BENGALURU — Advertising agency Ulka, part of BBDO Group India, has named Sai Karthik as Senior Vice President & Head of Strategy, South.
In his new role, Karthik will lead strategic planning, drive creative effectiveness, and scale regional business growth across key accounts in Southern India. He will report directly to Saad Khan, Chief Strategy Officer at Ulka.
Career Background and Track Record
Karthik brings over 15 years of industry experience across major network and independent agencies, specializing in brand strategy and market positioning:
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Prior Role at Talented: Joining Ulka from independent agency Talented, Karthik spearheaded notable campaigns including Urban Company’s Dignity of Labour, The Hindu’s Written by Journalists, and Zee5’s Apni Bhasha, Apni Kahaniyan.
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Previous Agency Experience: He previously served as Senior Strategy Planning Director at 82.5 Communications, overseeing strategy for brands such as Himalaya, Costa Coffee, and Unibic. His earlier career includes roles at McCann, Dentsu, M&C Saatchi, and JWT.
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Industry Initiatives: Outside of his agency career, Karthik is the founder of The Hidden Slide, an online community platform for brand strategists, researchers, and planners.
Executive Commentary and Regional Focus
The appointment aligns with Ulka’s broader strategy to strengthen its leadership presence across Southern India’s startup and commercial hubs:
“The South is a crucial market for Ulka and leadership’s bold rebuilding vision is genuinely exciting. There’s a strong appetite to push strategic boundaries under Jeetu’s leadership,” stated Sai Karthik upon his appointment.
Jitender (Jeetu) Dabas, CEO of BBDO Group India, highlighted the regional significance of the hire:
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Regional Expansion: Dabas noted that strong planning leadership in the South is essential to making national and global clients culturally relevant across Southern markets while serving major enterprises headquartered in Bengaluru and Chennai.
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Startup Focus: He added that the appointment strengthens the agency’s positioning to partner with emerging brands in the region’s expanding new-economy ecosystem.
Welcoming the move, M Damodaran, President & Head of Office – Bengaluru, noted that Karthik’s blend of traditional network experience and independent agency background brings a contemporary perspective to Ulka’s client portfolio.
