“Pops” to depart Leo Burnett India after 17 years

The Chief Creative Officer of Leo Burnett India and Subcontinent KV Sridhar is to leave the network. “Pops” as he is known to friends and the industry will leave the agency on May 4th.

Following 17 years of service with Leo Burnett and over 30 years of working in advertising, he has decided to take the leap to reinvent himself and pursue other interests.

Sridhar (left) started as a Bollywood film billboard painter and became the chief creative officer India Sub Continent of Leo Burnett.

Over the years, he helped the agency gain recognition at international awards shows including Cannes Lions, New York Festival, and local Indian awards.

Under his creative leadership, Leo Burnett India went on to win agency of the year in the Leo Burnett global network, twice. He also led the agency to be ranked by Creativity magazine to be among the top 20 creative agencies in the world. Sridhar has also represented the agency on many Indian & International award juries.

“Pops has always been a young man at heart and once again his nomadic spirit has led him to look at things afresh and follow his heart to pursue new adventures. We want to thank him for his tremendous contribution over the years, building Leo Burnett India into the creative powerhouse it is today. The agency and I will continue to build on the creative trajectory he has set,” said Saurabh Varma, Chief Executive Officer, Leo Burnett Group India.


Said Sridhar, “It has been a purposeful journey for me at Leo Burnett, growing with and having a chance to play a key role in shaping the agency’s creative prowess. I have had the opportunity to work with and get to be friends with some of the brightest creative minds in the world, worked on some of the most exciting campaigns with some of the most amazing clients. For now, I would like to take a break to reinvent, rediscover and rededicate myself. I wish Saurabh and Leo Burnett great success.”