Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s branding acumen was in the spotlight at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, with Sir Martin Sorrell, Executive Chairman of S4 Capital, hailing the Indian leader as a “great ad man.”
“He understands branding. He’s a great ad man,” Sorrell told Moneycontrol’s Chandra Srikanth at WEF 2025 in Davos, adding that India has taken centre stage at this year’s annual gathering. “Indian representation is very strong. It is strong not only in India but increasingly abroad,” he added.
Sorrell, widely regarded as a global advertising guru, cited forecasts projecting that India will the world’s third-largest economy by 2050. “It’s already the most populous economy in the world. Its birth rate, although it is coming down, is still strong enough to increase the population. I am an increasingly raging Indian bull,” he said.
This is not the first time Sorrell has highlighted Modi’s marketing prowess. Last year, too, he had described the prime minister as the “ultimate master of branding,” lauding his efforts in positioning India on the global stage.
Back then, the advertising guru had pointed out India’s growing importance as an alternative to China in Asia, especially against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions involving the US, China, Russia, and parts of the Middle East.
Sorrell also referred to World Economic Forum President Børge Brende’s estimates that India will account for 20 percent of worldwide growth. “India is very well positioned and with very strong growth potential. India will be the third-largest economy of the world by 2025. I remain a raging (India) bull,” he reiterated, adding that global attention is firmly fixed on the Indian market.
“In terms of future growth, three of the top five countries will be in Asia by 2050, and India will be at number three,” Sorrell said, underlining his conviction in the rise of what he calls the ‘new Asia’—a region that includes Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia, alongside India.