Kaushik (Caesar) Dasgupta Appointed as Managing Partner – India & APAC Lead, Consumer & Media at Odgers | Redefining Executive Search and Leadership Advisory Across Asia-Pacific
In July 2025, Kaushik (Caesar) Dasgupta was appointed as Managing Partner – India & APAC Lead, Consumer & Media at Odgers, a prestigious milestone that underscores his two-decade-long journey in shaping leadership talent, building organizational capability, and driving transformative outcomes for global businesses. His appointment marks Odgers’ renewed commitment to strengthening its leadership advisory and executive search practices across India and the broader Asia-Pacific region, guided by a leader who blends global insight with deep local expertise.
Kaushik’s career is a remarkable story of resilience, foresight, and relentless pursuit of excellence in executive search. Over the years, he has played a pivotal role in connecting high-impact leaders with organizations navigating transformation across consumer goods, retail, media, technology, private equity, and financial services. His trajectory reflects not just professional growth but also his ability to redefine leadership search as a strategic enabler of corporate success in a rapidly evolving business ecosystem.
Leadership at Odgers: Scaling Consumer & Media Practices Across APAC
At Odgers, Kaushik has held several leadership roles, from Partner and Lead for Consumer, Retail, and Media practices to his current mandate as APAC Lead. His journey at Odgers reflects a steady expansion of influence, moving from India-focused practices to taking charge of regional growth across Asia-Pacific. He has been instrumental in building trusted partnerships with global and Indian corporations, advising boards and C-suite leaders on succession planning, leadership pipelines, and navigating disruption in consumer-driven industries.
His role as Managing Partner symbolizes his ability to go beyond execution and act as a strategic advisor–bridging the gap between leadership vision and organizational outcomes. By aligning Odgers’ global frameworks with APAC-specific challenges, Kaushik ensures that companies benefit from nuanced insights into leadership talent, cultural context, and business imperatives.
Accord Group India: Building a Foundation of Trust and Global Reach
Prior to Odgers, Kaushik spent over six impactful years with Accord Group India, where he served as Partner and earlier as Principal. Accord, a leading retained executive search firm, equipped him with exposure to diverse industries and an opportunity to co-found AltoPartners, an international alliance of executive search firms with presence across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. His work at Accord involved managing CXO-level searches, leading bespoke mandates, and cementing his reputation as a trusted advisor to both multinational and Indian enterprises.
Through Accord’s global collaboration, Kaushik honed his ability to think across geographies, offering clients leadership solutions that combined international best practices with local adaptability. This balance of global outlook and regional expertise continues to define his professional ethos.
Early Career: From Search to Strategy
Kaushik’s journey into executive search began with early roles at TRANSEARCH, Gilbert Tweed Associates, and GKR Daulet-Singh (formerly India partners of Odgers Berndtson), where he executed mandates across consumer products, retail, telecom, and private equity. He gained firsthand experience in research, candidate evaluation, client engagement, and business development–skills that formed the backbone of his later leadership roles.
Before his entry into executive search, Kaushik worked at J. Thomas & Co. Pvt. Ltd., the world’s largest tea broking firm, where he led global tea market analysis, client relations, and contributed to the company’s prestigious Tea Market Annual Report. His early grounding in commodities markets, research, and strategic analysis provided him with an analytical lens that continues to enrich his approach to leadership search today.
Core Strengths and Leadership Philosophy
Kaushik’s career has been defined by three enduring strengths:
- Strategic Foresight in Executive Search: He specializes in identifying leaders who can drive transformation, especially in industries undergoing disruption such as consumer goods, retail, and media.
- Global-Local Balance: With experience across India and international markets, Kaushik ensures that organizations gain from leadership strategies rooted in global insight but customized for regional realities.
- People-First Leadership: Known for mentoring young professionals, building high-performing teams, and fostering trust-based relationships, he reflects a leadership style that prioritizes collaboration and long-term growth.
Inspiring the Future of Leadership Advisory
As Managing Partner at Odgers, Kaushik (Caesar) Dasgupta stands as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance, expertise, and vision. His appointment is more than just an individual achievement–it reflects the evolution of executive search from a transactional service to a strategic partnership that defines business success.
At CXO Gateway, we celebrate Kaushik’s journey as one of resilience, excellence, and impact. His story inspires corporate leaders, boards, and professionals alike, reminding us that true leadership is not just about filling positions–it’s about shaping futures, building organizations, and driving meaningful change across industries and geographies.