Madison Media announced the appointment of Ajit Varghese as Partner and Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH. He succeeds Vikram Sakhuja, who will continue in the role of Executive Director and will be based in New Delhi.
Ajit Varghese is an experienced and pedigreed true-blue media professional who cut his teeth in media planning in the early years at Madison.
Ajit, over his 3-decade experience in Media in India and abroad, brings a unique blend of creative strategy and commercial acumen. He is a passout of Xavier’s Institute of Management, Bhubaneshwar.
He started his early career in media planning at Madison Media, where he was COO of Madison Media Infinity for 7 years, followed by 13 years at Group M, where he was Managing Director, South Asia at Maxus, CEO Asia Pacific at Maxus and Global President of Wavemaker based in London.
He was also the Chief Commercial Officer at ShareChat and, more recently, the Head of Revenue – Entertainment & International at JioStar, the joint venture between Reliance and Disney. At JioStar, he was a key voice shaping the future of TV media, Digital, Connected TV, branded content, and driving brand growth narratives and immersive consumer experiences on the platforms.
Sam Balsara, Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of Madison World and Madison Communications, 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.”
He adds, “Vikram Sakhuja will continue in the role of Executive Director, working on building Organization capability, based in New Delhi.”
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.”
