Preeti Hoon
Apr 23, 2024

BBDO's Nikhil Mahajan on cultivating growth, clients and creativity

EXCLUSIVE: In his inaugural video chat post-joining BBDO India, Mahajan discusses the firm's entrepreneurial ethos, daily operations, strategies for winning new clients, and the impact of collaborating with Josy Paul on the agency's performance.

Nikhil Mahajan joined BBDO India as the chief growth officer in 2019 to bolster the leadership team. Now, with the challenges of the pandemic behind him, he's propelling the agency forward as the general manager of its Delhi office, focusing on ideation, policies, client servicing, new business acquisitions, and overall agency growth.

Under his leadership, BBDO has achieved a 70% client strike and retention rate in FY2024 and is targeting double-digit growth in FY2025.

In his first candid video chat since his appointment, Mahajan, who marks his fifth year with BBDO India, discusses the company's entrepreneurial spirit, his daily challenges, his approach to securing new clients, and the impact of his collaboration with Josy Paul, the chairman and chief creative officer.

He also emphasises the importance of emotional intelligence over artificial intelligence and how discovery brands are now surpassing destination brands in demand and prestige.

Mahajan brings over two decades of diverse experience from industries such as music, banking, and advertising, with past roles at prominent companies like GE, Standard Chartered Bank, JWT, and Lowe Lintas.

 

Source:
Campaign India

Follow us

Top news, insights and analysis every weekday

Sign up for Campaign Bulletins

Related Articles

Just Published

5 hours ago

Indian research and insights industry reaches INR ...

While analytics continued to be the fastest-growing segment, custom market research grew 8%, showcasing an appetite for specialised services.

6 hours ago

X, Grok and the limits of safe harbour in India

Campaign Explainer: India’s warning over Grok revives advertiser anxieties from 2022, reopening questions of brand safety, platform accountability and Musk-era moderation gaps.

7 hours ago

A marketer’s roadmap to 2026

Mass appeal is not where most brands are focused anymore. Here are five trends that will shape marketing this year.

8 hours ago

WPP Open unveils AI Agent Hub to make 'agency ...

Hub launches with four 'Super Agents'.