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Devika Bulchandani Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated September 29, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth1970

Age53

BirthplaceAmritsar, Punjab

ProfessionCorporate Executive

NationalityAmerican

Marital statusMarried

SpouseAshwin Bulchandani

FamilyChildren: Arhaan (son), Anya (daughter); Mother: Pammi Seth; Sister: Priya Seth

Devika Bulchandani Biography

Devika Bulchandani is an Indian-origin corporate leader who in September 2022 became the first woman of Indian origin to be named Global Chief Executive of

Early life and background

Devika Seth Bulchandani was born in Amritsar, Punjab, and spent the first ten years of her childhood there. She attended Welham Girls' School in Dehradun before studying at St. Xavier’s in Mumbai, where she completed a bachelor's degree in English and psychology. She later moved to the United States and earned a master's degree in communications from the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California.

Career

Bulchandani began her advertising career in the mid-1990s. Early roles included work in strategy, and by 1997 she was part of McCann’s strategy department. Over more than two decades at McCann Worldgroup she advanced through leadership positions. From March 2012 to July 2014 she served as EVP and Managing Director of Global Strategy. In July 2014 she took on the presidency of McCannXBC, the unit responsible for Mastercard’s global marketing, and in September 2017 she became President of McCann New York, a role she held until March 2021.

During her time at McCann, Bulchandani led high-profile work for Mastercard, including the widely reported Fearless Girl campaign. That campaign—placing a statue of a young girl on Wall Street—became a notable symbol of workplace gender diversity and earned significant recognition on the global creative festival circuit. She was also involved with Mastercard initiatives such as the Priceless platform and the True Name effort to enable transgender and non-binary cardholders to display their chosen names on their cards.

In March 2021 Bulchandani joined Ogilvy. Over the following year she focused on business strategy and new business development, helping the agency win work from brands including Absolut, Enterprise Holdings, World of Hyatt, TD Bank, and Audi of America. On 9 September 2022 she was appointed Global Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy, becoming the first woman of Indian origin to lead a global advertising agency. In that role she took responsibility for Ogilvy’s creative network business and oversight of its 131 offices in 93 countries, including the agency’s advertising, public relations, experience, consulting, and health units.

Public profile

Bulchandani’s leadership and creative focus have been recognized within the industry and beyond. Honors noted during her career include NY Power Woman by New York Moves Magazine, US Advertising Agency Head of the Year from Campaign magazine, and Working Mother of the Year from She Runs It. In 2022, New York Women in Communications announced she would be honored at the Matrix Awards for her contributions to building community and inspiring future female leaders.

She has spoken publicly about mentorship and pivotal moments in her career, crediting senior leaders and specific moves from strategy to other roles as formative to her development as a leader. Outside of work, she has said she enjoys cooking and has a particular interest in Thai cuisine, including preparing curry paste from scratch.

Personal life

Devika Bulchandani is married to Ashwin Bulchandani; the couple wed in 1994 and have two children, a son named Arhaan and a daughter named Anya. Her mother is Pammi Seth, and she has at least three siblings, including a sister, Priya Seth, who works as a cinematographer.

Latest updates

As of September 2022 Bulchandani was serving as Global CEO of Ogilvy, leading the agency’s creative and network strategy across multiple disciplines and markets. Her appointment marked a milestone as the first Indian-origin woman to head a global advertising agency.
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Recent Work

Global Chief Executive Officer, Ogilvy

Appointed Global CEO of Ogilvy, overseeing creative network and operations across 131 offices in 93 countries, with accountability for advertising, PR, experience, consulting and health units.

2022
President, McCann New York / McCannXBC

Led McCann New York and McCannXBC, guiding global marketing work for Mastercard and campaigns including Fearless Girl, Priceless and True Name.

2014-2021
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Career Highlights

  1. First Indian-origin woman appointed Global Chief Executive of Ogilvy (September 2022)
  2. Led Mastercard’s Fearless Girl campaign
  3. Held senior leadership roles at McCann Worldgroup, including EVP Managing Director of Global Strategy and President of McCann New York
  4. Recognized with industry honors such as NY Power Woman, Campaign’s US Advertising Agency Head of the Year, and Working Mother of the Year
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Devika Bulchandani born?

1970

What is Devika Bulchandani known for?

Corporate Executive

What is Devika Bulchandani’s marital status?

Married

Who is Devika Bulchandani married to?

Ashwin Bulchandani