Edelman has promoted Bhavna Jagtiani from Chief Operating Officer (COO), India to now serve as the firm’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for India operations.
Kunal Arora, Managing Director for India Digital and APAC Studio Lead, takes on the expanded role of Head of Digital, APAC, now overseeing the firm’s Digital offering across the region.
Both Jagtiani and Arora will continue to report to Rakesh Thukral, Edelman’s CEO for APAC, with the appointments taking immediate effect.
Over her 22-year tenure with Edelman, Jagtiani has grown alongside the firm, having started as an Account Executive to eventually leading integrated teams across India and briefly in Hong Kong. In her most recent role as COO, India, she enhanced operational efficiencies in the market, fostered a strong organisational culture, and strengthened and expanded client mandates, both locally and regionally.
As CEO, Jagtiani will now oversee the business strategy and ensure continued market performance in terms of delivering on strategic growth and deepening client relationships, as well as the further enhancement of the firm’s capabilities to deliver award-winning, impactful solutions for its clients.
As Managing Director, Digital in India for the past 10 years, Arora has built global client offerings in digital crisis management, social media and digital reputation. He has also managed the APAC expansion of Edelman Studio, the firm’s global production capabilities, bolstered by local expertise and AI enablement.
In his new role as Head of Digital for the region, he will partner with leaders across the network to scale the firm’s digital operations, which will include overseeing APAC Studio, deepening the team’s skills and capabilities, and ensuring that digital solutions are embedded across all client offerings.
Rakesh Thukral, Edelman’s CEO for APAC, said, “Bhavna is an undisputed culture champion, having fostered a strong workplace community of collaboration and empowerment. Her leadership in India has been instrumental in driving consistent growth for the market. And Kunal has ensured we continue to integrate the best capabilities and innovation into our offerings, ensuring the firm is equipped to help our clients excel in a constantly changing landscape.”
“Having worked side-by-side with Bhavna and Kunal, I can personally say their commitment and ability to nurture client relationships and talent make them deserving of their new roles, and I look forward to what we will accomplish together next, in their new capacities. Our digital business in Asia and our India business have potential to grow, and I have no doubt that Kunal and Bhavna are the right leaders to partner with our teams and clients to achieve this,” he added.
