VML India has announced the appointment of Kunal Roy as managing partner – West and growth lead - India, and Shekhar Khanna as chief strategy officer. 

These appointments reinforce the agency’s focus on delivering growth-led, integrated solutions for clients across India and mark a significant step in VML India’s continued expansion. 

Roy was previously CEO, Dentsu Creative, Malaysia till 2024. He is also the co-founder and executive chairman, The Brain Story and founder and CEO, Arth Consulting Partners. 

As for Khanna, prior to VML, he was chief strategy officer, Dentsu Media India. 

At VML India, Roy will lead the Mumbai office and drive growth for VML India in close partnership with CEO, Babita Baruah.  

As for Khanna, he will establish a formidable strategic planning unit with Shubhrojyoti Roy serving as national planning director and BX lead. 

Baruah said, “Kunal and Shekhar join us at an exciting moment for VML India as we expand our capabilities and sharpen our focus on growth-led solutions. Their leadership will play a key role in shaping the next  chapter of our journey and delivering even greater value for our clients.” 

Roy added, "VML India is at an exciting point of inflexion, and I am thrilled to come on board at this  time."

Khanna said, “In a world where brands are navigating constant change, strategy has to do more than simplify — it has to connect.  The real opportunity is to integrate creativity, media, data and culture into a unified thinking system that drives real impact. I’m excited to build that with teams and clients  in India.” 

In a career spanning over 25 years, Roy has also worked with BBDO Worldwide and Ogilvy, among others.