Hephzibah Pathak to elevate brand presence and drive growth in APAC: Kyoko Matsushita

In an internal memo that underscores India’s centrality to its regional ambitions, WPP Creative APAC CEO Kyoko Matsushita described Hephzibah Pathak as “pivotal in driving our success as APAC,” outlining a clear mandate for the newly appointed India CEO to accelerate growth, deepen integration across agencies, and strengthen the network’s market position. 

The communication, recently, follows the previously reported leadership restructuring within WPP Creative and provides a more granular view of how the company intends to operationalise its ambitions across APAC.

Matsushita framed Pathak’s elevation as a strategic move tied to the network’s broader integration agenda. “Hephzibah (Heps) Pathak has been named WPP Creative CEO, India. She will spearhead efforts to elevate our brand presence and drive growth in this important market,” the memo stated.

Pathak will continue in her role as Executive Chairperson of Ogilvy India, reinforcing continuity even as she takes on the expanded mandate. The memo highlights her “deep commitment to the team and clients she has led so effectively for years,” signalling that her dual role is designed to bridge legacy strengths with future integration.

Integration without dilution

A central theme in the memo is WPP Creative’s attempt to balance scale with specialisation. Matsushita reiterated that the network remains “home to some of WPP’s most celebrated agencies” — including VML, Ogilvy, Burson, AKQA, Grey, Landor and Design Bridge & Partners — and emphasised that these brands will “remain distinct, bringing differentiated craft and brand value to market.”

At the same time, the directive is clear: deepen collaboration and unify capabilities. The memo outlines a goal to “become more connected, and continue to unify our approach, supercharge our agency brands, and foster collaboration across WPP Creative.”

This reflects the broader transformation underway at WPP, where integration and simplification have become central to delivering end-to-end client solutions.

India at the centre of APAC strategy

The memo underscores India’s strategic importance within the APAC growth playbook. Matsushita noted that “strong leadership in our diverse APAC markets is critical to us becoming the trusted growth partner for our clients,” placing Pathak’s appointment within a larger regional framework.

Her immediate focus, according to the memo, will be to work closely with agency leaders to “deliver unparalleled client value, unlocking growth and upholding the distinctiveness and tradition of creative excellence.”

The communication also outlines the broader APAC leadership team, with Matsushita working alongside Bernadette Chan as Chief People Officer and Andy Kochar as Chief Financial Officer.

A networked leadership model in India

WPP Creative’s India structure continues to bring together multiple agency heads across disciplines. The memo reiterates key leadership roles: Babita Baruah at VML, Geet Nazir at Landor, and Anusha Shetty at Grey.

The communications portfolio is led by Deepshikha Dharmaraj, overseeing brands such as Burson Genesis, GCI Health India and Hill & Knowlton India, while Anurag Bhatnagar leads AKQA from Gurugram. Design Bridge & Partners also maintains a presence in the market.

Pathak’s role, therefore, is positioned as one of orchestration — aligning capabilities across agencies rather than replacing existing leadership — a nuance that the memo reinforces through its emphasis on collaboration and connectedness.

‘Chartering a course into the future’

Matsushita’s closing note captures both the ambition and expectation tied to the appointment: “I’m thrilled to have Heps as part of my leadership team as we charter a course into the future with WPP Creative. She will be pivotal in driving our success as APAC.”

The internal memo adds depth to earlier industry commentary around Pathak’s appointment, making it clear that her role is central to WPP Creative’s ambition of building a more integrated, client-centric offering in India—while preserving the distinct strengths of its agency brands.

As execution begins, the success of this approach—integrating without diluting—will likely determine how effectively WPP Creative delivers on its India and broader APAC ambitions.