Wavemaker’s APAC Chief Sindhuja Rai On Transition & Growth

Ms Rai, you are completing eight months in your role as APAC CEO for an agency. It is not very often that we see marketers joining the ‘other’ side. What triggered the decision for you and why Wavemaker?

I joined Mondelez in 2010 and spent 13 years there, which were full of learning, building connections and understanding the business intricately. Mondelez provided a deep grounding in how an enterprise operates across different parts of the business—supply chain, sales, marketing, finance and more. In marketing, particularly media marketing, we tend to focus solely on that but Mondelez allowed me to delve deeper into how a business runs, from sourcing raw materials to creating delicious products like Cadbury chocolates, which we all grew up enjoying.

When I got the Mondelez opportunity, it was largely due to Chandramouli Venkatesan, who hired me and mentored me over the years. His guidance and the opportunities for regional roles, like moving to Singapore and later managing the consumer experience for APAC and Middle East Africa, were significant growth points. Each role allowed me to learn more about different markets and business practices, ultimately leading to a global role by 2020. This broadened my perspective on how markets like Europe and North America operate differently.

Regarding taking on a new mandate, I have to say meeting Toby Jenner, Wavemaker’s global CEO, was the pivotal point. We connected instantly, and his vision for Wavemaker resonated with me. The role offered a much bigger canvas as the CEO of the region, making me responsible for the entire operation. Wavemaker, within the WPP ecosystem, is a powerhouse, and the opportunity to be part of it was too good to pass up. The leadership role also allowed me to drive people, P&L and product agendas, which was highly attractive.

Moving from focusing on one brand for over a decade to working with multiple brands must have been a significant shift. How has that experience been?

It has been incredibly enriching. At Mondelez, my training was in-depth, focusing on every aspect of the business. Now, I apply those learnings across a breadth of companies, categories and markets. This shift from depth to width has been the biggest upside for me. It allows for continuous learning and creating value across various clients and markets, which is both challenging and exciting.

Let’s speak a bit more on the role of agencies itself. How do you see it change in the complex ecosystem of platforms, ad tech, generative AI and more?

The most important role for agencies is to simplify and integrate the ecosystem for marketers, driving return on investment (ROI) and scaling capabilities. We need to aggregate and optimise resources to provide them with efficient and effective solutions. This helps in creating long-term, sustainable and profitable relationships.

One of the biggest requests from marketers we work with is to simplify and integrate services under one roof. The ecosystem has become highly fragmented and marketers are tired of dealing with multiple stakeholders. They want a team that can deliver diversified capabilities and solutions efficiently. At Wavemaker, we aim to grow our clients’ businesses by leveraging the WPP and GroupM ecosystem to deliver integrated, optimised and scalable solutions.

And what is the role that you see for creative effectiveness in today’s market?

The emergence of new platforms means that brand marketing must continuously evolve. Brands need to show up in ways that add value without being intrusive. Creative effectiveness is about leveraging media and creative content and converging them to drive business conversion. It is about ensuring that every investment drives ROI and business growth. This focus on creative excellence and media efficiency is crucial for any brand’s success.

As per reports, Wavemaker has seen a growth year. Can you elaborate on India’s role in contributing to APAC growth?

India is a fast-growing market with a buoyant overall market sentiment. Ajay (Gupte) and his leadership team have built strong equity for Wavemaker in India, making it a market where many clients want to work with us. The positive sentiment and strong leadership contribute significantly to APAC's growth.

An important theme in Cannes Lions this year has been around inclusivity and diversity. The festival itself has created its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) framework. What are your plans to push DEI forward in Wavemaker?

Driving diversity is essential because it brings different viewpoints to the table. Wavemaker’s global leadership team is quite diverse, and we want to improve representation at all levels. We are focused on creating opportunities for growth, flexible working hours and supporting both men and women with young children through initiatives like Family Day. Additionally, we are working on a program to move talent across markets to build a pipeline for future leaders. This cultural exchange is vital for growth and learning.

Noor Fathima Warsia

BW Reporters A veteran journalist in business and corporate journalism, Noor Fathima Warsia is the Group Editorial Director of India’s oldest business publication, BW Businessworld. In her role, Noor leads the editorial initiatives across BW Businessworld’s flagship product and communities focused on education, startups, healthcare and wellbeing, media & marketing, gaming, HR and legal among others. In a career spanning more than two decades, Noor has led the publishing of the flagship BW Businessworld magazine and its community magazines, guided the online editorial team and led communities such as BW Marketing World apart from working on editorial-led IPs such as BW Most Influential Women, BW India’s Most Sustainable Companies, BW Top 50 Marketers and more.