Jai Kotecha Named CEO of Grey London
Grey has appointed seasoned industry leader Jai Kotecha as chief executive officer of Grey London. Jai will be responsible for accelerating growth and opportunity for Grey London’s clients, attracting and nurturing the industry’s brightest talent, and ensuring the agency continues delivering 'Famously Effective' ideas that not only shape culture but also drive tangible business outcomes. Kotecha assumes the role on January 15.
Jai joins Grey London at a pivotal moment. Under the creative stewardship of chief creative officer Helen Rhodes and the strategic leadership of chief strategy officer Tarek Sioufi, the agency has built strong new business momentum, expanded its relationship with Haleon as part of a WPP team, and delivered its best performance in nearly a decade at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Jai said, “It is a true privilege to join Grey London at such an exhilarating time. This is an agency that has been driving value for clients for over a century, built on a foundation of incredible talent and a relentless pursuit of groundbreaking creative ideas. I’m eager to build on the agency’s fantastic momentum, working hand-in-hand with our teams to prove what Famously Effective means for modern, enduring brands.”
Helen Rhodes, chief creative officer, Grey London, added, “Jai is a champion of creativity and I’m excited to partner with him as we continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible, delivering the kind of Famously Effective ideas our clients need to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.”
Laurent Ezekiel, global CEO of The Ogilvy Group, highlighted Jai’s unique qualifications, “Jai’s remarkable track record, particularly his proven ability to modernize agency offerings by significantly enhancing their focus on social and influencer marketing, while simultaneously reinforcing the foundational capabilities essential for building enduring brands, makes him an exceptional fit for Grey London. His expertise is precisely what our clients need today. Jai’s journey is also a testament to our commitment to creating opportunities for our high-performing talent across the entire Group.”
Jai brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking perspective to Grey London. Most recently, he served as Ogilvy’s European PR, social and influence lead for WPP OpenX, WPP’s bespoke agency team dedicated to The Coca-Cola Company. His 13-year tenure at Ogilvy has been marked by significant achievements, including a transformative four-year period as CEO of Ogilvy Netherlands. Prior to his role in the Netherlands, Jai successfully built and led the social and influence division at Ogilvy UK, growing it into the fastest-growing unit within the agency. He also played a key role in integrating Social.Lab at Ogilvy UK post-acquisition and helped establish Ogilvy's industry-leading influencer offering. During this period, Jai also held the position of WPP client lead for LEVEL an IAG brand, overseeing an integrated solution across multiple WPP agencies. With over two decades of experience in digital and marcomms across London, Sydney, and Amsterdam, Jai’s career began in events and sponsorship within the finance sector, followed by client-side experience at Telstra in Sydney.
Jai will partner closely with Jason Kahner, global chief client officer for Grey, and Gabriel Schmitt, global chief creative officer, and report to Patou Nuytemans, The Ogilvy Group’s CEO for EMEA.
