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Category: People

  • Publicis Media ropes in Mimi Deb to lead platformGSK

    Publicis Media ropes in Mimi Deb to lead platformGSK

    New Delhi: Publicis Media has hired Mimi Deb to lead its dedicated bespoke unit platformGSK. In this role, Deb will manage end-to-end responsibilities under media investment management for GSK India, and work towards using media as a driver of brand and business growth. platformGSK brings together diverse talent with expertise across areas such as media, healthcare, consumer strategy and business transformation from across the Publicis Groupe for the FMCG giant GSK.

    Deb is a media veteran who comes with a wide spectrum of experience of over seventeen years across the media agency business and almost six-years of marketing & sales experience in the Middle East. 

    She has led and managed prominent FMCG, CPG & Digital-first brands like Dabur, Perfetti, Mother Dairy, RSPL, Amway, McCain Foods, OLX, GoDaddy and Shopclues, to name a few. Her last stint was with Wavemaker, earlier to which she has also worked with Universal McCann, OMS & Hakuhudo Percept in key roles.

    Zenith India CCO Ajit Gurnani says, “platformGSK is a market-leading, end-to-end platform for FMCG major GSK and given her experience and skills Mimi is the ideal person to lead the mandate by focusing on value creation, innovation, media excellence and product differentiation. I am confident that she will drive significant and measurable media, brand & business outcomes for platformGSK and GSK CH.”

    Deb said that she’s excited to be taking on the new role, and looks forward to building and executing marketing transformation for GSK. “I am delighted at the opportunity and look forward to harnessing the power of innovative media strategies for the continued growth of GSK CH. I am committed to accelerating platformGSK’s capabilities, driving business results and keeping our offering competitive, impactful and well-ahead of the curve.”

  • Chimp&z Inc announces key leadership elevations

    Chimp&z Inc announces key leadership elevations

    NEW DELHI: Chimp&z Inc, the 360-degree global marketing agency has announced two senior-level promotions. Sean Pereira was elevated to associate creative director – from creative supervisor. Aarti Maghnani has been promoted from director, finance to head of accounts & finance.

    Pereira has been with Chimp&z Inc for 5 years. In his expanded role for the agency, he will lead and guide the design team on all projects and campaigns. Majorly, his responsibilities include providing design solutions to cater to the clients' needs. With over 10 years of experience in communication design, his expertise lies in advertising, Brand Identity design, branding, print, web UI, and motion design, and is also well-versed with sound design. He has worked with brands like Mondelez, Tata Sky, DHL India, Godrej Expert, Discovery Network, UNICEF, Eurosport, PVR pictures, and Romedy Now.

    Speaking of his association with Chimp&z Inc, Pereira said, “It's been 5 years since I joined Chimp&z Inc and the journey has been very enlightening under the leadership of Angad Singh Manchanda & Lavinn Rajpal and all the talented folk I've had a chance to work with, especially my skilled and versatile team of designers. It's been a great experience to be part of an ever-growing company catering to clients from various sectors. Now with the extended scope of work, I see more opportunity to create and innovate!” 

    Maghnani has been with the agency since its inception, that is, for the last 7 years. She will now lead the finance team of the agency. She joined the company in 2013, initially only to manage accounts but has now grown to manage the end-to-end finance of the group agencies. Using her experience with Corporate Finance, Risk Management, and Strategic Planning, she has helped develop the complete financial framework of the organization.

    Sharing thoughts about her elevation, Maghnani said, “I have been a part of Chimp&z since the year of its inception and I have seen the organization grow in strength. I feel immensely proud to be a part of this incredible journey. The team’s determination and resolve has not wavered at all and I am excited to witness our upcoming collective growth. As the Finance head, I am grateful to be working with a hardworking and motivated group of individuals. Handling the finance needs of a rapidly-growing organization is never easy but the support of the team and especially the directors has been invaluable in overcoming any challenges.”

    On the announcement, Chimp&z Inc co-founder and managing director Lavinn Rajpal, said, "Sean and Aarti are amongst the strongest pillars of Chimp&z Inc and their respective departments. Sean is a creative prodigy who can never stop experimenting and curating something exceptional. Over the years he has been with us, he has successfully trained and assembled a team of designers that elevate the work Chimp&z Inc does. Aarti is a thorough professional who has been with us since our inception. Both Angad Singh Manchanda and I believe, Chimp&z Inc is powered by the passion of its people who choose to give beyond their limitations every time. We are currently transitioning to a globally vested firm and we can only do that when we value our employees and recognize their hunger for newer challenges."

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  • Jayesh Gadodia joins Faber-Castell as CFO

    Jayesh Gadodia joins Faber-Castell as CFO

    NEW DELHI: Faber-Castell India, a leading stationery brand, has appointed Jayesh Gadodia as the chief financial officer. In his new role at Faber-Castell, Gadodia would be responsible for Finance, Accounts, and Commercial & IT verticals across India. Before joining Faber-Castell, he was associated for a short stint with Ernst & Young as Consultant. Prior to that he has had successful stints as CFO at Forum Homes and A.P. Moller – Maersk Group in India. He draws around 29 years of extensive experience.

    On his appointment, Faber-Castell India Managing Director, Partho Chakrabarti, said “Jayesh joins us during a very crucial time, when all businesses globally are facing challenges caused by Covid-19 to contribute to Faber-Castell India’s success and take the company forward to achieve its goals. His broad experience in Banking & Working Capital Management, Project Management, Management reporting & Accounting, Audits & Control, Tax Compliance and Secretarial & Legal Management will help Faber-Castell reach its goals. We are delighted to have him on board.”

    Speaking on his appointment, Gadodia  said, “Having worked in various roles in the capacity of a CFO before joining Faber-Castell, enables me to understand many aspects of finance, accounting, capital management etc. deeply. I’m also joining in the times when the world is seeing a pandemic and I believe I can bring my expertise together with a highly motivated and achieving team to turn the crisis into an opportunity. 

  • Aim to balance short term goals with long term vision: Cheil India’s new CSO Sourav Ray

    Aim to balance short term goals with long term vision: Cheil India’s new CSO Sourav Ray

    New Delhi: Transitioning into a new role amidst a global pandemic is a doubly challenging responsibility. Still, for Cheil India’s recently appointed chief strategy officer Sourav Ray it is the most exciting part about his move.

    In an exclusive conversation with Indiantelevision.com, Ray shared, “What we have been experiencing in the recent past is that the strategy and strategists are increasingly gaining more importance both from a client and agency perspective. Clients understand that the old ways are not going to help them navigate this new normal, and they are more open to and interested in working with a strategist.”

    He adds that it creates a positive environment for the strategists as clients are more open to take risks and try out new things.

    “Earlier, the role of strategist was mostly limited to upper-funnel communication with the clients, but now, they are equally involved in lower-funnel conversations too. So, now we are looking at not just creating awareness and interest but also help in driving the purchases too,” he elaborated.

    For Ray, the first item on his agenda in this new role is to drive commerce for the agency and clients. “Given the situation, each industry is dealing with the same question, where to get the business from? Every discussion with clients, no matter if it is about building brand awareness or exploring ways to sell; whether it’s through e-commerce or omnichannel experience, or introducing new platforms, the core of each conversation is business.”

    However, while dealing with this short-term crisis, Ray is not losing view of long-term goals for the agency.

    “The best thing about Cheil is that we keep having conversations about our long-term plans so that nothing just happens and impacts us. We are always prepared for whatever is coming. Right now, I aim to balance the short-term vision with the long-term goals, drive acceleration for ourselves and the clients.”

    He wrapped the conversation by saying, “Change is going to be the only constant for us at Cheil; sometimes, the speed of the change will be furious like it is right now, sometimes it is going to be slower.”

  • Gradeup ropes in Kartik Aaryan

    Gradeup ropes in Kartik Aaryan

    NEW DELHI:  Gradeup ropes in Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan for the launch of Gradeup Super. The 29-year-old actor will be seen endorsing the brand’s vision to become the most effective exam preparation platform for students in India.

    The actor is known for his seamless dialogue delivery and incredible youth-connect amassing huge fan following in a short span. Despite being an outsider, the actor has made it big in Bollywood on the back of his talent and sheer hard work; a factor that encouraged him to endorse Gradeup.

    “I can totally relate to the difficulties students face while preparing for different fields simultaneously. Apart from being strenuous, enrolling for multiple coaching classes ends up taking a toll on your savings. I believe Gradeup is doing a great job in simplifying exams preparation for all,” said Kartik.

    Gradeup Super is a subscription-based exam preparation model which provides unlimited access to structured live courses and mock tests. It comes with full syllabus coverage, expert faculty, complete doubt resolution, and performance report cards for students to clear the exam.

    “As someone who grew up in Gwalior and came to Mumbai to make his mark, Kartik is relatable to our students. His journey resonates with a lot of people stepping outside their hometown to pursue their dreams. He is a self-made individual, whose youth-centric movies strike a chord with our target group. Kartik's humble, friendly demeanour is in sync with our brand’s ethos of being smart and approachable,” said Gradeup  CEO & co-founder Shobhit Bhatnagar.

    The actor pursued biotech engineering while simultaneously auditioning for movies. His unwavering faith in hard work since his academic years and an understanding of the importance of the right knowledge and medium for success is what connected him with the brand. Inspiration for the youth, the actor’s recent initiative “Koki Poochega” is a step forward in enhancing the knowledge of the people through highly engaging content, which aligns well with Gradeup’s vision.

    Established in 2015, Gradeup is loved by 23 million+ aspirants across the country. The EdTech brand has helped lakhs of students to clear the exams by providing the most effective preparation to its students.

  • Pradeep Dwivedi elected as IAA vice president and area director for Asia Pacific

    Pradeep Dwivedi elected as IAA vice president and area director for Asia Pacific

    NEW DELHI: Eros STX Global Corporation CEO Pradeep Dwivedi has been elected as the vice president & area director for the International Advertising Association (IAA) APAC region. He is a senior media industry professional and is currently treasurer and director of IAA India chapter. An accomplished industry leader with an experience of over two decades in advertising & media business, telecom & technology enterprises, banking & financial services institutions and automotive sector, he currently also serves as chairperson of the entertainment, media & sports committee at the IMC Chambers of Commerce and Industry, managing committee member of The Advertising Club of India,  Member of the CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment, as well as a member of the IBG Chamber of Commerce.

    He said, "I am humbled and honoured at the responsibility. I must thank  Ramesh Narayan for a fruitful and productive tenure as my predecessor in leading IAA APAC wonderfully for the past two years as well as IAA Global chairman & world president Srinivasan K Swamy, for inspiring me to take on this mandate.  The APAC region has amazing potential and I look forward to working with all the Chapter presidents to take the ideals of the IAA forward and collectively ensure that IAA remains the harbinger and compass of marketing communications world-wide in a unique post-Covid2019 era, even as we navigate the challenges ahead of us. "   

    IAA chairman and world president Srinivasan Swamy said, "I am delighted to welcome Pradeep Dwivedi as our area director and vice president for Asia Pacific. He has been an integral part of IAA India chapter for nearly a decade and has been leading many initiatives while building a world-wide network with his commitment to IAA. I wish him all the very best in taking on this leadership responsibility at IAA Global.”

    IAA APAC region’s outgoing VP & area director Ramesh Narayan said, “I have always believed in advertising as a potent force for social good, and our actions in IAA APAC have been a testimony to that ethos. I am happy that Pradeep will carry the torch forward with sustained zeal and continue our sincere endeavour. Our best wishes are with him.”

  • “We see TV channels as partners rather than vendors”: Havas Media Group’s Mohit Joshi

    “We see TV channels as partners rather than vendors”: Havas Media Group’s Mohit Joshi

    A seasoned professional, Havas Media Group MD India, Mohit Joshi, is known within the industry for his sharp acumen and quick knack to adapt to changing trends. With his role expanding in the agency as Anita Nayyar moved on in May, this year, Joshi led the agency during probably the toughest time in its history and again showed great strength and adaptability in taking care of the business, helping certain clients maintain good visibility and value even during the lockdown and economic slowdown. 

    The gentleman sat down virtually with Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari on Thursday evening to discuss the changing trends in the TV buying world, his expectations with the IPL, his newfound love for OTT content and much more in a lucid discussion. Edited excerpts follow:

    You follow the principles of purushartha, daivya and kaal in your life. That sounds interesting. Please tell us more about it.  

    Yes, I very strongly believe in the power of these three; purushartha meaning hard work, daivya meaning luck and kaal meaning time. I feel success comes when all these three work together. For example, for people working hard during this time (Covid2019) might not have the kaal that is time favouring them. 

    It seems like you read a lot of classical text. 

    Not a lot, but yes, once in a while. There are many of them that I like and keep going back to, such as Thomas Hardy. 

    Nice. So, how’s the work going on right now? Have you people started going to the office? How’s the vibe like?

    Yes, the offices are open but we are not forcing anyone to join. Additionally, we have done extensive joining assessments for the people on grounds like who all are living alone v/s who all are living with old parents or young children, who have morbidities associated, etc. So, only those people are being called to the office for whom it is absolutely safe. We are not allowing anyone who travels via public transport to come to the office. There are extensive hygiene and social distancing protocols that we are following across our offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. 

    The vibe is great. I feel that we all have gone through a huge amount of change in the past few months and now people want to get back to the office. It is not just about work but there is also a lot of residual psychological tension that gets eased when people meet and engage in conversations.

    I personally love the days when I have to go to the office and look forward to them. 

    And how is it for your clients? Have they started opening their workplaces?

    A lot of them like Hyundai have started opening up but there are also the likes of Swiggy and Tata Motors who are still working remotely. But all of the client meetings are still happening virtually via platforms like Zoom. 

    Most of our clients are happy and positive right now. A lot of them like Hyundai were much in demand during the lockdown too and now the others too have great expectations from the festive season and also IPL. 

    So how do you see the TV viewership from here?

    I think the lockdown period was quite unique and can’t be compared to any other time. We saw a huge spike in viewership for programs like Ramayana and Mahabharata and also on news channels. 

    We have already started witnessing dips in TV viewership despite new content coming in and it is bound to happen. But I think it will stabilise now at a slightly higher level than pre-Covid2019 times. 

    Also, there is quite a hullabaloo going on TV channels, especially on news channels with Sushant Singh Rajput’s case and the sort of coverage that is happening. How are your clients seeing it; do they want to stay away from it or be present? 

    Honestly speaking, I feel that most clients should be away from this type of investigation largely; once in a while, some presence from an impact perspective is fine. But again, it is difficult to do so [stay away from such content] because most content on news is that way, they have a certain tonality. You can’t be away from this environment because then you might not find any relevant domain to be present. But in the case of very controversial domains, I personally feel that my client should be out. 

    Coming back to the client attributes, how do they view television? With situations like lowdown, when you have already committed something and have planned something for a market and that gets shut down, so does the media channel have to be flexible or the client or the agency?

    I think all three of us have been very flexible and understanding at this point in time because that’s what is required. Right now, each party understands that if one gets impacted, all three will be affected. 

    The solution to this is that we seek media platforms as partners and not just vendors. These are extraordinary times and thus require extraordinary solutions. So, I would like to get into a partnership with any channel and tell them that don’t just tell us FCTs or rates, give us options for product integrations. 

    What are the other challenges that you are facing while doing TV buying and planning?

    Television today is not just a medium of reach and impact but also a medium to drive ROI. Every client today is asking what KPIs will I get. I think it is more of an opportunity than a challenge, in fact. 

    We are using whatever data is available and we are able to do a fair bit of predictive modelling to address that. 

    Also, today, we have evolved in TV planning. We now make audio-visuals plans, which include TV, OTT and online videos. 

    A lot has changed in consumer behaviour today. I, myself, am a big example of it. I was not very much into OTT pre-Covid2019 and now I am hooked. It started with Paatal Lok and now I have watched all series like Narcos and Inside Edge. So, if a brand has to catch me, it has to be present across media and go beyond just television. 

    What part of this audio-visual planning is acquired by traditional television?

    Anywhere between 50-60 per cent to 90 per cent, depending on category and brand. We insist that all brands make even a small investment online to get an incremental reach on TV. 

    Is everything business-driven and KPI-driven then? 

    No. Let me take this opportunity to tell you the native Havas philosophy that we don’t associate with a brand that is not meaningful. It’s not just about business KPIs but also brand love. The money that a client is putting in, that’s actually for us to build meaningful brands. At the same time, I can’t go and tell a brand that I’ll make your brand meaningful, you give me money. The learnings are drawn from the bottom of the funnel and that’s how plans are made. There has to be a balance between quality and quantity. 

    You mentioned that brands are positive about IPL and the festive season. Do we see ad rates hiking?

    Rates will not go up during the festive season but the IPL will bring some stability. Some clients will invest surely, but for some business realities are more important. 

    But as I mentioned, there is a positive sentiment amongst the brands for IPL. It is coming in at the right time when brands are eager to spend. A brand like Patanjali, which otherwise wouldn’t have been a part of IPL sponsorship, is now thinking about that. We ourselves are in touch with 15 of our clients offering different deal sizes and at least 10 will surely get through. 

    Around 50-52 per cent of the overall spend by brands, this year will be during the festive season and IPL will take good 25-30 per cent of it. Categories like ed-tech, white goods, automobile, durables etc., will be active. 

    Are we seeing a slight tilt towards spending on Hotstar this season?

    I think the spend will be regular, much like last year, but new categories will come to advertise. For example, certain categories that used TV as the primary medium and digital on the side will make Hotstar their prime platform. 

    Any parting thoughts?

    As you know, we as an industry are going to see negative growth of 20 per cent this year as predicted. I think we can’t do anything about the impact on overall marketing spend and when we can’t do anything, I personally feel that we should use this time to see how we can create more innovative ways of going back to our clients and creating more value for them. So, I would rather see it as an opportunity to bring further change, transform ourselves and become more digitally savvy. 

    Watch the full discussion here:
     

  • BharatPe appoints Suhail Sameer as group president

    BharatPe appoints Suhail Sameer as group president

    NEW DELHI: BharatPe has further fortified its leadership team by appointing Suhail Sameer as group president. Suhail along with CEO & co-founder Ashneer Grover will have overall responsibility for building the organisation, merchant network, business, and revenue.

    An IIM Lucknow and DCE alumnus, Sameer is the first Group President at BharatPe and will have all the CXOs report into him. Winner of Economic Times Most Promising Leader of Asia Award, Sameer has extensive experience of working with companies from the Consumer (FMCG, retail) and consumer technology sectors, and with Institutional investors. He has built businesses from scratch, as well as helped turn around and grow existing companies.

    Featured as Business World 40 under 40 in the year 2019, Sameer at RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, launched and scaled the multi-brand FMCG business for the Group. He also set-up and led their consumer VC fund, RPSG Ventures. Additionally, he drove growth and portfolio decisions across many group companies. Sameer is also the managing partner at OTP Venture Partners, which invests in early-stage companies across consumer, consumer tech, and SaaS spaces.

     In his early career, Suhail led McKinsey’s clean-tech practice for south Asia and the Power practice for India.

     BharatPe co-founder & CEO Ashneer Grover said, “I am super excited to welcome Suhail Sameer in his new role as the Group President. Suhail is a top-class professional operator and has remarkable track record of delivering – whether it is building businesses ground up or managing conglomerates. The Founders and the Board are extremely excited to entrust Suhail with building the business and revenue on back of BharatPe’s brand and network, that has been created over the last 2 years. Look forward to him leading us to 10X growth from here on.”

    BharatPe group president Suhail Sameer said, “There is hardly another startup better positioned to solve merchant’s capital and payment requirements in the country than BharatPe. I have been in touch with Ashneer and the team for over a year now, and I have immense conviction in the mission of the company. BharatPe has emerged even stronger from the current COVID scenario, doubling its market share, which is truly remarkable."

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  • Havas Media Group appoints Sanchita Roy as head of west India

    Havas Media Group appoints Sanchita Roy as head of west India

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Group has appointed Sanchita Roy as head of west India. Roy will be responsible for the overall management and growth of the Havas Media Group Mumbai as well as the Western operations.

    She will be reporting to Uday Mohan – managing partner, north and west India who has recently taken over the additional responsibility of west besides leading the largest operation of north India.

    Havas Media Group has been growing at a phenomenal pace over the years and this year also has been winning new clients inspite of the overall slowdown. 

    Havas Media Group MD India Mohit Joshi said, “In these challenging times, while the focus has been of persistence and optimism, Havas Media Group has been steadily forging ahead with adding new clients and thus is looking at further strengthening its operations and bolstering the team. I am very happy to welcome Sanchita to Havas – she carries with her a vast experience in integrated media strategy and planning which will add immense value to both the network and our many clients.  I am confident that she will lead the team well under Uday’s guidance who has handled both North & West operations in his expanded role and has been a long-standing pillar of the Havas Media Group operations.”

    Roy said, “Havas Media Group has been a challenger-brand in the Indian media ecosystem but over the last few years has made huge strides in the overall media environment. Their global expertise, digital prowess and the unique ‘Together’ strategy makes it the most agile and future-ready agency network. I look forward to this opportunity and an exciting journey with Havas.”

    Prior to this Roy was with Omnicom Media Group India including PHD and has also had stints with Wavemaker and Mindshare previously. With over 19 years of experience she has worked with brands like J&J, Beiersdorf, Unilever, Volkswagen, Ferrero, Reckitt Benckiser and has been a recipient of coveted industry awards like Media Abbys, CMO Asia, Emvies and Campaign Asia Account Person of the Year.

  • Gozoop elevates Amyn Ghadiali as vice president – business and strategy

    Gozoop elevates Amyn Ghadiali as vice president – business and strategy

    NEW DELHI: To accelerate growth and navigate the evolving marketing landscape of the future, Gozoop, one of India’s leading integrated marketing companies, has elevated Amyn Ghadiali to the role of vice president – business and strategy. The move comes at the heels of two strong years of growth with Ghadiali at helm as director of strategy and is line with the agency’s aggressive vision for growth based on sharper strategy and ground-breaking creative work coming together to realise tangible business results for partner brands. Based out of Gozoop’s Mumbai HQ, he will continue reporting to CEO of the organisation – Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, with the addition of key responsibilities which include driving business and spearheading the strategy & creative division.

    Ghadiali began his tryst with Gozoop as an Account Manager in 2012 and by 2014 rose to the position of head of strategy. He then spent two years at another firm as the head of strategy, where he played a pivotal role in landmark campaigns including crafting the strategy for the now iconic Mumbai Police account on Twitter. He returned to Gozoop in 2016 as a group director – brand communications, where he honed his business acumen while continuing to push the bar for strategy and creativity with award winning campaigns for key accounts including Hypercity, Dell, HRX, Parle Nutricrunch, Star Bharat, Viacom18, Mahindra Lifespaces and more. After nurturing and consolidating a team of 30+ strong, he moved on to spearheading the strategy division for Gozoop in 2018. Under his decisive leadership, the team celebrated the wins of marquee clients including Tata Steel, Bisleri, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail amongst others. His keen understanding of customer behaviour and insights, coupled with path-breaking creativity make him well suited to take on the new role, which is a culmination of business and creative strategy. 

    Gozoop CEO & co-founder Ahmed Aftab Naqvi said, “When Amyn joined us as an emerging talent back in 2012 he had potential and the right mindset to grow. Over the past 8 years, he has leveraged this potential and mindset to transform into a thought leader in the industry. His dedication, work ethics are second to none and I am looking forward to work alongside him to help Gozoop and our partner brands win in this new world.”

    “Amyn has played a monumental role in helping us win in the new world, which has further highlighted his resilience, creativity and winning attitude of whatever it takes. From starting with a small team under him to winning brands like Bisleri, his growth over the years has been impressive. With him taking on greater responsibility, it excites me to see where we will be headed in the years to come,” adds Gozoop co-founder & director Rohan Bhansali.

    Ghadiali commented on his new role, "Gone are the days when strategy, creative and implementation happened sequentially. The ecosystem today is being built as it is experienced and with immediate feedback loops being a defining feature. With reduced attention spans and digital at the helm, marketing is experiencing a fundamental paradigm change. As I step into this new role at Gozoop, it is this change that shapes my vision for Gozoop, one that is rooted in the present but designed for the future. The dominance of digital is just beginning and so are we!"