspective for Leo Burnett’s client partners.

Together Abhimanyu and Neetika will lead Leo Burnett Mumbai on the business front while Saurabh Dahiya will lead and drive the strategic function.

Commenting on the leadership changes, Amitesh Rao, CEO Leo Burnett, South Asia shares, “Leo Burnett Mumbai is one of the top creative agencies in the country today, having seen an incredible run of success in paving the way for new age solutions for its clients. It is also an agency with insatiable ambition and hunger, and the enhanced leadership team is at the vanguard of our future growth and glory. I am delighted to have Abhimanyu, Neetika and Saurabh – with their diverse strategic, corporate and client backgrounds - bring brilliant new perspective to our journey going forward.”