Mumbai: Pinaki Bhattacharya, who most recently served as Chief Strategy and Client Partnerships Officer at VML India, has parted ways with the agency after spending close to 16 years with the network.
Bhattacharya shared the update through a LinkedIn post, revealing that he had stepped down in early February. Reflecting on his long tenure, he described the journey across the agency’s various identity shifts—from JWT to Wunderman Thompson and eventually VML—as a deeply fulfilling chapter in his career.
In his note, Bhattacharya called the stint “a fabulous run” and credited the experience to the many colleagues and leaders he worked alongside over the years. He also expressed gratitude to several senior industry figures and former associates, including Babita Baruah, Audrey Kuah, Rohit Ohri, Jitender Dabas, Bindu Sethi, Tarun Rai and Sanjeev Bhargava, among others.
A seasoned advertising and communications professional, Bhattacharya brings with him nearly three decades of experience in the industry. Prior to taking on his latest role at VML India, he served as Chief Strategy Officer at Wunderman Thompson, before the agency transitioned under the VML brand.
His career began in account management, before he moved into strategic planning in 2000. Since then, he has led brand strategy across a diverse mix of Indian and global clients spanning sectors such as food and beverages, nutrition, automobiles, technology and consumer durables.
Before his long association with the JWT-Wunderman Thompson-VML network, Bhattacharya was also associated with agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Draft FCB Ulka and TBWA.
