Kingshuk Mitra, a seasoned leader in India’s media and advertising ecosystem, has announced his exit from JioStar to embark on an entrepreneurial journey.
Announcing his decision on LinkedIn, Mitra wrote that it was “time to turn the page” and “begin something of my own.” He shared that his upcoming venture will explore the convergence of creative and technological innovation, though further details remain under wraps. The post, which quickly drew attention from peers across the media and marketing community, has marked his official transition from corporate leadership to independent entrepreneurship.
Prior to his stint at JioStar, Mitra has held several high-impact leadership roles across major media and advertising companies. At The Walt Disney Company from July 2023 till January 2025, he led ad sales for Disney Sports, overseeing one of India’s largest sports advertising portfolios.
Under his leadership, Disney delivered record-breaking ad revenues for marquee properties like the IPL and ICC World Cup, doubled its advertiser base within a year, and introduced innovative ad formats including AR activations and interactive OTT integrations.
Before Disney, Mitra spent over 16 years at WPP, where he served in multiple senior roles, including COO for APAC at Essence/GroupM from January 2018 till July 2023, Managing Director at Maxus/GroupM Philippines from July 2013 till December 2017, and Client Leader at Maxus India from 2007 till June 2013.
During this tenure, he drove market expansions, managed multi-billion-dollar media spends, and led global initiatives such as “Project Penelope,” GroupM’s large-scale integration effort across APAC. His time at Maxus Philippines saw him transform the agency into one of the fastest-growing media houses in the region, establishing the country’s first-ever Center of Excellence for innovation and R&D.
Earlier in his career, Mitra served as Director at Madison World from January 2006 till August 2007, where he managed key accounts such as Marico, McDonald’s, and Axis Bank, and as Research and Investment Manager at Emami from June 2004 till December 2005, where he established the company’s in-house media function, achieving significant cost savings. He began his career at Mindshare India, part of WPP, as a Business Manager.
