Mumbai: Madison Media has announced the appointment of seasoned media leader Ajit Varghese as Partner and Group CEO – Media & OOH. With over three decades of experience across media agencies, digital platforms, and broadcaster networks, Varghese returns to the agency where his career began, bringing with him a global perspective and strategic expertise.
A Xavier Institute of Management alumnus, Varghese started his media career with Madison Media and served as COO of Madison Media Infinity for seven years. He then spent 13 years at GroupM in leadership roles including Managing Director, South Asia at Maxus, CEO Asia Pacific at Maxus, and Global President at Wavemaker, based in London. More recently, he held senior leadership roles as Chief Commercial Officer at ShareChat and Head of Revenue – Entertainment & International at JioStar, the joint venture between Reliance and Disney.
At JioStar, Varghese played a pivotal role in shaping monetisation across television, digital, and connected TV platforms while driving branded content and immersive consumer experiences.
Welcoming him back to Madison, Sam Balsara, Chairman, Madison World, said, “I am delighted to have Ajit join us back. Ajit has all the credentials to steer an agency like Madison into the future; substantial media agency experience at Madison and Group M, both in India and abroad, then with a digital publisher and finally with Jio Star. Ajit, like Vikram will join us as Partner and CEO with a stake in the business.”
Commenting on his new role, Ajit Varghese said, “Coming back to Madison feels like returning home — but with a fresh purpose and a bigger mission. This is where my media journey began, and it’s where I now hope to help write its next big chapter. The world of media is transforming at lightning speed, and Madison is uniquely poised to lead with its client-first thinking, independent spirit, and deep talent. I’m thrilled to partner with Sam and the entire team to shape the next phase, stay future-ready and platform-powered Madison that delivers innovation, agility, and measurable business outcomes for brands. The ambition is clear: make Madison the most impactful and future-facing agency in the region.”
“Vikram Sakhuja will continue in the role of Executive Director, working on building Organization capability, based in New Delhi,” Balsara added.
Madison Media, India’s largest homegrown media agency, has consistently earned accolades including ‘Media Agency of the Year’ at the e4m Prime Time Awards 2025 (for the 6th time) and ‘Outdoor Media Agency of the Year’ at the e4m NEON OOH Awards 2025 (for the 3rd time). The agency works with marquee brands like Marico, Asian Paints, Titan, TVS, and Godrej, and is part of Madison World—a diversified communication group employing over 1,300 professionals across India.
