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Category: People

  • Kellogg onboards Prashant Peres as MD, India & South Asia

    Kellogg onboards Prashant Peres as MD, India & South Asia

    Mumbai: Breakfast cereals manufacturer Kellogg India has announced the onboarding of Prashant Peres as managing director for the India and South Asia markets. In this role, Peres will be based in Mumbai and steer the business forward in its endeavour to serve consumers with its wide array of food offerings.

    Mohit Anand, who joined Kellogg in 2017 and served as managing director, India & South Asia, has been elevated to the role of general manager, snacks portfolio for Kellogg AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa), based in Singapore.

    “We are pleased to appoint Prashant Peres to lead the Kellogg South Asia business. We believe that his strong experience will help build on our sustainable growth momentum in the market, develop our talent, and bring more food innovations to our consumers,” said Kellogg AMEA president Shumit Kapoor. “Mohit is an excellent leader with rich India and Asia experiences gathered over the years. I am excited to have him join us here in Singapore and unlock the potential of the snacks category across markets.”

    Peres is an FMCG industry veteran, with nearly 25 years of experience in the foods, snacks, beverages and personal care categories across diverse markets in Asia, ANZ and Africa. He joins Kellogg from Mondelez International where he led the Indonesia business as president and MD. Prior to this, he led the chocolate business for Mondelez in India. 

    Prior to that, Peres was with Unilever as vice president for foods, South Asia. His earlier stints include several senior roles in sales and marketing at Unilever in the South Asia region, Turkey, Africa, Middle East, South East Asia, and China.

    “The challenge of leading a business in India is always thrilling, but more so when it is a legacy brand such as Kellogg,” said Prashant Peres. “I am looking forward to step into this role and play a part in augmenting Kellogg’s commitment to serving its consumers and communities with its wide range of cereals and snacks. We are in an exciting place as a business with a fantastic opportunity for nutritious food offerings before us. I am looking forward to growing it further along with the passionate team at Kellogg South Asia.”

  • myclassroom brings in Joydeep Mukherjee as CMO

    myclassroom brings in Joydeep Mukherjee as CMO

    Mumbai: Ed-tech company myclassroom on Wednesday announced the appointment of Joydeep Mukherjee as chief marketing officer. myclassroom provides learning centers for students aspiring for competitive exams like JEE, NEET, NTSE, KVPY, and Olympiads across the country.

    In this role, Mukherjee will lead the marketing function, with end-to-end responsibility of brand building, business growth, and customer experience, said the statement.

    “The edtech industry is at a pivotal point in its evolution,” said myClassroom co-founder and director Prashant Sharma. “The recent Covid-19 crisis brought out the importance of Phygital (Physical + Digital) learning models, that enrich traditional learning models and have the power to deliver top-quality education, to any student, in any part of the country by leveraging technology.”

    “Joydeep has a very good understanding of the higher education landscape and Indian consumer behavior, along with strong expertise in customer acquisition and customer lifecycle management. We feel we found the right person in Joydeep, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome him to the team,” he further said.

    An alumnus of XLRI, Mukherjee is a seasoned marketer, strategist, and business leader, with over 15 years of experience and an extensive background in marketing, sales & distribution, P&L leadership, product management, and consulting. He is a highly experienced marketing leader with a proven track record of building brands and designing high-impact marketing strategies.

    “myClassroom has been building an excellent track record of bringing together India’s top teachers, state-of-the-art smart classrooms for immersive learning, and an AI-driven platform for personalised learning. I am looking forward to this opportunity of making quality education accessible to all,” said Joydeep Mukherjee on his new assignemnt.

  • Manish Kapoor named as Pepe Jeans India MD & CEO

    Manish Kapoor named as Pepe Jeans India MD & CEO

    Mumbai: Denim retailer Pepe Jeans London has promoted Manish Kapoor as managing director in continuation of his current role of chief executive officer, India. 

    According to a statement, India is one of the most crucial markets for Pepe Jeans and Kapoor will be instrumental in growing the existing businesses aligned with the broader global strategy.

    Kapoor joined Pepe Jeans India in 2014 and was promoted to the role of sales director within a span of two years. Owing to his strategic contribution towards the growth of the brand in the Indian market, he was elevated to chief business officer in April 2019 and subsequently appointed as CEO in September 2019.  

    “Under Kapoor’s leadership, Pepe Jeans India strengthened its balance sheet position by strategic reduction of inventory and debtors along with substantial reduction of debt. His effective leadership has enabled the company to successfully generate free operating cash during this difficult period,” said the brand in a statement. “E-com contribution for the brand accelerated from 8 per cent in 2019 to 28 per cent this fiscal year, reflecting the benefit of leveraging omnichannel initiatives,” it added.

    In 2021, Kapoor was recognised as The Economic Times Inspiring CEO for his efforts in helping steer Pepe Jeans to great heights even during unprecedented times of the Covid 19 aftermath. In the same year, he was also acknowledged for his efforts towards sustaining a high-trust high-performance culture by Great Place to Work – India’s best Leaders in Times of Crisis 2021.

    “I am delighted to lead Pepe Jeans India into the next phase of growth and continue on the digital and consumer-focused transformation journey that we started 18 months ago,” said Manish Kapoor on his appointment.

    Kapoor is a strategist and implementer with demonstrated abilities in accomplishing business growth on a consistent basis. He has previously held key leadership roles in brands such as French Connection, Sisley, Benetton India, Pantaloons and Madura Garments to name a few.

    He acquired a B-tech degree from the Technological Institute of Textiles and Science in 2000 and further continued to pursue a diploma degree in apparel marketing and merchandising management from NIFT in 2002. He was awarded the gold medal for academic excellence at NIFT and was an all-India topper in his PGDAMMM course across all NIFT centers.

  • Ankit Desai rejoins Marico as media & digital marketing head

    Ankit Desai rejoins Marico as media & digital marketing head

    Mumbai: Disney+ Hotstar’s former executive Ankit Desai has joined Marico as head – media and digital marketing (India & global centre of excellence). 

    Desai had quit the FMCG major in 2019 to join Disney+ Hotstar as vice president and head – product revenue strategy (entertainment). He spent close to three years at the streaming platform. 

    Armed with nearly 18 years of professional experience, Desai is a media professional with expertise in digital marketing, strategic media planning/buying and revenue strategy. 

    He joined Marico in March 2011 as media manager before getting elevated as group media manager – India in 2014. Before Marico, he was with NDTV, where he was in charge of marketing, communication, and brand management. He has also worked with GroupM as media planner and with Dainik Jagran as ad sales executive.

    Desai has completed his PG in advertising from Symbiosis International University in 2006.

  • FCB Group India expands its footprint in South Asia with FCB KL.LK

    FCB Group India expands its footprint in South Asia with FCB KL.LK

    Mumbai: FCB Group India on Monday announced the expansion of its footprint in South Asia with the launch of FCB KL.LK. This new agency partnership in Sri Lanka will be led by chairman and CEO Santosh Menon.

    FCB KL.LK, a fully integrated marketing communications agency, is the newest affiliate office under the FCB Group India umbrella. The agency works with marquee clients and brands including Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, HNB credit cards, Fairfirst life Insurance, Ultratech Cement, and Godrej Consumer products.

    Speaking on the importance of this partnership, FCB Group India chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri said, “We are delighted to partner with KL.LK in Sri Lanka. They are a young, future-ready agency that is growing very rapidly with many global multi-national clients. With this association, we are hoping to offer seamless service to many of our clients who look at South Asia as a contiguous market.”

    FCB global partner, global chief marketing abd reputation officer Brandon Cooke talked about how thrilled he is to have a partner in Sri Lanka. “The creative passion and business momentum made KL.LK the perfect partner for us in the Sri Lankan market. As we continue on our global mission to unleash creativity fuelled by diversity, data and technology, we’re incredibly excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we expand our footprint across this region to a new client base,” he further said.

    FCB KL.LK chairman and CEO Santosh Menon added, “I came to Sri Lanka first in 2003 as a team member of FCB for its clients here. Today, bringing FCB back in its latest avatar as part of KL.LK gives me special pleasure and happiness. It’s the wheel turning full circle.”

    The new agency partnership aims to bring forth the KL.LK expertise to brands, coupled with FCB’s Never Finished philosophy, said the agency.

  • CredAvenue appoints Krishnendu Majumdar as chief product officer

    CredAvenue appoints Krishnendu Majumdar as chief product officer

    Mumbai: Debt marketplace CredAvenue on Monday announced the appointment of Krishnendu Majumdar as chief product officer.

    In his new position, Majumdar will drive CredAvenue’s product strategy and build deeper synergies within different product verticals through technology-oriented solutions, said the statement.

    Krishnendu has over two decades of extensive experience in building scalable solutions for complex and disruptive businesses in both – B2B & B2C domains. He has derived customised solutions for complex business challenges and has managed and mobilised cross-functional teams under the product, engineering and operations verticals in multiple leadership roles at InMobi, SGT Global and TCS, among others.

    “We are redefining debt markets through our product-first approach. We have built India’s most comprehensive debt product suite under one marketplace, and we aim to only expand our product offerings across each of our sub platforms in the near future” said CredAvenue founder and CEO Gaurav Kumar. “We are delighted to have Krishnendu in this mission-critical role. Krishnendu’s deep domain expertise will help us elevate the operations of our current product portfolio while also driving the development of innovative new products to fuel further growth. Krish will be integral to our leadership team as we continue to penetrate deeper into the Indian financial market.”

    Most recently, Krishnendu served at Flipkart at vice president of catalogue and buying experience. He has experience across domains like banking, online brokerage, supply chain management, advertising, and e-commerce. 

    At Flipkart, he played an instrumental role in automating the entire cataloguing experience by leveraging hundreds of ML/AI models. Over the years, Krish has demonstrated strong product management, operational, technical and strategic leadership capabilities.

    “CredAveneue is a category creator and has built a truly one-of-a-kind debt marketplace paving the way for a transformational approach to the Debt markets. I am elated to be joining them at this juncture of their journey,” stated Krishnendu Majumdar. “India has been underserved with respect to the availability of credit to the largest section of the population. With the democratisation of credit availability, India can truly aspire to become a $5 trillion economy. CredAvenue has also demonstrated immense potential to unlock significant economic growth by allowing easier credit accessibility which is aiding growth and aspiration of people.”

  • SG Analytics brings in Sid Banerjee as advisory board member

    SG Analytics brings in Sid Banerjee as advisory board member

    Mumbai: Research and data analytics services SG Analytics has brought on board Sid Banerjee as an advisory board member.

    The company has been strengthening its senior leadership team by bringing in Dr Chiranjiv Roy (SVP – data analytics & Tmtechnology) Ankit Rastogi (head – Fmfinancial services & consulting), Nishant Singh (SVP – products) and Kulwinder Singh (CMO) in the last twelve months.

    With over three decades of industry experience, Banerjee is an accomplished and experienced professional who has worked with global firms like Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and IHS Markit. Till recently, he was on the advisory board of Bridgei2i, now part of Accenture’s Applied Intelligence practice. Banerjee played a key role in facilitating their stake sell.

    “We are very happy to welcome Sid to advise SG company through our future phases of growth. Sid’s expertise in key areas will play a valuable role in guiding strategic decisions and broadening our client relationships. I am confident Sid’s addition will give rise to new and exciting opportunities and help strengthen SG Analytics’ commitment as a trusted insights and analytics partner,” said SG Analytics founder & CEO Sushant Gupta.

    Banerjee brings in a diversity of thoughts and a global network to help broaden SGA’s horizons for engaging with constituencies and stakeholders outside of its conventional realm.  

    On his joining, Sid Banerjee affirmed, “I am delighted to share that I’m starting a new and exciting journey as Advisory Board Member at SG Analytics. I have known Sushant for many years and have seen how he has shaped this organization from a research company to an impact company which includes stellar work in AI, ML, research, data science, and ESG space. I am excited to be part of this team and keen to play my role in enabling SGA to scale new heights.”

  • Lenovo India appoints Chandrika Jain as marketing director

    Lenovo India appoints Chandrika Jain as marketing director

    Mumbai: Tech major Lenovo has appointed Chandrika Jain as marketing director for India, effective 1 March. 

    Jain commands more than 22 years of experience in multiple sectors, and currently manages Lenovo’s Worldwide Marketing Hub in India. 

    In this new role, she will be based in Bengaluru and lead the marketing functions across the consumer, commercial, tablets, and solutions and services portfolios. She will also be responsible for the overall corporate Lenovo brand in India, including areas such as innovation, workplace, and ESG (environment, social, and governance), said the tech company in a statement.

    “Chandrika’s previous experiences in leading large, global teams and delivering innovative, brand-building campaigns with the customer at the centre of it all, will readily accelerate our mission to strengthen Lenovo’s reputation as a trusted global brand,” said Lenovo India managing director Shailendra Katyal. “I am delighted to welcome her in this new role at Lenovo, where she’ll lead the marketing initiatives across businesses and look forward to have her an enriching experience at Lenovo.” 

    Jain has worked with Lenovo in various marketing roles for more than a decade. Previously in her roles at various advertising agencies, she worked for technology clients such as Dell, as well as clients in the consumer sector like Himalaya, Carbon (diamond jewelry), and Unilever.

    She has also worked with PSI for an USAID funded campaign to raise HIV awareness, and at ING bank. 

    “Lenovo is undergoing a fundamental transformation that will take us beyond our currentposition as a global #1 in PCs, and establish the company as a comprehensive leader in technology solutions and services. India is a crucial market in spearheading this transition, and Chandrika is the right person to make the change a reality for the Lenovo brand in India,” commented Lenovo Asia Pacific executive director of marketing Bhaskar Choudhuri. “In her current role she pioneered the first-ever global brand campaign, and she has demonstrated her business and marketing acumen in driving global campaigns for Lenovo’s consumer laptop brands, Yoga and Legion. I have full confidence that her experience will help bring Lenovo innovation to India, and further our vision of ‘Smarter Technology for All.’”

  • Modi Naturals onboards Mukesh Ghuraiya as chief marketing officer

    Modi Naturals onboards Mukesh Ghuraiya as chief marketing officer

    Mumbai: FMCG major Modi Naturals, known for its edible oil brand, Oleev has appointed Mukesh Ghuraiya as chief marketing officer (CMO).

    In his new role, Ghuraiya will be responsible for the end-to-end development and implementation of the marketing and brand strategy of the company. He will also handle the New Product Development section at Modi Naturals.  

    Modi Naturals managing director Akshay Modi said, “Mukesh is a seasoned marketing leader and comes with an impressive record of delivering results for companies at significant points of their growth. He is a perfect choice for Modi Naturals, and we are certain that Mukesh will elevate our go-to-market strategy and continue to augment our company’s growth with a new and innovative consumer-focused approach.”

    Ghuraiya joins the company with hands-on experience of 13 years in brand and category management. He has cross-industry expertise having worked across various industries including consumer products, luxury retail, smartphone, and media. An MBA in Marketing from MICA, Ahmedabad, he has worked as a category manager with Philips India in his previous assignment and also headed the marketing for Rado Watches in India. 

    Talking about his new role, Ghuraiya said, “I am thrilled to join Modi Naturals and its leadership team at such a pivotal time as the organisation is scaling up its Innovation & Brand Marketing initiatives. The organisation is also getting into newer categories in the RTC/RTE space. I look forward to adding further momentum & resilience to the marketing function at Modi Naturals.”

  • Publicis Health appoints Anindya Banerjee as creative head

    Publicis Health appoints Anindya Banerjee as creative head

    Mumbai: Publicis Health has announced the appointment of Anindya Banerjee as head of creative. He will report to Publicis Health senior VP Dorelle Kulkarni.

    In this role, Banerjee will lead the creative mandate for the unit, evolving their creative offerings while managing growth, strategy and communications output for the agency, said the statement.

    “Publicis Health has had tremendous growth momentum in the past year and this is reflected in both our new business wins and our body of work. To keep up this momentum it is important to have a leadership team that brings a diverse perspective and open new avenues for us,” said Dorelle Kulkarni. “Anindya comes with the perfect knowledge of craft and experience which will be invaluable in propelling Publicis Health to the next phase of growth. I look forward to us working together.”

    Banerjee is a seasoned creative with diverse experience in advertising, marketing, and communication. He has held senior leadership roles across various agencies and crafted award-winning campaigns that have gone on to win several accolades at world stages. With over 20 years of experience in the advertising and communication space, his expansive experience will fuel the organisation’s creative services.

    “Publicis Health continues to play a pivotal role for our growth plans and to that end we are committed to bringing on board the best in class talent to the agency,” stated Leo Burnett, Publicis Health & Publicis Business CEO and chief strategy officer for South Asia Dheeraj Sinha. “Anindya’s diverse background will bring a unique perspective to agency and I look forward to some great work in the future.”

    Banerjee joins Publicis Health from FCB Ulka, where he worked on some of India’s biggest brands including the award-winning Times ‘Out and Proud’ campaign for LGBTQ rights in India. He has worked across several Indian and international brands throughout his tenure with various agencies crafting award-winning hybrid 360 campaigns.

    “The scourge of Covid and its terrible aftermath has shown how important health is in the overall well-being of people. I believe health and wellness are going to be the engine drivers of the industry going forward. In that context, Publicis Health is once in a lifetime opportunity for me to be in the right place at the right time,” said Anindya Banerjee on his new assignment.