Happy Birthday Vikram Sakhuja: A career defined by vision and leadership

Sakhuja’s professional journey reflects a consistent record of innovation, leadership, and institution building across some of the world’s most prominent marketing and media organizations

by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 30, 2025 9:21 AM | 3 min read

Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO of Madison Media & OOH, stands as one of the most respected figures in India’s marketing and media landscape. With a career spanning more than three decades, Sakhuja’s professional journey reflects a consistent record of innovation, leadership, and institution building across some of the world’s most prominent marketing and media organizations.

Today marks his birthday, a fitting moment to celebrate a leader who continues to shape the future of Indian advertising and media.

Currently leading Madison Media & OOH, India’s largest independent media agency, Sakhuja has been at the forefront of driving Madison’s growth since 2015. Under his leadership, the agency has strengthened its position through digital transformation, performance-led planning, and expansion across diverse sectors, maintaining Madison’s reputation for independence and client trust in an increasingly consolidated industry.

Before joining Madison, Sakhuja’s career included several high-profile roles at WPP and GroupM, where he played a pivotal role in shaping India’s media ecosystem. As Worldwide CEO of Maxus between 2013 and 2014, he managed a global network operating in more than 50 countries, focusing on strategy, integration, and innovation. In 2014, he took on the role of Global Strategic Development Officer at GroupM in London, overseeing strategic initiatives across global markets.

From 2006 to 2012, Sakhuja served as CEO – South Asia for GroupM, leading agencies such as Mindshare, Maxus, MEC, and Mediacom. His tenure coincided with a period of rapid growth for the Indian advertising industry, and his leadership helped establish GroupM as a dominant force in the region. Earlier, as CEO South Asia and Managing Director of Mindshare, he played a crucial role in the creation and success of Mindshare Fulcrum, which managed the media business for Unilever. Under his guidance, Mindshare was repeatedly named Agency of the Year across multiple Indian award platforms.

Sakhuja’s contributions to the media and marketing industry began much earlier on the brand side. He started his career at Procter & Gamble in 1988, where he managed the company’s centralized media and market research functions. He later joined The Coca-Cola Company in 1996, where he worked on brand management, media, and market research. His tenure at Coca-Cola saw him handle a series of major product launches, including Sprite, Diet Coke, Kinley, Ariel, and Whisper.

In 2000, he joined Star TV (then part of News Corp) as Executive Vice President – Marketing, where he helped set up the company’s marketing division and was involved in launching Star Vijay and Radio City. His work across FMCG, broadcast, and media agency networks gave him a unique perspective on brand-building and audience engagement across sectors.

Throughout his career, Sakhuja has also contributed extensively to industry development through active participation in professional bodies. He has served on boards and committees of ASCI, ABC, RSCI, BARC, and FICCI. Currently, he holds several key positions, including President of The Advertising Club Bombay, Chairman of EFFIES India, Chairman of the IRS Technical Committee, Co-chairman of the IBF-AAAI sub-committee and Member of the BARC Digital Tech Committee.