MVP Podcast | PK Unplugged: From ‘Ashant’ to Adland Leader – Prasanth Kumar’s story, lessons in leadership, and more

This, episode 126 of the award-winning MVP – The Master’s Voice Podcast from Mediabrief.com, has host Pavan R Chawla speakingwith Prasanth Kumar (PK), CEO of GroupM South Asia. Their chat  (shot at GroupM in Mumbai on 7th March) charts PK’s remarkable journey from a spirited young student to becoming one of India’s most influential media leaders. PK also speaks about the key trends shaping India’s dynamic media and advertising ecosystem, and much more. 

Reflecting on his childhood, PK says he was affectionately dubbed ‘Ashant’ for his mischief in school, yet credits those early years—shaped by his mother (a teacher), his older brother, and close-knit friends—with instilling in him the values of curiosity, effort, discipline, and gratitude. He traces his professional path through early roles at Pepsi, The Hindu, Rediff, and McCann before joining GroupM in 2004, where he’s spent more than two decades contributing to the evolution of India’s media and advertising ecosystem. 

PK  reflects upon values that shaped his life -- from curiosity to gratitude, and how he brought them into his leadership at GroupM. 

We dive into the latest This Year, Next Year (TYNY) 2025 report from GroupM, which forecasts a 7% growth in India's advertising market, with digital contributing nearly 60% of the ₹1.67 lakh crore ad-ex. PK speaks about digital’s rising dominance and how traditional media—including TV, print, and emerging CTV formats—still play a vital role in India's multi-market structure.

On the role of technology, PK shares how AI and Gen AI are transforming marketing through hyper-personalization and data-led decision-making. We also talk about ad fraud and waste, and how GroupM prioritizes integrity and client trust.  He explains GroupM's use of AI tools, education, and ongoing monitoring to combat waste.

Other key themes include the evolution of retail media and commerce-led strategies, GroupM’s commitment to collaborative growth and learning, the importance of values in building resilient leadership.  

PK also reflects on his long-standing pride in being part of GroupM: “Definitely, I walk tall... it's been a fantastic journey and it's (been) a collective effort - whatever we were able to do.”

This is a deep dive into the philosophies, frameworks, and future-forward thinking of India’s respect advertising leader, Prasanth Kumar, CEO, GroupM, South Asia. And the values and vision that continue to power GroupM’s legacy and relevance.  This is Prasanth Kumar - Unplugged! So, a must-listen for ma

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