Vinod Kumar Subramanian

Academic Special Envoy for India
The Garibay Institute

Vinod Kumar Subramanian serves as the Academic Special Envoy for India at The Garibay Institute for Soft Power and Public Diplomacy. He is a global marketing and innovation leader whose work bridges creativity, technology, and human insight across four continents. Over more than two decades, he has shaped brand and communication strategies in Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, carrying with him a belief that ideas travel farther when rooted in empathy and cultural understanding.

His leadership journey includes senior roles at Dentsu, WPP agencies, Huawei Technologies, and DiDi Chuxing, where he headed global agency management and marketing effectiveness. Working at the intersection of strategy, creativity, and operational rigour, Vinod has brought coherence, clarity, and craft to teams and brands operating in some of the world’s most complex and fast-moving markets.

Vinod spent 17 years in advertising across India and the UK, developing a deep appreciation for how creativity, data, and culture converge to shape society. Today, he continues to apply this global perspective in board and advisory roles: as Board Advisor to GroupLink One, a pioneering Brazilian telematics and intelligence company, and to AimLocate, an emerging leader reimagining digital addressing for the world. He is also investor and co-founder of Weaveroo, an AI-powered e-commerce imaging and content platform.

A strong believer in the transformative power of education, Vinod serves as Advisor for Strategic & International Affairs at MAAER’s MIT Group of Institutions, Pune, helping build globally connected, future-ready learning ecosystems. He also serves on the Global Advisory Council of the Confederation of Indian Private Universities.

A former juror for the World Media Awards 2022 and member of the IPA Marketing Effectiveness Accreditation Panel, Vinod continues to contribute thoughtfully to industry forums and leadership circles. He holds an MBA as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering with Distinction.

Guided by curiosity, humility, and a deep global sensibility, Vinod is committed to building bridges between cultures, disciplines, and ideas, and to advancing work that uplifts people and expands humanity’s collective imagination.