Leo India all set to outpace industry growth this year: CEO Amitesh Rao

CEO Amitesh Rao says Leo India will outpace industry growth in revenue and creativity; eyes more global mandates and deeper client partnerships

Leo India, the advertising agency under the Publicis Groupe (formerly known as Leo Burnett India), is expected to outstrip the average industry growth by a significant margin this year.  

“We are 100 per cent going to outstrip the average industry growth by a significant margin, both in terms of the scale of revenue and in terms of the calibre of work and the talent that is producing this work,” Amitesh Rao, chief executive officer, Leo South Asia told Business Standard in a virtual interaction. 

 

India’s advertising industry is projected to grow at 6.5 per cent in 2025 to reach a market size of ~1.1 trillion by the end of the year, majorly driven by the digital segment, according to the Dentsu e4m Digital Report 2025.

 

In the last 15 months, Leo India is said to have added over 40 clients, according to reports — major brands include Pfizer, Shriram Finance and Nestlé. It has also picked up mandates from various companies in the Middle East and North African (Mena) region, Southeast Asia, China and Europe last year.  

 

Rao added that the firm has increased its scope by extending mandates with existing clients. It is also in talks with several international brands that want to enter or expand in India, as well as national brands, to further expand its client base. 

 

“We found a lot of growth and what we are seeing as a strong opportunity for Indian talent to work globally. I believe that we (India) have a market that has some of the world’s best creative and strategic talent. However, historically, this talent has not been deployed for global work,” Rao said.

 

Apart from Mena, China, Southeast Asia, and Europe, Rao said that there are other global markets that are coming to tap into Leo India’s talent pool to work for their brands. 

 

He further said that India stands out in many ways compared to other markets in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region in terms of the number of consumers and the size at which brands and businesses operate in the country. 

 

“That’s why global holding companies and international brands are paying close attention to India, it is clearly a key market to watch. But some challenges remain, as the strength of the Indian currency is not to our advantage and it impacts the pricing parity from the consumer’s perspective, the brand’s perspective and even in terms of how we pay for talent. While it has huge potential, it also makes it a tough market,” said Rao.