Devika is the Chief Operating Officer of WPP and former Global Chief Executive Officer at Ogilvy.
Devika Bulchandani is a world-class marketer who believes that creativity thrives when fueled by data and enabled by technology, resulting in ideas that drive business impact. With experience working with some of the world’s most iconic brands— from Unilever and Verizon to Mastercard, Google, IBM, and others—she possesses a deep understanding of the nuances of different categories and the complexities of global markets. As Global CEO of Ogilvy, Devika empowers inclusive, high-performing teams across 125 offices in 90 countries to deliver exceptional results for some of the world’s most recognized brands. These teams provide a diverse range of services, from advertising and PR to social influence, consulting, customer experience, and health. This integrated approach has led to Ogilvy being recognized as the leading global agency network, becoming the first network to top WARC’s Creative 100 and Effective 100 ranking in consecutive years (2023, 2024).
Under Devika’s leadership, Ogilvy has consistently been honored as Network of the Year at prestigious industry award shows, including Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the Clio Awards, D&AD, and the London International Awards. The agency has also been recognized for its innovation by Fast Company and was named Global Network of the Year by leading industry publications including Adweek, Ad Age, and Campaign. In 2024, Ogilvy PR also earned Global PR Network of the Year at the London International Awards and Creative PR Agency of the Year by PRovoke.
Devika’s work demonstrates a powerful commitment to both societal impact and effective brand building. A prime example is Powerade’s “Athletes Code,” a contractual provision extending the “Pause is Power” platform, allowing athletes to prioritize their well-being without jeopardizing sponsorships. Ogilvy’s ongoing collaboration with Dove focuses on boosting young people’s body confidence and self-esteem while combatting race-based hair discrimination through the CROWN Act. The agency’s transformative “Morning After Island” initiative was instrumental in overturning a 2009 Honduran decree banning emergency contraception. Earlier in her career, Devika played a key role in the iconic “Fearless Girl” campaign, advocating for greater female representation on corporate boards. She also spearheaded the 2019 launch of Mastercard’s groundbreaking “True Name” product, empowering transgender and non-binary individuals to display their chosen names on their cards.
Her achievements have been widely recognized by organizations within and outside the industry. The New York Women in Communication (NYWIC) has recognized Devika in as an honoree at the 2022 Matrix Awards, which honors women who are making a difference, building community, and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in their field. She has been named a NY Power Women by Moves Magazine (2020); US Advertising Agency Head of the Year (2019) by Campaign Magazine; Working Mother of the Year (2017) by She Runs It; and an ADCOLOR Innovator. She has won multiple 4As Jay Chiat Awards for Strategic Planning. She has also been honored by the National Breast Cancer Coalition for her work to raise awareness for the organization.
Born in India, she received her bachelor’s degree in English and Psychology at St. Xavier’s in Mumbai before going on to receive her master’s in Communications at the University of Southern California. Devika and her husband live in New York City with their son and daughter, whom they are raising to be enlightened individuals unafraid to change the world for the better.
