Cheil X has appointed Ritesh Rao as head - operations for its Mumbai office and elevated Kanika to head - Delhi office, where she was previously vice president, as reported earlier.

In his role, Rao will be responsible for driving business expansion and operational excellence for Cheil X in Mumbai. He moves from 26FIVE Global Lab where he was CEO - India Labs.

Kanika joined Cheil in 2023 as vice president and head - operations.

Rao said, “Creativity is the heart of advertising, and creative transformation is about ensuring that the heart beats stronger across every department, platform, format, and consumer touchpoint. I’m excited to join Cheil X at a time when creativity, technology, and culture are converging faster than ever. The agency’s ambition and integrated thinking create a strong opportunity to build work that is both impactful and meaningful for the brands we partner with.”

Kanika said, “As India’s leading integrated marketing agency, Cheil’s biggest strength lies in our ability to deliver tech-first solutions across the entire marketing funnel—under one roof. From brand strategy and creative to commerce, experience, and performance, our integrated model enables seamless collaboration and end-to-end problem solving. This is increasingly critical for brands navigating complex business challenges in today’s fast-evolving market.”

In the past, Rao has worked with Creativeland Asia and Lowe Lintas, while Kanika was associated with McCann WorldGroup, Ogily & Mather, and Fortis Healthcare, among others.