With over 25 years of leadership in marketing and communications, Babita is the Chief Executive Officer of VML India, where she leads a powerhouse of more than 1,400 brand, commerce, and technology professionals across six major cities.

Under her leadership, VML India has delivered globally recognized work, including Coca-Cola’s ‘The Girl Who Played the Tutari’ for Coke Studio Bharat, which won a Silver Lion at Cannes Lions 2025. The campaign, featuring Nilaksha Borhade – the first woman to publicly play the Tutari, a traditional Indian wind instrument – was lauded for its innovative storytelling and bold stand on gender equality. Similarly, The Times of India’s ‘Unplastic India’ initiative earned international acclaim for its creativity and social impact.

Babita’s vision is to shape VML India into a future-focused agency, seamlessly integrated across brand experience, customer experience, and commerce. She has built the agency into a destination for ambitious brands and exceptional talent, driving innovation at the intersection of creativity, culture, and technology.

Her career within WPP’s global network has been equally distinguished. She led the Ford International Market Group, overseeing multi-market operations across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, India, the Middle East, and South Africa. Concurrently, she served as Executive Director at VMLY&R Thailand, where she expanded the agency’s client base and strengthened its strategic capabilities.

Beginning her career as a management trainee at JWT India, Babita went on to lead iconic brands including PepsiCo, Nestlé, Unilever, Kellogg’s, Godrej, Reliance, Kotak Mahindra, and Aditya Birla Group – cementing her reputation as a trusted advisor to leading marketers across industries.

Notable Achievements & Recognition

• Featured speaker on agency innovation and the future of marketing at Goafest 2024 alongside India’s top creative leaders
• Honoured in The Pulse Magazine – Superwomen Edition, celebrating visionary women redefining advertising leadership
• Jury member, Millennial Achievers Awards 2024, recognizing her mentorship and forward-looking leadership
• Chairperson, Grand Jury of Afaqs! Marketers’ Excellence Awards 2025
• Regular voice at forums like Adgully’s CMOs’ Charcha on marketing transformation and cultural evolution
• British Chevening Scholar (2004) – Women & Leadership, UK
• Invited speaker at Harvard Business School and the Women Economic Forum (Geneva)
• Super Mentor, WPP Stella India; Former Global DEI Council Member at Wunderman Thompson

Leadership & Impact

• Champion of Gender Equity: Revived SheHour, an initiative for women professionals to collaborate beyond hierarchy—sharing ideas, networking, and building support systems
• Commitment to Inclusivity: Driving a culture of optimism and productivity through initiatives such as VML Inspire (external thought-leader sessions), Safe Room conversations, and inclusive townhalls
• Youth Empowerment: Introduced a Young EXCO, giving an alternate voice to senior leadership
• Global Leadership Continuity: Continues to lead as Regional Client Lead for Ford International Market Group (APAC, AMEA, ANZ), steering multi-cultural teams towards growth-driven solutions

Babita resides in Mumbai with her family. She’s a firm believer that kindness matters above all and she’s a lover of the forests and the wild and all things green. Babita is also a proud mom to 4 adopted dogs and 5 adopted cats.