Cheil X, part of the Cheil SWA group, has appointed Souvik Datta as National Creative Director as part of its effort to strengthen its creative leadership.
Datta will join from McCann Worldgroup, where he’s currently heading the creative for West and previously the North operations for McCann, where he led teams and delivered impactful campaigns for Hero MotoCorp, Nestlé (Maggi), Domino’s, Reckitt, and Asian Paints.
At Cheil X, he will co-lead the agency’s creative function alongside Amit Nandwani, who continues in his role as the National Creative Director. He will report to Vikash Chemjong, CCO, Cheil SWA Group.
With over 23 years of experience across agencies like McCann, Lowe, TBWA, and Contract, Datta has built a reputation for creative thinking that combines cultural depth with business effectiveness. He’s worked on some of the biggest brands, from Liril, Tanishq, Fastrack, and ICICI Prudential to Maggi, Dettol, Hero, and Asian, across Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata. He’s consistently led work that resonates with both consumers and juries. His campaigns have earned recognition across national and international awards- and, more importantly, have driven brand and business transformation.
Amit Nandwani, who continues in his national leadership role, brings over 22 years of experience across agencies like Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, McCann, and DDB Mudra, having led the creative charge for brands including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Iodex, Star Sports, Philips, and Amazon. He also brings directorial sensibility to his work, having been in charge of over 20 commercials for leading brands.
In a move that reflects Cheil X’s broader evolution, the agency also announced an expanded mandate for Rajit Gupta, who currently leads Cheil X Mumbai creative. Gupta will now also helm the agency’s brand experience and design capabilities across India, integrating spatial, experiential, and environmental design as part of the agency’s solutions ecosystem.
Jitender Dabas, CEO of Cheil X, said, “I’ve worked with Souvik and know just how good he is at steering big brands and businesses. Whether it was Hero, Maggi, Domino’s, Asian Paints, or Reckitt, I have seen the real-world impact his work has had on businesses. He is someone who champions ideas that build brand meaning at scale not just through big TVCs but through ideas that create impact every moment across the consumer journey. I am looking forward to his joining us at this pivotal time for Cheil X”.
“With Souvik and Amit at the helm of our creative function, we’re bringing together two leaders who’ve helped shape iconic campaigns for some of the biggest Indian and global brands. They’ve led large teams, built brands across categories, and bring complementary strengths to the table.”
Vikash Chemjong, CCO, Cheil SWA Group said, “It’s said that great advertising moves people. What’s also true is that great advertising also moves people! And with Jeetu coming in, talent has begun to move steadily towards Cheil X. The first of course being Souvik. And one just has to look at the breadth of his work to understand the creative flair. With him teaming up with our rock-solid Amit Nandwani and expanded role for Rajit Gupta, Cheil X is well on its way to become a force that’ll be difficult to ignore in this new-age advertising landscape”.
Dabas added “We’re building an agency designed to solve business problems through creativity. Our focus is on ideas that impact every moment- ideas that move beyond campaigns to show up consistently across platforms, experiences, and touchpoints. With our new creative teams driving different dimensions of our creative ambition, Cheil X is entering its most exciting chapter yet.”
