Kumar Awanish has been elevated to Group Chief Operating Officer at Cheil South West Asia (Cheil SWA), in a move aimed at strengthening its leadership structure and accelerating the agency’s next phase of growth.
Transitioning from his previous role as Chief Growth Officer, Awanish will now lead the group’s operational strategy and report to Sungkyoon Kim, President and CEO of Cheil SWA. Based at the agency’s Gurugram headquarters, he will play a key role in shaping the organisation’s future direction and operational transformation.
In his expanded role, Awanish will focus on driving operational excellence and enabling closer collaboration across the network’s agencies. He will also spearhead the company’s transition towards becoming an AI-first organisation, integrating advanced technology and data capabilities with creative expertise to deliver future-ready solutions for clients.
Commenting on the development, Sungkyoon Kim said Kumar Awanish brings the right mix of experience and leadership to guide the organisation through a new phase of AI-led transformation.
Awanish brings over two decades of experience across advertising, marketing and digital ecosystems, having worked at the intersection of technology, data and brand growth. Prior to this elevation, he served as Chief Growth Officer at Cheil India, where he led a team of over 100 specialists and played a key role in building and scaling the agency’s D2C and commerce functions, while also driving growth in its media operations.
Before joining Cheil SWA, he held leadership roles at organisations including Airtel, Snapdeal, Times Internet, GroupM and OPPO, contributing to the development of digital ecosystems and delivering measurable business outcomes.
With this elevation, Cheil SWA aims to further strengthen its operational framework while advancing its journey towards becoming an AI-driven creative and marketing organisation.
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