The independent agency announces key leadership elevations across growth, creative, design, technology, media, production and AI as it strengthens its integrated offering.

Thirteen years after establishing itself in Mumbai’s Bandra neighbourhood, AGENCY09 is entering its next chapter with an expanded leadership structure spanning growth, creative, design, technology, media and business operations.

The independent agency marked its 13th anniversary on September 10, 2026, using the occasion to announce a series of leadership elevations across the organisation. The move reflects AGENCY09’s broader ambition to bring strategy, content, technology, design, data and media together to solve business challenges and deliver measurable outcomes for clients.

The agency’s operating philosophy remains anchored in its ‘We Deliver Growth’ proposition, with the latest leadership structure designed to support its next phase of expansion.

Building Leadership From Within

Rather than representing a wholesale change in management, the elevations recognise long-standing members of the AGENCY09 team and give them larger responsibilities across specialised areas of the business.

Speaking about the appointments, Tushar Khakhar, Founder and CEO, AGENCY09, said:

“Each elevated member has helped build & strengthen AGENCY09 all these years. The team is geared up for our next phase, with a common vision to deliver great work.”

At the centre of the expanded structure is Saheb Singh, who takes charge of Growth & Expansion, overseeing new business, strategic partnerships and integrated solutions.

Rakesh Gawas will lead Brand & Design, focusing on brand thinking, positioning and design systems, while Chaitali Rajadhyaksha takes charge of Production, overseeing planning, craft and delivery across formats.

The leadership expansion also brings a stronger focus on the intersection of creativity and technology.

Creative Meets AI

Ketan Shivadekar will lead Creative Direction & AI Labs, driving creative direction while exploring AI-led ideas and workflows.

The elevation reflects a broader transformation taking place across the advertising and communications industry, where generative AI and emerging technologies are increasingly becoming part of creative development, production and campaign workflows.

For agencies, however, technology is increasingly becoming less about adding another capability and more about integrating it into the creative process itself.

At AGENCY09, the AI Labs function places that exploration within the agency’s wider creative ecosystem.

Strengthening Growth and Technology

On the business side, Aniket Sakpal will focus on Growth – Key Accounts, with responsibility for identifying opportunities to deepen existing client relationships.

Shivani Khandelwal will oversee Tech Operations, spanning technology projects, delivery and operational scale, while Shivangi Kothari will drive the agency’s Paid Media business, focusing on strategy, performance and optimisation.

The expanded structure also covers specialist functions across design, collaborations, search and regional operations.

Aditya Jadhav will lead Tactical Design Projects, while Yogendra Vishwakaarma will work across Strategic Collaborations & Projects, handling high-intensity projects and key collaborations.

Search in the Age of AI

One of the more notable appointments sits within the agency’s search and organic discovery capabilities.

Uma Chavan and Chandra Suthar will jointly oversee Keyword & Organic Brand Discovery, focusing on organic growth, search performance, online brand image and discoverability across both traditional and AI-led platforms.

The expanded remit reflects how the concept of search visibility is changing. Brands are no longer competing only for rankings on conventional search engines; they are increasingly seeking visibility across AI-powered discovery environments and new forms of digital information retrieval.

For an agency working across content, technology, design and data, that evolution creates an opportunity to bring traditionally separate capabilities closer together.

A Global Footprint

AGENCY09’s leadership expansion comes alongside its international ambitions.

Mayank Desai continues to oversee Dubai Operations, covering regional delivery, client relationships and business growth as the agency strengthens its presence outside India.

Founded in Bandra in 2013, AGENCY09 has grown into a team of more than 90 members, operating globally and delivering more than 600 projects across four continents.

Its capabilities now span strategy, content, brand and design, technology, media, production, SEO, analytics and activation.

The agency’s international expansion therefore sits alongside an increasingly integrated service offering—one that brings creative and brand thinking together with technology, data and performance.

The Next 13 Years

The latest leadership structure is ultimately a reflection of how AGENCY09 sees its next phase: not simply as an expansion in size, but as a deeper integration of disciplines.

From AI-led creative exploration and organic brand discovery to paid media, technology operations and international growth, the agency is positioning its leadership around the increasingly interconnected nature of modern brand building.

Thirteen years after its beginnings in Bandra, AGENCY09 enters its next chapter with a larger leadership bench and a familiar ambition: to combine ideas with execution and turn creativity into measurable business growth.