Advertising and marketing veteran Jishnu Sen, former president and CEO of Grey India, passed away in the early hours of Sunday after battling an ailment for the past few years. He was based in Bengaluru and leaves behind a legacy that stretched across advertising, retail, marketing and business advisory.
The news of his passing was shared by his cousin, Shubho Sengupta, in a LinkedIn post, where he described Sen as someone who "lived life to the fullest" despite his prolonged illness.
Sen was widely recognised for his leadership at Grey India, where he rose from chief operating officer to president and CEO. During his tenure, he helped strengthen the agency's strategic and creative capabilities, steering the network through a significant phase of growth.
His career extended beyond advertising into marketing and business leadership. He served as chief marketing officer at Big Bazaar before taking on advisory roles with organisations including Bergner India and logistics platform Porter, where he worked on marketing and growth initiatives.
Following the news of his death, industry leaders and former colleagues paid tribute to Sen, remembering him as a charismatic leader, sharp strategist and generous mentor.
Hari Krishnan, managing partner and chief business officer at McCann India, described Sen as a one-of-a-kind personality whose intellect, conviction and presence made him stand out.
"I've not come across too many like him. In fact, there is nobody like him. He could be brilliant one minute with his sharp intellect and opinionated the next. He could walk into any room and command attention with a point of view people wanted to hear," Krishnan wrote in a LinkedIn post, adding that he would deeply miss their conversations and debates.
Siddharth Biswas, founder of Geniefie, said he was shocked by the sudden loss, noting that he had spoken with Sen just days earlier about future projects.
"Beyond his exceptional leadership and marketing brilliance, what I'll remember most was his humility, warmth and ability to inspire everyone around him," Biswas wrote, calling Sen's passing an irreplaceable loss for the industry.
Ajmal Shaikh, founder of Partner Brand Solutions and former executive creative director at Grey India, also offered his condolences, remembering the time they worked together at the agency.
Sen is remembered as a leader whose influence transcended advertising, leaving a lasting impact on colleagues, clients and the many professionals he mentored throughout his career.
