Mumbai: Cheil X, an independent, full-service agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has announced key leadership appointments to strengthen its presence across India’s major markets. The agency has appointed Ritesh Rao as Head of Operations for its Mumbai office and elevated Kanika to Head of the Delhi office, where she previously served as Vice President.
The leadership moves come at a time of strong business momentum for Cheil X, with the agency securing multiple new client wins and expanded mandates over the past few months. The appointments reflect Cheil X’s focus on building a future-ready leadership bench across its Delhi and Mumbai operations.
In his new role, Ritesh Rao will lead business expansion and operational excellence for Cheil X in Mumbai. With over 20 years of experience, Ritesh brings deep expertise across integrated marketing, growth strategy, brand transformation and client leadership. Prior to joining Cheil X, he was CEO of 26FIVE Global Lab and has held leadership roles at Creativeland Asia. His earlier stints include Isobar and Lowe Lintas, with experience spanning FMCG, media, automotive, technology and consumer services brands.
Speaking about his appointment, Ritesh said, “Creativity is the heart of advertising, and creative transformation is about ensuring that the heart beats stronger across every department, platform, format, and consumer touchpoint. I’m excited to join Cheil X at a time when creativity, technology, and culture are converging faster than ever. The agency’s ambition and integrated thinking create a strong opportunity to build work that is both impactful and meaningful for the brands we partner with.”
Kanika, Head of the Delhi office, Cheil X, added, “As India’s leading integrated marketing agency, Cheil’s biggest strength lies in our ability to deliver tech-first solutions across the entire marketing funnel—under one roof. From brand strategy and creative to commerce, experience, and performance, our integrated model enables seamless collaboration and end-to-end problem solving. This is increasingly critical for brands navigating complex business challenges in today’s fast-evolving market.”
Positioned as a new-age, tech-driven creative agency, Cheil X brings together brand strategy, creative, content, influencer marketing, e-commerce and experience design. Backed by data, technology and cultural insight, and strengthened leadership across Delhi and Mumbai, the agency is well placed to scale its full-funnel capabilities and support brands through their next phase of growth.
