Cog Culture
Website:
cogculture.agency
Job details:
ABOUT COG CULTURE
Cog Culture is not your typical advertising agency. Shocking, we know — most agencies say exactly that, right before pitching a "strategic partnership" that amounts to a retainer, a deck, and a handshake emoji.
But stay with us.
We're an award-winning, full-service marketing communications agency with a decade and a half of experience building brand narratives that actually move people — not just move the goalposts, the timeline, and eventually the blame. What sets us apart isn't the trophy shelf. It's what's running underneath it.
We're AI-native — and we mean that the way a fish means water, not the way a corporation means "digital transformation." Artificial intelligence isn't a tool we picked up; it's the lens through which we think, build, and create. GenAI content workflows, intelligent campaign analytics, automation that earns its keep — at Cog Culture, AI isn't the support act. It's the headliner, the venue, and the one who read the brief.
This is a 0-to-1 opportunity. Not a sales role dressed up in BD clothing. We need someone who can walk into a room, read what's not being said, and walk out with a deal that didn't exist when they walked in — someone who builds pipelines the way we build campaigns: with intent, with intelligence, and with a genuine hunger to close.
The core voice and structure are preserved, but the final paragraph is reoriented around what a BD person does — relationship-building, deal-making, reading rooms — rather than shipping product. The tone stays sharp and self-aware to match the rest of the piece.
ABOUT THE ROLE
We are seeking an exceptional Business Development Lead — Media (Advertising) to spearhead commercial growth for our agency. This is a rare opportunity for a seasoned industry leader with 10– 25 years of deep expertise in media, advertising, and agency business development to drive transformational revenue outcomes, own large-scale client relationships, and shape the agency's longterm growth strategy.
As the BD Lead, you will be the commercial face of the agency — commanding boardroom conversations, forging high-value partnerships, and building a formidable pipeline of integrated media mandates across digital, traditional, and emerging channels. You will lead, mentor, and scale a highperforming BD team, and collaborate directly with the CEO and senior leadership to define market positioning and new revenue streams. "This role is not for someone who manages a funnel — it's for someone who builds markets."
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Business Development & Revenue Leadership
• Own and drive the agency's annual revenue targets across all media and advertising verticals — digital, programmatic, OOH, broadcast, print, and integrated campaigns.
• Define and execute a comprehensive BD strategy aligned with agency growth goals, market trends, and competitive landscape.
• Build and manage a multi-crore pipeline of new business opportunities across sectors including FMCG, BFSI, technology, e-commerce, and B2B enterprises.
• Lead agency-wide pitch strategy — from prospecting and brief response through to final boardlevel presentations and contract closure.
• Identify and pursue white-space opportunities: new geographies, untapped verticals, and emerging media formats.
Senior Client Acquisition & C-Suite Relationship Management
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with CMOs, VPs of Marketing, Brand Directors, and Procurement heads at Fortune 500 and large domestic enterprises.
• Lead high-stakes commercial negotiations, framework agreements, and multi-year retainer mandates.
• Act as the senior-most client escalation point during new business onboarding, ensuring seamless transition to Account and Delivery teams.
• Maintain a personal network of senior brand-side and media-side contacts built over years in the industry.
Media & Advertising Mandate Leadership
• Develop and position tailored, ROI-driven media solutions — spanning brand strategy, performance marketing, content, experiential, and data/analytics services.
• Partner with internal strategy, planning, and creative leaders to craft winning responses for large integrated media pitches.
• Stay ahead of industry shifts in AdTech, programmatic buying, cookieless targeting, CTV, and creator-led media — and translate these into commercially compelling narratives.
• Oversee the pricing, structuring, and contracting of large media mandates in collaboration with finance and legal teams.
Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Lead, mentor, and build a high-performing Business Development and pre-sales team of 5– 15 professionals.
• Define BD team OKRs, performance frameworks, and incentive structures; drive a culture of accountability and ambition.
• Coach and upskill junior BD and account management professionals on consultative selling, media literacy, and agency positioning.
• Collaborate with HR and leadership to attract and retain top commercial talent.
Brand Building & Market Presence
• Represent the agency at premier industry forums — Cannes Lions, Goafest, FICCI Frames, IAA events, and sector-specific summits.
• Contribute to thought leadership through speaking engagements, industry panels, whitepapers, and media interviews.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop credentials, case studies, and competitive positioning materials that elevate the agency's brand.
• Build strategic alliances with media owners, platform partners (Meta, Google, Amazon, etc.), research bodies, and industry associations.
Qualifications & Requirements
Essential
• 8 years + of progressive experience in Business Development, Sales Leadership, or Commercial Growth — with a significant tenure at a leading advertising or media agency.
• Proven track record of originating and closing large, multi-crore integrated media mandates across multiple sectors.
• Deep, demonstrable knowledge of the Indian and/or global advertising and media ecosystem — including agency holding groups, independent shops, media owners, and platforms.
• Established C-suite relationships with senior marketing decision-makers across major brands and enterprises.
• Exceptional commercial acumen: experienced in P&L; ownership, commercial modelling, and revenue forecasting at scale.
• Outstanding communication and executive presence — capable of commanding boardroom pitches, large-scale credentials presentations, and media interviews.
• Strong grasp of digital advertising: programmatic, performance marketing, social, search, influencer/creator, and data-driven media planning.
Preferred
• Experience working across both agency and client (brand) side, providing a 360-degree commercial perspective.
• Exposure to AdTech, MarTech, or SaaS media technology sales environments. • Multi-market or international BD experience across South Asia, SEA, or global markets. • Active participation in industry bodies (IAA, AAAI, ASCI, Exchange4Media, etc.).
• MBA or equivalent postgraduate degree in Business, Marketing, or Media Management — from a reputed institution (preferred but not mandatory for exceptional candidates).
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