Shekhar Banerjee to take over as Ajay Gupte leaves WPP Media

WPP Media has appointed Shekhar Banerjee as President, Client Solutions for South Asia. He takes over the role after Ajay Gupte, who has stepped down after a long and successful tenure with the company.

Shekhar Banerjee has been associated with the WPP Media network since 2018. He began his journey at Wavemaker India as Managing Partner for the western region, where he focused on growing the business, strengthening client relationships, and building flexible, high-performing teams. In 2023, he was elevated to Chief Client Officer for the West, North, and East regions, playing a key role in driving client-first strategies and introducing innovative media solutions.

Ajay Gupte’s exit marks the end of more than ten years of leadership across India and Southeast Asia. Since joining WPP Media in 2011, he made a strong contribution to the company’s growth and helped position Wavemaker as one of India’s leading media agencies.

Known for his strategic approach and collaborative leadership style, Banerjee’s promotion highlights WPP Media’s focus on nurturing internal talent and evolving its services to meet the changing expectations of advertisers and brands.

Commenting on the appointment, Prasanth Kumar, CEO – South Asia, WPP Media, said that Shekhar’s leadership comes at a time when clients are looking for integrated and data-driven solutions that deliver clear business results. He added that Shekhar has consistently led impactful work across both digital and traditional media channels while developing strong talent within the organisation. Kumar also thanked Ajay Gupte for his valuable contribution and wished him success in his future endeavours.

Sharing his thoughts, Shekhar Banerjee said that the combination of creativity, data, and technology is opening up new opportunities at WPP Media. He expressed his excitement about working closely with teams to create solutions that deliver real value for clients and support the company’s next phase of growth. He also thanked clients for their continued trust and partnership.

Reflecting on his time at WPP Media, Ajay Gupte said he is grateful for the opportunities, challenges, and relationships built over 15 years with the organisation. He added that the experiences gained during his journey will continue to inspire him as he moves on to new chapters.