Chetan Mahajan

Founder and CEO

Chetan is the Founder and CEO of The Mavericks with over 25 years of industry experience. Before The Mavericks, he was the President & CEO of H+K Strategies India (a WPP Company) and served as the Co-Managing Director of MSLGROUP (a Publicis company) in India. Being a specialist in conceptualizing, planning & implementing integrated mandates, Chetan has guided numerous brands in crafting and optimizing their communications strategies.

These include Klay Schools, IIM Calcutta, Fabindia, Intel, VW, Nissan, Commonwealth Games Delhi, 2010, Xiaomi, Airbnb, Alibaba, Micromax, OnePlus, LG, Wipro, SONY, Times Network, Bayer and Marico amongst others. Chetan has also had the privilege to serve as the President of Public Relations Consultants Association Of India.

Smriti Raghunandan

Business Director & Partner

Smriti’s key strengths lie in strategizing, building and leading integrated campaigns, developing content strategies and managing crises for key mandates. She currently leads businesses across sectors.

Enabled by a fair understanding of the education corporate, fintech and IT/ tech industries over the years, she has worked on creating communication programmes for various brands.

Prior to The Mavericks, Smriti has held various roles at Genesis BCW and 20:20 MSL.

A campaign mastermind who's a pro at strategizing, leading integrated campaigns, developing content strategies and managing crises. 

She currently leads businesses across multiple sectors, drawing on her extensive experience in industries such as Education, Corporate, Fintech, and IT/tech. 

With a track record of creating successful communication programs for various brands and prior experience at Genesis BCW and 20:20 MSL, Smriti brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to the team.

Mitali Darbari Prakash

Business Director & Partner

Mitali Darbari Prakash is a strategic communications leader with deep expertise in building brand charters, shaping narratives, and driving executive communications. She specializes in integrated marketing strategy, change management, and crisis communications, helping brands navigate complexities with clarity and impact.

At The Mavericks, Mitali is the in-house nucleus, championing creativity and fostering innovation, making her a trusted partner to clients across technology, healthcare, and lifestyle industries. She collaborates closely with leadership teams to craft executive messaging that aligns with business goals and strengthens stakeholder trust.

With extensive experience managing communication mandates for large and mid-tier brands, Mitali thrives on translating business objectives into compelling, reputation-enhancing strategies. A firm believer in the power of storytelling, she ensures every brand she works with builds not just visibility, but long-term credibility and resonance. She has worked across large agencies like 20:20 MSL, Edelman and Burson besides spending four years on the brand side with Aricent (now Capgemini).

Archana Thomas

Business Director & Partner

Archana Thomas is a seasoned communications leader with extensive experience managing clients across Technology, Automobile, Fintech, and Real Estate sectors. As Business Director at The Mavericks, she plays a pivotal role in shaping client reputations and delivering impactful communication strategies.

Archana specializes in working closely with client leadership teams to craft and execute audience-focused communications that align with business objectives. Her expertise lies in developing brand strategies, leading integrated campaigns, driving stakeholder engagement, and managing crises — all while ensuring that every initiative strengthens the client's reputation and market presence. Her structured approach not only enhances campaign efficiency and effectiveness but also fosters trust and long-term relationships with clients.

Archana has successfully spearheaded high-impact communication programs for leading brands like Wipro, Ultraviolette Automotive, Way2News, GradRight, Plaksha University, United Breweries Lid. and Embassy Group, consistently aligning messaging with organizational goals and audience expectations.

Before joining The Mavericks, Archana was the Head of Reputation and Engagement at VERY Multimedia Integrated Solutions and held key roles at Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where she refined her skills in reputation management and strategic communications.