Babita Baruah

Babita Baruah

Managing Partner at WPP GTB
Gurgaon, India

About me

In my 23rd year in the industry and with WPP, I now lead GTB India as Managing Partner.
I joined HTA ( Wunderman Thompson ) in Kolkata in 1996. Over the years, I took on roles in the agency’s Mumbai and Delhi offices, as well as working with the Wunderman Thompson Unilever team in Bangkok on Sunsilk and Lux.
My portfolio and experience extends across categores in FMCG, Finance, Technology. Besides being part of global agency teams on Nestle, Johnson and Johnson and Radiant & Knorr in Unilever. I have also led the Nokia India agency business, before moving on to setting up a dedicated integrated solutions team for PepsiCo, India, in 2016.
I am very passionate about the intersection of consumer behaviour, culture and technology, leading to creative solutions that shift the needle for the brand and business. Collaboration with WPP and non WPP partners has been key to my business relationships. I believe in the power of influence of the communication industry towards a purposive future.
In 2004, I was one of the 12 Indian women to be selected for the prestigious British Chevening scholarship in the U.K, on Women and Leadership. In 2016, I was invited to Harvard Business School as a speaker on Trends in India Marketing, in the India Conference.
I am driven by diversity, mentoring young professionals, engagement with management institutes, initiatives for making the workplace culture conducive to inspired talent and strong partnerships. Along with my team, I have initiated programmes like SheHour and SheTime to connect and empower women at work in the workplace.
I live in Gurgaon with my husband Bobo Dutta and my fourteen year old daughter, Joya.

Positions

Managing Partner
GTB
India
March 2017 - Present (7 years 9 months)
WPP GTB, Global Team Blue, partners Ford globally. We believe in making what matters, for people and for business.
I currently head the GTB India office.

At GTB, we deliver true ’integration’ within the speed, diversity and potential of modern communications - bringing together best of breed data, media, advertising, technology and pioneering creative solutions under one roof in multiple markets worldwide and as part of the WPP Group.

I am focussed on Business transformation. The heart of transformation lies in Culture X Tech x Brand. Pioneering Solutions versus Creative assets. The Right talent mix, New harvesting grounds, Motivation Drivers at the work place, Organisation Culture, Mobility of talent and experience are key to building brand and business.
Managing Partner
Gurgaon, India
1996 - 2017 (21 years)
I started off my career with JWT, Kolkatta, on December 2, 1996. Now Wunderman Thompson. I worked in three cities- Kolkata, Mumbai, Delhi, with an extensive portfolio - Unilever, Godrej brands, Kotak brands, Aditya Birla Capital, Kingfisher Airlines, Diageo, Kelloggs, Wills, Bata, Emami, World Gold Council, De Beers, Nokia, Nestle, PepsiCo.

I also worked as part of the regional and global JWT teams on Unilever.

My last stint at JWT was as Managing Partner of Power Of One, a dedicated unit set up for PepsiCo. I led the process of setting this up as a client centric unit, to bring the best of WPP together.

Education

Master of Business Administration in Marketing

1993 - 1995 (2 years)
I was part of the editorial team for the annual publication, and also the placement cell.

Similar Talent

Thomas Heinz
Managing Partner
David+Martin
Olle Victorin
Managing partner
Forsman & Bodenfors
Paul Munce
Managing Partner
MBA
Michael Burns
Managing Partner
Burns Group
Russell Barrett
Managing Partner
BBH, Mumbai
Pam Hügli
Managing Partner
Serviceplan Group
Grégory Duquesne
Managing Partner
Red Guy
Hugh Treacy
Managing Partner
isobel

Create a free Talent profile and become a member of AdForum

Get Started