India – Cheil South West Asia (SWA) has appointed Jitender Dabas, widely known as Jeetu, as the new CEO of Cheil X. In addition to this leadership role, he will also take on the responsibilities of group chief strategy officer (CSO) for Cheil SWA.
Cheil X functions as an independent, full-service agency within the Cheil India SWA group, handling a diverse portfolio of accounts beyond Samsung. In his new role, Dabas will oversee Cheil X’s operations in Delhi and Mumbai while also managing the broader network of agencies within the Cheil SWA group.
His responsibilities will include driving creative, strategic, and digital marketing initiatives, along with influencer marketing, technology solutions, content production, retail design, and performance-driven strategies. Additionally, he will provide strategic direction across all Cheil SWA agencies.
Carlos Limseob Chung, managing director of Cheil India and president of Cheil SWA, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Jitender Dabas to the Cheil SWA Group and family. His reputation as a professional and leader precedes him, and his appointment marks a significant milestone as Cheil X enters its next phase of growth and transformation.”
“With our scaling up of our capabilities in digital marketing through Experience Commerce, content production through CYLNDR, retail design & branding through newRx, and digital media and influencer marketing, there couldn’t have been anyone better than Jeetu to drive this intersection of creativity, strategy, and technology into a new future-focused agency,” he added.
Dabas joins Cheil X from McCann Worldgroup, where he served as COO, CSO for India, and head of effectiveness for APAC. An IIT Delhi alumnus, he is a renowned strategic leader in global advertising with a career spanning WPP and IPG. A recipient of the WPP Atticus Award, Dabas has earned over 100 advertising awards and served on prestigious juries, including Cannes Lions and Effies.
Speaking about his appointment, Dabas said, “I am really excited about leading Cheil X at this pivotal moment in its journey in India. As an industry, we are all acutely aware of the change that is upon us. The old models are giving way, and newer models haven’t yet crystallised. And the truth is that disruptive creativity and big brand strategy, only when deployed across the persuasion funnel, will lead to truly impactful outcomes.”
“Cheil is a global leader when it comes to solutions at the intersection of creativity and technology, and I am excited about partnering businesses and brands in India with all the new-age capabilities that Cheil is building in India. I’m looking forward to creating something future-facing: an agency that doesn’t just keep up with change but leads it,” he added.
