40+ ex-NPDI leaders launch Fire The Agency - A new era in marketing begins

In a major shake-up within the marketing services sector, over 40 leaders from a reputed agency have come together to launch Fire The Agency (FTA). This new agency aims to replace the rather outdated agency model with a more result-driven and agile solution.

“We’re not an agency. We’re your marketing operating system,” says Senthil Kumar Hariram, FTA Global’s Founder and former Sr. Vice President - Sales & Marketing at NPDI. “We are not here to replicate the past, we are building a marketing operating system that is fast, tactical and accountable”.

FTA is backed by a core team of ex-CXOs, directors, and digital specialists. With years of experience in the conventional agency-based systems, FTA Global aims to replace inefficiencies with lean, cross-functional pods directly embedded into client workflows and processes.

The biggest differentiator is the Team-as-a-Subscription (TaaS) model. In place of traditional retainers, clients will access custom-built pods that include SEO, content, paid media, analytics, and creative experts, all powered by AI tools and sync-first collaboration.

Speaking on the conventional challenges, Tasneem Calcuttawala, Vice President of Service & Delivery at FTA Global, says: “Traditional agencies slowed everything down - too many handoffs, not enough accountability. You’d lose momentum before you even got started. What we’ve built at FTA Global is different. We have the clarity and autonomy to move fast, solve problems, and actually make an impact where it counts.”

Elaborating further on the importance of collaboration, Yatin Bhasin, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at FTA Global, underlines: “Anyone can shake hands and close a deal - that’s easy. The real work begins after. At FTA Global, we don’t just sell a service and walk away. We stay close, we solve problems, we push for results. That’s how trust is built - not with presentations, but by showing up when it matters.”

Meet the Founder: Senthil Kumar Hariram Senthil Kumar Hariram has built a reputation as one of the sharpest growth strategists in India’s digital marketing scene. From helping NPDI grow from the ground up to $5M+ in ARR, to working with iconic brands like HDFC, TATA Communications, Titan, Apollo, and ESPN - he’s been behind the scenes of some of the country’s biggest digital wins.

“The agency world was full of branding without backbone. Clients wanted clarity. Teams wanted purpose. FTA is my answer to both. We’re not here to consult - we’re here to execute.”