Meet Babita Baruah, Global Ad Firm VML's Newly Appointed India CEO

Leading international marketing and communications firm VML has appointed Babita Baruah as its Chief Executive Officer for India. She will reportedly take the helm from March 1, 2024, the firm said in a statement released on Thursday. Baruah will be joining VML India with a dual role working across WPP's Ford International Market Group as regional client lead and executive director at VMLY&R Thailand. She will work alongside Saurabh Saksena, who was elevated to the post of President on Thursday.

"It’s an honour to lead a market like India for VML. I look forward to working closely with Audrey, Yi-Chung, Saurabh, and the whole team in India to make sure that we connect creativity, experience, data and technology, to be the preferred destination for India’s ambitious brands and talented individuals," Baruah said, as reported by Financial Express.

Who Is Babita Baruah?

Babita Baruah has over two decades of years of experience in the advertising and marketing industry. She began her career with JWT/Wunderman Thompson India, where she spent close to 20 years leading global and local brands such as PepsiCo, Unilever, Nestlé, Kellogg’s, Godrej, Kotak Mahindra, Reliance and Aditya Birla. 

She then joined the firm GTB, as their managing partner in 2017. Baruah moved to Bangkok in 2021 for a dual capacity role as WPP Lead for the Ford business across six regions and executive director at VMLY&R Thailand. She managed operations for India, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and the Middle East.

Baruah possesses the coveted British Chevening Scholar. She has been a speaker at various forums across the world, including the India Conference at Harvard Business School in 2016. She is also one of the super mentors for WPP Stella India, a women's network that aims to accentuate women's progress in the workplace and address the barriers that come in their way.

Speaking about Baruah's achievement, VML APAC's co-CEO Audrey Kuah, said, “Babita is no stranger to India, and we welcome her home as the new VML India CEO. With her vast experience in delivering innovation and growth for clients and a passion for building a high empathy and performance culture, I look forward to working with Babita to take our India business, already one of the strongest in the region, to new heights in 2024.”