KEDAR SHETYE STEPS INTO DIRECTOR ROLE AT WPP MEDIA, STRENGTHENING PERFORMANCE MARKETING LEADERSHIP

Kedar Shetye has been appointed Director – Performance Marketing at WPP Media, Mumbai. With a proven track record across leading digital firms, he will drive ROI-focused strategies, align paid media with growth objectives, and lead teams at scale. His elevation underscores WPP Media’s commitment to advancing performance marketing leadership.  

Kedar Shetye’s appointment as Director – Performance Marketing at WPP Media marks a defining moment in his professional journey and signals a strategic move by the global media powerhouse to sharpen its focus on performance-driven digital marketing. Based in Mumbai, Shetye will be tasked with steering high-impact strategies across platforms, ensuring that paid media execution is closely aligned with business growth objectives, and leading teams to deliver measurable ROI at scale. For WPP Media, this appointment is not just about filling a leadership role; it is about reinforcing its commitment to building a robust performance marketing practice that can meet the evolving demands of clients in a rapidly changing digital ecosystem.  

Performance marketing has emerged as one of the most critical pillars of digital advertising, where accountability, precision, and measurable outcomes define success. In this context, Shetye’s elevation reflects both his proven expertise and WPP Media’s recognition of the need for leaders who can blend creativity with data-driven execution. His career trajectory offers a compelling narrative of consistent growth, adaptability, and impact across diverse organizations and industries.  

Before joining WPP Media in this elevated capacity, Shetye built a formidable track record across some of the most respected names in the digital marketing space. His professional journey spans The Brand Saloon, Performics, Croma, Toothsialigners, Performics India, Ethinos Digital Marketing, and Logicserve Digital (LS Digital Group). At each of these organizations, he demonstrated an ability to not only manage campaigns but also to transform performance marketing into a growth engine. His work has encompassed end-to-end initiatives across platforms such as Google, Meta, Programmatic, and LinkedIn, reflecting his versatility and depth of expertise in handling complex digital ecosystems.  

One of the hallmarks of Shetye’s career has been his ability to take ownership of P&L responsibilities, a skill that underscores his understanding of the business side of marketing beyond campaign execution. By managing profitability and ensuring sustainable growth, he has consistently proven that performance marketing is not just about clicks and conversions but about driving tangible business outcomes. His leadership style has also been defined by a strong emphasis on mentoring and building high-performing teams. In an industry where talent retention and skill development are constant challenges, Shetye’s ability to nurture professionals and create cohesive teams has been a differentiator.  

At WPP Media, Shetye’s role will involve scaling these strengths to a larger canvas. The company’s clients increasingly demand strategies that deliver measurable ROI, and Shetye’s mandate will be to ensure that every rupee spent on paid media translates into meaningful business growth. His experience in conducting audits, restructuring campaigns, and pitching new business successfully positions him to bring both strategic clarity and operational excellence to the role.  

The timing of this appointment is significant. The digital marketing landscape in India and globally is undergoing rapid transformation, with brands seeking sharper accountability from their media investments. Programmatic advertising, AI-driven targeting, and integrated cross-platform strategies are redefining how campaigns are planned and executed. In this environment, WPP Media’s decision to strengthen its leadership in performance marketing reflects a proactive approach to staying ahead of the curve. By appointing Shetye, the company is signaling its intent to not only participate in this transformation but to lead it.  

Shetye’s journey also highlights the evolution of performance marketing as a discipline. From being seen as a tactical function focused on immediate conversions, it has now become a strategic lever for long-term brand growth. His career demonstrates how performance marketing can be elevated into a central business driver, integrating data, creativity, and technology. This perspective will be invaluable as WPP Media continues to expand its offerings and deliver value to clients across sectors.  

Colleagues and industry peers describe Shetye as a professional who combines analytical rigor with creative problem-solving. His ability to interpret data and translate it into actionable insights has often been cited as a key factor in his success. At the same time, his willingness to experiment with new formats, platforms, and strategies has kept him ahead of industry trends. This balance between caution and innovation is likely to define his approach at WPP Media, where he will be expected to deliver both stability and growth.  

For Shetye, the appointment is a culmination of years of dedication to mastering the nuances of digital marketing. Yet, it also represents a new challenge: to scale his expertise to a global media organization and to deliver impact at a level that influences not just campaigns but entire business trajectories. His role will require him to navigate the complexities of diverse client needs, rapidly changing technologies, and the constant demand for innovation.  

As WPP Media strengthens its performance marketing leadership, Shetye’s appointment stands out as a strategic move that blends individual capability with organizational vision. It is a recognition of his past achievements and a bet on his ability to shape the future of digital marketing in India and beyond. In an industry where leadership is often defined by the ability to adapt and innovate, Shetye’s journey offers a blueprint for success.