Burning bright: Neha Kapoor rises to executive vice president at Leo Burnett

GURGAON: Some careers simmer. Neha Kapoor’s has been on full boil. The 17-year experienced advertising veteran has just been promoted to executive vice president at Leo Burnett India, capping a near-decade climb through the ranks that’s seen her torch every target in sight.

Kapoor joined Leo in June 2018 as associate vice president. What followed reads like a masterclass in upward mobility: vice president by May 2021, senior vice president by October 2023, and now the executive suite. Seven years and seven months. Four promotions. No smoke without fire.

Her CV suggests a woman who doesn’t believe in burning out. Before Leo, she spent nearly two years as director of brand engagements at DDB Mudra Group, where she presumably set a few brands ablaze. Prior to that, a four-year stint at OgilvyOne Worldwide saw her rise from account director to management supervisor, handling everyone from American Express to Vodafone.

The early days were equally scorching. At McCann Erickson, she helped launch Republic of Chicken and Dabur Junior whilst somehow finding time to wrangle celebrities on television shoots. At ENZ Communication, she cut her teeth on food and beverage brands, proving that even junior account executives can cook up creative solutions.

Kapoor describes herself as “a stickler for timelines and deliveries” who produces “meaningful results” under pressure. One suspects her clients would agree—you don’t rack up 17 years managing India’s leading brands by missing deadlines or melting under stress.

Now ensconced in the executive vice president’s chair, she’s promised to take on “challenging assignments” that add to her professional growth. Given her track record, one rather suspects it’s the assignments that ought to be worried. At Leo Burnett, it seems,  Kapoor has found her perfect match.