Madison Media has appointed Ajit Varghese, an experienced and pedigreed true blue media professional who cut his teeth in media planning in the early years at Madison; as Partner and Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH.
Varghese, over his 3 decade experience in Media in India and abroad brings a unique blend of creative strategy and commercial acumen. He started his early career in media planning at Madison Media, where he was COO of Madison Media Infinity for seven years, followed by 13 years at GroupM, 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 and 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.
Also read: Ajit Varghese Quits JioStar; Mahesh Shetty Takes Over As Head Of Revenue, Entertainment
Before joining JioStar, Varghese served as EVP, Head of Network – Ad Sales at The Walt Disney Company, from January 2023 to December 2024.
Between December 2020 and December 2022, he worked with ShareChat and Moj as Chief Commercial Officer.
Prior to that, Varghese was associated with WPP for over 13 years, between November 2006 and February 2020, transitioning through various roles including, Managing Director – South Asia, Maxus; CEO – Asia Pacific, Maxus; Global President, Wavemaker.
Sam Balsara, 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”
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.”
Balsara further added, “Vikram Sakhuja will continue in the role of Executive Director, working on building Organisation capability, based in New Delhi.”
