GroupM has announced the elevation of Ashwin Padmanabhan as chief operating officer for South Asia.

Based in Gurugram, Padmanabhan will continue to report to Prasanth Kumar, CEO – GroupM South Asia. He was serving as the president-investments, trading and partnerships since October 2022. 

While investments, trading, partnerships, motion and entertainment continue to remain a part of his portfolio, he will now also oversee influencer marketing, content, OOH offering and Nexus. 

Kumar said, “Ashwin’s deep understanding of client requirements and industry ecosystems and his proven track record ensures a seamless alliance across respective domains. He will continue to drive synergies across multiple practices emphasizing simplicity and consolidation to consistently deliver outstanding client work.”

Padmanabhan said, “Clients today are looking for bespoke operating strategies that help transform their businesses and GroupM has always been an architect of new approaches when it comes to its clients. I look forward to working with our teams to drive long-term success for brands, bringing effectiveness and optimization to our services that generate enduring impact.”

In a career spanning over two decades, Padmanabhan has worked with Reliance and Visage Media, among others.