In this eighth episode of The Indian AdGeek, we have Rohan Mehta, co-founder and CEO of FCB Kinnect, to trace his personal and professional trajectory—from that serendipitous first spark with advertising to the leap into entrepreneurship back in 2011 and the origins of the name Kinnect.

We chart the agency’s evolution from a bootstrapped startup to India’s largest independent digital powerhouse and unpack the strategic moments that led to the FCB Group India partnership and subsequent acquisition—valued at $36.6 million—revealing why FCB became the perfect collaborator and how global and local synergies have driven “exceptional” growth.

Then we delve into FCB Kinnect’s commitment to being “the most modern marketing partner” through platform-agnostic ideas and the “3 C’s” framework—Creative campaign communication, Content production, and Creator communities—and explore Rohan’s pitch playbook that won marquee clients like SBI. Along the way, you’ll discover how the pitch timeline has compressed from weeks to days, what it takes to balance quick-fire results with patient, strategic creativity (cue the Cannes Lions–winning HDFC Bank campaign), and how FCB Kinnect achieved 38% business growth in 2024 using AI-powered tools, in-house studios, and performance marketing hubs.

Rohan also shares his vision for the next five years, defining what “number one” really means for revenue, creative excellence, services, and scale. We tackle the burning question of AI in advertising—friend or foe?—and wrap up with hard-won advice for young talent entering the industry. Tune in for candid insights, entrepreneurial wisdom, and a forward-looking roadmap for digital marketing in India.

Vishal Mehra - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@vis⁠hal1mehra⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠