New Delhi: Digitally led integrated marketing and discovery agency Hashtag Orange has appointed industry veteran Shekhar Sharma as Senior Partner–Growth, bolstering its leadership team as it accelerates expansion across premium and digital-first brands.
Sharma brings more than three decades of experience in India’s media and digital advertising ecosystem, with expertise spanning media strategy, digital transformation, programmatic advertising, advertising technology (AdTech) and integrated growth solutions.
In his new role, he will spearhead Hashtag Orange’s media and growth agenda, overseeing media strategy, performance marketing, social platforms and emerging discovery channels. The agency said his mandate will focus on delivering data-driven, ROI-led marketing solutions while strengthening its capabilities across evolving digital ecosystems.
Commenting on the appointment, Mukesh Vij, Founder of Hashtag Orange, said, “The depth of Shekhar’s experience is exactly what makes this move significant. Shekhar is not a routine senior hire; he is one of the more recognised names in Indian media leadership, with a track record of managing large-scale investments for global and Indian conglomerates alike. His understanding of evolving consumer behaviour, digital ecosystems and emerging opportunities aligns strongly with our vision of building future-ready marketing solutions. At Hashtag Orange, he joins at a pivotal moment as we scale our footprint across premium brands in beauty, fashion, food, lifestyle and D2C.”
Before joining Hashtag Orange, Sharma spent several years within WPP’s media network, where he played a pivotal role in consolidating performance marketing and programmatic capabilities across GroupM. He later served as Managing Partner at MediaCom, leading key client portfolios and driving business growth for one of WPP’s flagship media agencies.
Earlier in his career, Sharma held leadership positions at The Times of India and India Today, where he contributed to the organisations’ early digital expansion. He also continues to advise a number of digital-first businesses, particularly in areas such as Connected TV (CTV), creative technology and emerging digital innovation.
Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Sharma said, “Hashtag Orange’s entrepreneurial mindset and AI-integrated approach are what drew me to this opportunity. India is poised to become one of the world’s most dynamic markets for Connected TV and digital advertising, creating significant opportunities for brands to reimagine how they engage with consumers. I look forward to contributing to Hashtag Orange’s next phase of growth by helping brands harness the power of digital transformation, programmatic advertising, influencer ecosystems and connected experiences to drive measurable business outcomes.”
The appointment comes as Hashtag Orange looks to deepen its presence across sectors including beauty, fashion, food, lifestyle and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands, while expanding its integrated media and marketing capabilities.
