MUMBAI: There’s a new sherpa in the adland Himalayas, and his backpack’s full of strategy, swagger, and serious hardware. Cheil south west Asia has appointed Jitender Dabas—known in industry circles as Jeetu—as CEO of Cheil X, its independent, full-service agency tasked with handling non-Samsung accounts. And in classic Dabas fashion, he’s coming in with more hats than a fashion week runway.
Effective 3 April 2025, Dabas took charge of Cheil X’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai, with an additional group-wide brief as chief strategy officer for Cheil SWA. Translation: he’s now got his fingers in nearly every pie under the Cheil umbrella, from digital media and influencer marketing to content production, retail design and performance-driven campaigns.
Dabas joins from McCann Worldgroup, where he wore the twin hats of COO & CSO for India, while also serving as head of effectiveness for APAC. And yes, that’s a lot of hats—but if anyone can juggle strategy, operations, and creative firepower without breaking a sweat, it’s Jeetu.
"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... There couldn’t have been anyone better than Jeetu to drive this intersection of creativity, strategy, and technology into a new future-focused agency," said Cheil India MD and Cheil SWA president, Carlos Limseob Chung.
With an IIT Delhi pedigree and accolades galore—including the WPP Atticus Award and jury roles at Cannes Lions, WARC, and Effies—Dabas has shaped brand narratives and marketing effectiveness across WPP and IPG for decades. His work has snagged more than 100 awards, from India to international arenas.
Cheil X is no ordinary outfit. It’s the agency group’s creative spearhead beyond the Samsung portfolio, and with Experience Commerce, Cylndr, and Newrx under its wing, it’s a full-blown warship of marketing muscle.
Dabas, never one to play it safe, laid out his vision with characteristic clarity, "I am really excited about leading Cheil X at the pivotal moment in its journey in India. As an industry, we are all acutely aware of the change that is upon us... 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... I’m looking forward to creating something future-facing: an agency that doesn’t just keep up with change but leads it."
With Cheil doubling down on tech-led storytelling, Dabas isn’t just stepping into a role—he’s launching into a full-blown mission. Consider the advertising galaxy officially on notice.
