ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • Kondur climbs to director Times Experiences

    Kondur climbs to director Times Experiences

    MUMBAI: Sundar Kondur has announced his move to Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. (The Times of India), taking on the role of director – Times Experiences. This appointment marks a significant shift for Kondur, a seasoned sales professional, into the realm of experiential events, where he promises to weave “logic of numbers with magic of ideas,”.

    Kondur’s ascent within the Times group is notable. He previously held senior positions, including senior vice president and regional head – south, where he consistently delivered strong sales performance. 

    Before his tenure at the Times group, Kondur held a vice president – advertising sales role at Kasturi & Sons, Ltd., where he was responsible for national sales at The Hindu. There, he is credited with achieving record revenue growth and recruiting a substantial number of new advertisers, contributing to the company’s turnaround.

    His earlier stint at the Times group included a long tenure as vice president and response head, where he oversaw advertising sales for various publications, including Vijay Karnataka and Bangalore Mirror. He also served as publisher and general manager at Mid Day, launching the Bangalore edition and driving significant revenue growth.

  • Magnum launches pistachio flavour, Kareena Kapoor Khan stars in campaign

    Magnum launches pistachio flavour, Kareena Kapoor Khan stars in campaign

    MUMBAI:  Magnum, that purveyor of posh popsicles, has finally unleashed a new flavour after an eight-year drought. The new Magnum Pistachio, a creamy concoction of pistachio ice cream swaddled in thick Belgian chocolate and sprinkled with roasted pistachios, aims to tickle the tastebuds of India’s premium ice cream aficionados. And who better to front this nutty venture than Kareena Kapoor Khan, who’s been sweet on the brand for a decade?

    Kareena Kapoor Khan, brand ambassador for Magnum purred: ” This year marks 10 years of devouring my favourite Magnum ice creams, one irresistible flavour at a time! I have had a great association with the brand and Magnum is everything I love and always a temptation worth giving into. I’m so happy to launch Magnum’s latest creation – the all-new Magnum Pistachio! Rich, pistachio ice cream wrapped in thick Belgian chocolate and roasted pistachios – pure bliss! So, step inside my PleasureStudio and have a taste. I hope you love it as much as I do.”

    HUL ice-cream business head Toloy Tanridagli stated, ” With Magnum Pistachio, we are bringing an ingredient that defines luxury and one of the most trending flavours globally to Indian consumers. Magnum has always been lauded for its expertise in chocolate crafting and sophisticated ice cream credentials, and we are committed to bringing this to India. The premium ice cream market in India is growing steadily, with consumers seeking indulgent and unique experiences. We aim to tap into this market with an exciting line-up in 2025, starting with the biggest – Magnum Pistachio. With the expansion of our portfolio, we remain committed to offering moments of pure pleasure through our innovative new launches.” 

    Lowe Lintas  executive creative director Vishal Bagade said: “ Our aim was to evoke luxury and pleasure through storytelling, which was an enjoyable ride given the fact that industry giants like Kareena Kapoor Khan and Bob (Shashanka Chaturvedi) were involved. We ended up creating ‘Pleasure Studio’, which is not just an ad but an ode to indulgence.”

    The new flavour, a nod to the internet-breaking Dubai chocolate trend, promises a symphony of creaminess and nuttiness. Magnum, known for its opulent partnerships and Cannes shenanigans, is banking on this new launch to keep its crown as the king of indulgent ice cream. 

    Here’s the link to the Kareena Kapoor Khan ad

  • IDfy banks on Malcolm Gomes to drive trust at scale in digital economy

    IDfy banks on Malcolm Gomes to drive trust at scale in digital economy

    MUMBAI: Trust issues? Not on Malcolm Gomes’ watch. Idfy, Asia’s leading identity verification platform, has brought on board Malcolm Gomes as its new chief operating officer, betting big on his two-decade-long expertise in strategy and transformation to power its next phase of growth. In his new role, Gomes will lead Idfy’s Trust and Privacy Platform ‘Privy’, oversee global operations, and spearhead industry-specific propositions as part of the company’s mission to eliminate fraud and scale trust in a fast-growing digital economy.

    A former Partner at McKinsey & Co., Gomes has spent the last 17 years advising financial services clients across India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. His expertise spans digital transformation, AI-led service operations, customer experience, and business-building all of which align seamlessly with Idfy’s ambition to cement itself as the go-to platform for trust-based digital interactions.

    IDfy CEO Ashok Hariharan said, “We are thrilled to welcome Malcolm to the Idfy leadership team. His deep experience in strategy and driving transformation across markets is a perfect match for IDfy’s mission of enabling trust atscale. Malcolm’s strategic vision and operational expertise will be instrumental as we expand our product suite, strengthen our propositions, and scale globally. I look forward to partnering with him as we continue to raise the bar for innovation and impact in this space.”

    Malcolm sharing his excitement about joining Idfy said, “Trust is the fundamental currency of the ever-increasing, transacting world around us as increasingly more people and businesses get formalized; frequency of interactions and transactions increase driven by rising consumption; and interaction touchpoints multiply e.g., AI bots, Home delivery; the need to ensure trust grows manifold. Having worked with multiple institutions on their Board and CEO agendas over several years, I am hugely excited about how IDfy’s current and future ‘Trust’ offerings – can make a significant difference for customers and organisations.”

    With Gomes stepping into this crucial role, Idfy is doubling down on its commitment to helping businesses confidently engage with customers, verify identities, and mitigate risk all without compromising user experience.

    As trust becomes the bedrock of the digital economy, Idfy’s bet on Gomes could be the game-changer that takes the company from a powerful enabler to a category-defining force.

  • Promotedge marks 10 wild years in marketing, not losing its edge yet

    Promotedge marks 10 wild years in marketing, not losing its edge yet

    MUMBAI: When Promotedge first opened shop 10 years ago, TikTok wasn’t even a thing, Whatsapp still had a green tick, and Chatgpt sounded like a dodgy tech startup. Fast forward to now, the integrated marketing agency has muscled its way through a sea of sameness to clock a decade of disruptive campaigns, brand wizardry, and data-backed creativity. And to mark the occasion? A whole new promise: be “Better Every day”. Not bad for a company that started with little more than a whiteboard and wifi.

    Promotedge isn’t just blowing out candles and patting backs. The agency has announced a double-whammy celebration: a renewed commitment to marketing mastery, and a social twist that could give other firms a guilt trip. In its tenth year, the agency is partnering with Responsible Charity to support marginalised communities—proof that purpose and profit can play nice.

    “This decade has been a testament to resilience, creativity, and collaboration. Our core USP of delivering integrated solutions that align with our clients’ nuanced business goals and deeper market understanding has consistently set us apart. As we embark on our next chapter, our ‘Better Every day’ ethos continues to inspire us to improve, innovate, and serve with excellence,” said Promotedge founder & CEO Saurav Agarwal.

    So what exactly has Promotedge been up to these 10 years? Quite a bit, actually. The agency has become a go-to for businesses craving campaigns that don’t look like something cooked up in a 2010 Powerpoint template.

    Their edge? A platform-based solution system powered by in-depth business insights and customer obsession. Their sweet spot is weaving branding, digital strategy, and creative design into a single, market-moving punch.

    Promotedge has made a name for crafting strategies that speak to real business goals.

    Think precision.

    Think flair.

    Think results that don’t hide behind jargon or buzzwords.

    The agency’s top brass sees the future as a tech-fuelled playground where integrated marketing gets smarter, faster and way more human. And if the past 10 years are anything to go by, Promotedge will likely continue pulling off marketing miracles while cracking a few jokes along the way.

    To its clients, team, and partners, Promotedge offers a big, grateful hug—and maybe a cheeky high five. The agency’s calling on its tribe to keep riding the “Better Every day” wave and keep aiming higher, sharper, and bolder.

  • Arthalpha adds market heavyweights to its boardroom to crunch smarter numbers

    Arthalpha adds market heavyweights to its boardroom to crunch smarter numbers

    MUMBAI: When alpha meets intellect, the boardroom gets bullish

    In a move that screams serious intent and sharp thinking, Arthalpha, the brainy kid on India’s quant-finance block, has just flexed its ambition with two big-ticket appointments. DSP Mutual Fund MD & CEO Kalpen Parekh has joined as board observer, and fintech founder & ex-banker Kunal Bajaj has come aboard as board advisor. Cue the calculators and champagne.

    The appointments bring over 40 years of collective market muscle into Arthalpha’s strategic cockpit, reinforcing its focus on blending artificial intelligence with real-world experience. Call it machine learning with street smarts.

    “We are delighted to welcome Kalpen Parekh and Kunal Bajaj to Arthalpha… Their strategic insights will be invaluable as we push the boundaries of quantitative finance,” said Arthalpha CEO & CIO Rohit Beri.

    Parekh has been around the market block more than once. With a resume that reads like the Nifty’s who’s who—ICICI, Birla Sun Life, IDFC, and now DSP—he’s spent over 20 years shaping long-term investment playbooks and decoding market moods.

    “Arthalpha’s approach to integrating human intelligence with advanced quantitative methods is truly groundbreaking… I look forward to supporting their mission,” Parekh said, dusting off any doubt about his hands-on involvement.

    Meanwhile, Bajaj brings his own set of war stories. From power seats at Goldman Sachs Japan, Credit Suisse, CLSA and Jefferies, to founding Clearfunds, which later merged with MobiKwik, Bajaj has done it all—capital markets, M&A, and building fintechs from scratch.

    “Arthalpha is at the forefront of quantitative finance innovation… I am excited to contribute to their strategic growth and product innovation,” Bajaj said, presumably while scanning charts for his next big bet.

    With AI-powered investing sweeping the globe, Arthalpha wants to lead the pack—not trail it. And with its turbocharged board now stacked with two of the sharpest minds in finance, expect more disruption, smarter products, and a very interesting FY25.

     

  • Paritosh Srivastava takes creative reins at BBH India with a bold new brief

    Paritosh Srivastava takes creative reins at BBH India with a bold new brief

    MUMBAI: Adland just got a shake-up, and BBH India is strutting into its next act.

    The suits at Publicis Groupe India just played a power move in all caps. Paritosh Srivastava, already juggling CEO hats at Saatchi & Saatchi India, Saatchi Propagate, and Publicis Beehive, has now been handed the keys to BBH India. If creative chaos had a command centre, this is it.

    Stepping in alongside Srivastava is the razor-sharp Snehasis Bose, who now moonlights as group chief strategy officer at BBH India, in addition to his existing remit at Saatchi & Saatchi and Saatchi Propagate. Let’s just say the BBH war room is now fully weaponised with brains, bandwidth and a boatload of brand chops.

    “Humbled and excited with the additional mandate of leading BBH India,” said Srivastava. “Snehasis Bose… has been instrumental in creating successes across all our brands and I have no doubt he’ll bring his magic to BBH India as well.”

    BBH India’s legacy already sparkles, thanks to the leadership of Himanshu Saxena (COO & MD) and Parikshit Bhattaccharya (CCO). The duo has been steering the agency into high-impact creative terrain. Now, with Srivastava and Bose added to the deck, BBH India is shaping up to be a future-ready, client-crushing machine.

    Publicis Groupe India wasn’t shy about its power play either. “We have created a stellar leadership bench that will accelerate BBH India’s momentum and provide future-forward solutions to drive greater results for our clients,” said the company.

    If awards were handed out for leadership density, this team would be swimming in gold Lions.

    The baton pass comes at a time when marketing is shapeshifting faster than Trump’s disruptive decisions. Brands need big thinking, brave ideas, and an agency that can do it all with swagger. Srivastava is set to lead BBH into that storm, armed with a team that’s more Avengers than admen.

    So what’s next? Smarter strategy, bolder work, and a playbook that doesn’t just chase culture — it creates it.

  • Amit Balwani joins Authbridge as SVP – tech to boost innovation drive

    Amit Balwani joins Authbridge as SVP – tech to boost innovation drive

    MUMBAI: Authbridge, has appointed Amit Balwani as senior vice president technology, as the company sets its sights on deeper innovation and next-gen tech adoption.

    With over two decades of experience, Balwani brings rich expertise in AI integration, data engineering, event-driven systems, and API-first ecosystems. He has previously worked with well-known firms including Ecom Express, Paytm, Expedia Group, Nagarro, and TCS.

    At Paytm, he played a vital role in building conversational platforms, while at Ecom Express, he drove large-scale technology modernisation efforts across the board.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Balwani to the Authbridge family,” said Authbridge founder & CEO Ajay Trehan. “His deep understanding of emerging technologies and strategic approach to innovation will help us accelerate our mission to redefine identity management and authentication solutions.”

    An alumnus of Jamia Millia Islamia, Balwani holds a Bachelor’s in Technology. Outside the office, he enjoys travelling, music, tech podcasts, and playing table tennis with his child.

    Sharing his excitement about the new role, he said, “Authbridge is at the forefront of technology-driven authentication solutions. I look forward to contributing to its growth and driving technological excellence.”
     

  • McCann Worldgroup appoints marketing veteran

    McCann Worldgroup appoints marketing veteran

    MUMBAI: Snehsikt Anand has been appointed business head at McCann Worldgroup, marking a return to agency life after a year of freelance consultancy. The seasoned marketing professional brings over 18 years of through-the-line marketing experience to one of advertising’s most established networks.

    Anand joins McCann after working as an independent marketing consultant, where he provided brand and communication advice to emerging agencies and production houses. Before his freelance period, he served as business head for west and HUL (rural) at Dentsu, where he managed Hindustan Unilever’s house-to-house business across India.

    At Dentsu, Anand’s client relationship skills helped create opportunities for business growth through territory expansion and cross-selling initiatives. Prior to joining Dentsu, Anand co-founded BrandBall, where as head of strategy he increased annual turnover fourfold and expanded the client roster tenfold over four years. 
    His experience includes positions at several prominent agencies including L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, Ogilvy, Triton Communications, and Civilisation Communications. He also gained client-side experience as assistant manager-marketing at ICICI Prudential AMC Ltd.

    At McCann, Anand will likely apply his RoI-driven approach to marketing communications, leveraging his expertise in advertising, integrated marketing and team management as he takes on this new leadership role.

  • Media stocks hold the mic as markets crash in Trump tariff meltdown

    Media stocks hold the mic as markets crash in Trump tariff meltdown

    MUMBAI: Even as the Bombay stock exchange tanked five plus per cent  in the morning on Trump tariff meltdown Monday, Indian media and entertainment stocks shed just one to three per cent of their values at the time of trading at 3:30 pm. Sun TV was trading at Rs 638  a gain 0.83 per cent over  its previous weekend closing of Rs 632.75. TV Today network was up 1.65 per cent toto trade at Rs 160.40. On the flip side, a few media players were caught in the downward spiral. Entertainment Network India – the operator of Radio Mirchi – cut 2.06 per cent to stand at Rs 132.80. GTPL Hathway declined 3.69 per cent to Rs 105.75 even as Hathway dropped 3.16 per cent to Rs 12.58. Dish TV fell by 2.61 per cent to Rs 5.60.

    The advertising sector, however, bore the brunt of the market tremors. Advertising agency RK Swamy lopped off 10 per cent to trade at Rs 199.15 from its previous days closing of 223.50. Bright Outdoor clipped 4.36 per cent at Rs 449.50 as against Signpost which went negative to the tune of 7.36 per cent to trade at Rs 235.40. Innokaiz India dropped to Rs 13.56 with a 4.98 per cent fall. Maxposure saw a 5.76 per cent decline settling at Rs 57.30. Meanwhile, DAPS Advertising India saw a dip of 2.86 per cent to Rs 17.00. (At around 4 pm, may vary according to the market)

    Despite the broader bloodbath on Dalal Street, the relatively cushioned fall of media and entertainment stocks could indicate investor confidence in the sector’s long-term fundamentals, or perhaps just temporary insulation from global trade frictions. Either way, for now, the M&E sector is holding its script, even as the markets slip into drama mode.  

  • Due diligence pays dividends as Alea elevates Dhananjay Saraswat

    Due diligence pays dividends as Alea elevates Dhananjay Saraswat

    MUMBAI: Climbing the corporate ladder is no easy feat unless, of course, you’ve built it rung by rung yourself. Alea Consulting has announced the elevation of long-time team member Dhananjay Saraswat to the role of director of operations, recognising a decade’s worth of sharp investigative acumen, operational finesse, and an unwavering eye for detail.

    Saraswat, whose portfolio spans compliance, fraud investigations, due diligence, and hidden asset tracing, has been instrumental in steering Alea’s operational ship. From managing clients to ensuring deliveries stay on point, and even spearheading expansion efforts, he’s worn multiple hats and evidently, worn them well.

    Alea Consulting founder Deepak Bhawnani states, “Dhananjay is a pivotal part of our team for many years. His contributions and leadership skills to drive various projects are unparalleled. This promotion underscores how one can achieve growth based on merit and performance. As we elevate the company and expand our business with new service lines and into new geographies, Dhananjay will continue to play a crucial role.”

    Before becoming Alea’s go-to troubleshooter, Saraswat was at Gerson Lehrman Group, where he juggled stakeholders across domestic and global landscapes. Armed with an MBA in marketing and finance from IILM University and a slew of credentials including certifications from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and a 2024 programme from IIM Ahmedabad his academic arsenal is as formidable as his professional one.

    As Alea Consulting eyes new geographies and service lines, Saraswat’s promotion signals more than just internal growth, it marks a strategic step in fortifying the firm’s future with someone who already knows its foundations inside out.