Shouvik Roy brings three decades to Grey 82.5 CEO role
Three-decade brand builder Shouvik Roy returns to Grey 82.5 as CEO from December 1, while Kiran Ramamurthy moves to VML India.
Grey 82.5, the challenger agency inside The Ogilvy Group, will have a new chief executive from December 1, 2026. Shouvik Roy returns to the group as CEO, succeeding Kiran Ramamurthy, who becomes CEO of VML India on the same date.
01 · A handover designed for continuity
Ramamurthy led Grey 82.5 through its integration with 82.5 and drove the agency’s transformation and business growth, according to the group. He will work closely with Roy over the coming weeks to keep client partnerships and internal operations steady through the change.
02 · What Roy brings to the role
Roy’s appointment brings a rare mix of network leadership and founder experience. He has spent three decades in brand strategy, marketing transformation and business building, and previously served as president and head of Ogilvy Delhi.
- Worked with more than a dozen brands among the world’s top 100 at Ogilvy Delhi.
- Co-founded an advertising and design agency that created the iconic Paperboat brand.
- Helped build G.O.A.T Brand Labs after his founding years.
In Shouvik Roy, Grey 82.5 gets a leader who perfectly embodies our challenger ethos.
VR Rajesh, CEO of The Ogilvy Group India, said Roy pairs strategic depth with an entrepreneurial mindset and a track record of building beloved brands.
03 · Reading the group’s portfolio play
Grey 82.5 is not a standalone network brand; it sits inside The Ogilvy Group, which runs a portfolio of agency brands that operate independently but can draw on shared expertise when a client needs it. That structure lets the agency pitch like a specialist while delivering integrated capability.
Roy’s entrepreneurial background signals what the group wants Grey 82.5 to be: more founder-led, more nimble, and still large enough to service complex accounts.
04 · What CMOs should do now
If you work with Grey 82.5, ask for a short transition briefing: who owns your account, what changes in the first 90 days, and how the incoming CEO will be involved. If you are evaluating the agency, watch whether Roy’s founder instincts translate into sharper strategy or faster decision-making.
For the wider market, the move is a reminder that leadership changes at agency brands are as much about continuity planning as about the name on the door.
Marketing take
A leadership handover is less about the new chief executive and more about the continuity plan that carries client work through the first 90 days.
Source: Campaign India
