Ajay Gupte takes over as CEO as Kartik Sharma exits Wavemaker

Wavemaker has announced the appointment of Ajay Gupte as chief executive officer for South Asia. Gupte replaces Kartik Sharma who has moved out of the organisation.

 

Gupte was COO prior. He will continue to be based in Gurugram and will report to Prasanth Kumar, CEO - GroupM South Asia and Gordon Domlija, president Wavemaker Asia-Pacific and China CEO.

 

Kumar said, “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kartik for his contribution over the years and wish him all the very best. At GroupM we always believe in building on the hard work and passion of our people and it gives me great pleasure to see Ajay take over as the new CEO of Wavemaker South Asia. He comes with vast experience working in multiple markets and categories. He is a well-rounded professional, and I see him bring in distinctive and increasing value for our clients and the overall ecosystem. I am confident that he will continue to grow Wavemaker as an agency of the future.”   

 

Domlija added, “India is a hugely important market for Wavemaker, and we’ve got a very successful team here. I’ve gotten to know Ajay as a strong client and team leader, and I’m convinced he is the right choice to help Wavemaker to future sucess and, ultimately, to keep looking for better ways to unlock growth for our clients, our agency and our people.”

 

Gupte had moved to Wavemaker in India in 2019. He was previously MD at the Indonesia office for the agency.

 

He said, “I am humbled and very excited to take over the role of the CEO of Wavemaker South Asia. It is an exciting time for the Indian market as the Indian advertising industry is also having a global impact, and I see lots of opportunities for growth.”