Cheil X appoints Ritesh Rao to lead Mumbai operations, elevates Kanika in Delhi

Cheil X, an independent, full-service agency and part of the Cheil SWA Group, has strengthened its leadership across key markets with the appointment of Ritesh Rao as Head of Operations for its Mumbai office, and the elevation of Kanika to Head of the Delhi office, where she previously served as Vice President.

These leadership moves underline Cheil X’s focus on building a stronger, future-ready leadership bench across Delhi and Mumbai, and come at a time of strong momentum for the agency, marked by multiple new business wins and expanded mandates in recent months.

In his role, Rao will be responsible for driving business expansion and operational excellence for Cheil X in Mumbai. With over two decades of experience, Rao has worked across integrated marketing, growth strategy, brand transformation, and client leadership roles. Most recently, he was CEO of 26FIVE Global Lab, and has previously held leadership position at Creativeland Asia. His other stints include roles at Isobar, and Lowe Lintas. His work spans brands across FMCG, media, automotive, technology, and consumer services.

Rao (pictured left) said: “Creativity is the heart of advertising, and creative transformation is about ensuring that the heart beats stronger across every department, platform, format, and consumer touchpoint. I’m excited to join Cheil X at a time when creativity, technology, and culture are converging faster than ever. The agency’s ambition and integrated thinking create a strong opportunity to build work that is both impactful and meaningful for the brands we partner with.”

Kanika (pictured right), Head of the Delhi office, Cheil X, said: “As India’s leading integrated marketing agency, Cheil’s biggest strength lies in our ability to deliver tech-first solutions across the entire marketing funnel—under one roof. From brand strategy and creative to commerce, experience, and performance, our integrated model enables seamless collaboration and end-to-end problem solving. This is increasingly critical for brands navigating complex business challenges in today’s fast-evolving market.”

Cheil X operates as a new-age, tech-driven creative agency, bringing together brand strategy, creative excellence, content, influencer marketing, e-commerce, and experience design. Powered by data, technology, and cultural insight, and backed by strengthened leadership across Delhi and Mumbai, Cheil X is well positioned to scale its full-funnel capabilities and support brands through their next phase of growth.