New Delhi: Hakuhodo India Group, an integrated marketing solutions company with over 1,700 professionals across 10 group companies, has announced the appointment of Jayanto Banerjee (Banjo) and Naoto Takahashi as Co-Managing Directors, marking a new phase in the company’s leadership evolution.
The dual-leadership structure succeeds the tenure of Kosuke Kataoka, who returns to Hakuhodo Japan after 16 years in India to take on new global responsibilities.
Under the new structure, Jayanto Banerjee will focus on strengthening Hakuhodo’s commitment to its Sei-katsu-sha philosophy through strong local understanding and human-centric thinking. With more than three decades of experience across India and the Middle East, Banerjee has played a key role in shaping the agency’s strategic capabilities, growth trajectory, and creative output across the India network.
Naoto Takahashi joins the leadership team with extensive expertise in corporate strategy and cross-border business integration developed over several years in Japan. Known for driving innovative approaches to client growth and customer engagement, Takahashi’s appointment reflects Hakuhodo India’s ambition to deepen global-local collaboration and strengthen service delivery for multinational clients.
Together, the two leaders will focus on accelerating business momentum through integrated capabilities spanning strategy, technology, creativity, and talent.
Reflecting on his transition, Kosuke Kataoka, Managing Director, Hakuhodo India, said, “Over the past years, we have strengthened our portfolio, our teams, and our client relationships in India. With Jayanto and Naoto leading the business together, I am confident that Hakuhodo India will continue to grow, innovate, and deliver even greater value to our clients.”
Commenting on the appointment, Jayanto Banerjee, Co-Managing Director, Hakuhodo India, added, “India continues to be one of the most dynamic and fast-evolving markets in the world. Along with Naoto-san, our goal is to sharpen our integrated-services model, deepen our strategic and creative capabilities, and position Hakuhodo India as the preferred partner for growth-driven brands.”
Naoto Takahashi, Co-Managing Director, Hakuhodo India, said, “Blending Hakuhodo’s global insights with India’s local expertise, we will deliver smarter, more connected solutions for our clients. Above all, we are committed to driving client business success, while reinforcing our foundational principles: the ‘Sei-katsu-sha Centric Mindset’ and ‘Partner Approach.’ I’m excited to collaborate with Banjo-san (Jayanto), our exceptional teams, and partners to shape Hakuhodo India’s next growth chapter.”
