RAJESHWARI RAO APPOINTED NATIONAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR AT SCHBANG

Schbang has appointed Rajeshwari Rao as national creative director, marking her return to a leadership role after two years as an independent consultant. With a career spanning McCann, Ogilvy, DDB Mudra, Publicis and Wunderman Thompson, Rao brings extensive creative experience to the agency, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and brand storytelling.  

Schbang has announced the appointment of Rajeshwari Rao as national creative director, a move that signals the agency’s intent to strengthen its creative leadership with seasoned talent. Rao joins after working independently as a creative and brand consultant for two years, a period that allowed her to collaborate across diverse projects and sharpen her strategic and creative lens outside the confines of agency structures.  

Her appointment marks a significant return to the mainstream advertising industry, where she has held senior creative positions across some of the most prominent agencies. Most recently, Rao served as senior vice president and executive creative director at Wunderman Thompson between January 2023 and June 2024. In this role, she was instrumental in shaping campaigns that blended creativity with technology, reflecting the evolving demands of clients in a digital-first marketplace.  

Prior to Wunderman Thompson, Rao was executive creative director at Publicis Worldwide India from April 2019 to June 2022, where she led creative teams on high-profile accounts and contributed to the agency’s reputation for bold, culturally resonant work. Her leadership journey also included a stint as group creative director at DDB Mudra Group from April 2018 to March 2019, further cementing her credentials as a creative leader capable of driving innovation across varied brand portfolios.  

Rao’s longest association was with Ogilvy, where she spent nearly seven years across two stints. She first joined as an art director in 2005 before returning as creative director from 2010 to 2017. Her time at Ogilvy was formative, giving her the opportunity to work on campaigns that defined brand narratives and showcased her ability to balance artistry with strategic thinking.  

Her career began at McCann Worldgroup in 2003 as a junior art director, later progressing to senior art director until 2010. This early foundation provided her with the skills to navigate the creative challenges of a rapidly changing advertising landscape, and her trajectory since then reflects a steady rise through the ranks of India’s leading agencies.  

By appointing Rao, Schbang is investing in a leader whose career spans two decades of creative evolution, from traditional advertising to digital transformation. Her diverse experience across consulting, creative direction and brand strategy positions her to contribute meaningfully to Schbang’s mission of delivering integrated solutions that resonate with audiences and drive business impact.  

Rao’s arrival is expected to bolster Schbang’s creative vision, ensuring the agency continues to push boundaries in storytelling and innovation. Her appointment underscores the importance of experienced leadership in navigating the complexities of modern advertising, where creativity must consistently meet the demands of technology, culture and commerce.