Anita Kotwani has been promoted to the position of CEO Media, South Asia, at Dentsu India, effective immediately. In her new role, Kotwani will lead all of dentsu’s Media businesses in the South Asian region, including Carat, iProspect, dentsu X, Posterscope, and media investment arm Amplifi. She had previously served as the CEO of Carat India since 2020.
With over two decades of experience in the media industry, Kotwani has managed media for a range of industries including consumer durables, financial services, FMCG, and MNC brands.
Her new role will see her oversee a larger portfolio of businesses and take on more responsibilities for driving growth and success across the South Asian region. The promotion reflects her strong leadership and performance in her previous role and is expected to further strengthen Dentsu’s presence in the media industry.
Rob Gilby, CEO APAC, dentsu, and Interim CEO, India until newly appointed CEO, Harsha Razdan, starts said: “Anita is a well-loved leader who firmly looks to the future, bringing her people with her on the journey and is fearless in her approach to driving new solutions for clients. The media opportunity in India is growing exponentially. Anita’s background, coupled with Harsha’s complimentary experience is building a powerful force in our business to drive growth for our clients in this exciting market.”
Divya Karani, former CEO Media, South Asia will be transitioning off the media business to pursue personal interests.
Rob added, “Over the past 10 years, Divya has successfully scaled our business on a market-beating trajectory, evidenced by dentsu becoming the #1 agency in RECMA 2021. We thank her for her years of dedication and wish her the very best for the future. I am looking forward to the next wave of leadership accelerating the solid foundation Divya has built.”
“I am proud of what I have accomplished with dentsu. Having worked closely with Anita – a valuable member of my leadership team, I know there is no better candidate for me to hand the reins to lead the media business to new heights. While it’s always a bittersweet moment to leave your ‘baby’, it is time for me to move on and pursue new opportunities,” commented Karani.
This announcement closely follows last week’s appointment of Harsha Razdan, dentsu South Asia’s new CEO, as the business continues to strengthen its leadership team in the region.
