Category: People

  • eBikeGO ropes in cricketer Harbhajan Singh as its brand ambassador

    eBikeGO ropes in cricketer Harbhajan Singh as its brand ambassador

    NEW DELHI: AI and IoT powered electric mobility start-up eBikeGO has roped in Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh as its brand ambassador. With this association and the recently announced government’s new EV policy, the company is aiming to build mass appeal, positive voice and widespread adoption for electric mobility thereby looking to capture 10% of electric two-wheeler market share by 2022. With existing operations spanning  Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi, Amritsar, Jaipur and Hyderabad, Harbhajan’s onboarding will help the company create a more ambitious presence and focus on expansion to newer markets like Chennai and  Pune. Creating a larger geographical footprint, the company will tap into customer segments, and look at generating more business use cases where a need for e-mobility is most felt.

    Industry reports predict an unprecedented global demand for sustainable mobility. While Indian demand to pent up by CAGR of over 44% during the period 2019 to2025 and to meet this demand growth, ebikeGO is looking to expand its fleet to 5000 smart bikes by the end of the year 2020.

    Founded in the year 2017, eBikeGO was born out of Amritsar and now based in Mumbai, with the commitment to promote e-mobility as the new alternate clean mode of travel, adapting quickly to the fast-changing consumer lifestyle and preferences  The young EV start-up, in last three years has successfully offered pollution-free and low- cost rides to commuters through its large fleet of 1000+ electric bikes,  across eight cities of the country. eBikeGO has been a strong player in the B2B segment offering electric mobility, powering big E-commerce businesses such as Big Basket, Zomato, Myntra, Burger King, Nandos, Grab.in, Delhivery, Fasoos and many more.

    Building a complete eco-system for clean and green energy, the company is redefining the mobility landscape by reaching out to both business-to-consumer (B2C), through its subscription-based model ) by freeing the consumer of the burden of ownership, responsibility and liability) and business-to-business (B2B) by creating last-mile delivery efficiencies and economics (facilitating and designing an intelligent vehicle), where existed none.

    Talking about his new role as the brand ambassador of eBikeGO, Indian cricketer and youth icon  Harbhajan exclaims, “eBikeGO is a new-age mobility companion, and its efforts in the area of clean and green commute are commendable. I look at this association as a great opportunity and as my own way of contributing towards sustainable mobility and a cleaner environment in our country. Months of lockdown in India has led to a drastic drop in the levels of pollution. For the first time in 30 years, people from Jalandhar could see the Himalayas, and my dream is that this is our future too !” 

    Enthused about this valuable association for the company, eBikeGO  Founder and CEO T Irfan Khan adds, “Harbhajan is a youth icon yet his appeal cuts across age groups. We are excited to collaborate with him as his persona fits well with the brand.  Not many know that the cricketer is a bike enthusiast and loves to travel too. He also shares his roots and culture with the company that was also born out of Punjab. His concern about the environment, go-getter attitude and a unique ability to deliver all-round performance resonate deeply with our brand.  We are in the middle of scaling-up our operations and looking to capture 10% of the electric two-wheeler market by 2022. We are continuously evaluating various business models for both our B2B and B2C customer segments. At such a critical juncture, we believe our association with Harbhajan will play a big role in helping achieve the goal of taking e-mobility to masses.”

    It has been two to three years of relentless effort that the company has put forth with various state governments in drafting EV policies. eBikeGO is happy to have humbly contributed to the Delhi Government's recent initiative of bringing in a new EV policy and acknowledges and appreciates the Delhi CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership. The company looks at this milestone as a joyous moment for the sector. eBikeGO is hopeful that financial incentives and infrastructure support pledged by the government will provide a fillip to the EV industry and further accelerate and promote wider adoption of electric mobility and vehicles.

    eBikeGO has witnessed an encouraging growth, despite the COVID pandemic, it has responded to every evolving market problem with innovative solutions. In recent times during the nationwide lockdown and continued social distancing norms, the demand for delivery across e-commerce platforms grew exponentially, completely paralyzing the delivery ecosystem. E-commerce players struggled with the shortage of delivery executives with most of the drivers migrating back to their homes. At this time, eBikeGO stepped up its efforts and introduced the ‘eBikeGO Rider model’ – a first-ever end-to-end delivery solution offering IoT enabled e-bikes with trained riders. The move has been hugely appreciated by e-commerce stakeholders. Right from the start, the company has invested in a fleet and offered product-market fit by servicing the delivery ecosystem. This strategy has paid off well and helped it strengthen partnerships with BigBasket, Myntra, Delhivery, and Zomato.  To build on the direct to consumer segment, the company has made electric mobility accessible for the common man at a click on www.ebikego.com – no EMI, no registration, no maintenance, no fuel – just click and drive whenever you need it at an easy monthly subscription. The ability to evolve their product offering has helped the company enable greater adoption of e-mobility solutions even in these tough times.

    eBikeGO’s is committed to its vision and larger social responsibility of making the world a better place by reducing pollution and freeing our planet Earth from fossil fuel usage and dependence. As natural resources stand on the verge of depletion, the company is committed to restoring the environment and improving sustainability. 

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  • Cheil India appoints Sourav Ray as chief strategy officer

    Cheil India appoints Sourav Ray as chief strategy officer

    NEW DELHI: Cheil India has appointment Sourav Ray as chief strategy officer (CSO). He will advance the integrated planning and strategy for the company.

    Ray is being promoted internally and will be succeeding Atika Malik with immediate effect.

    He brings over 20 years of strategic planning and brand-building experience to his new role. He has a strong track record in stewarding brands in India, Hong Kong, and China across leading agencies like Ogilvy, Leo Burnett, Bates 141, and Havas Worldwide. He has worked on a diverse set of clients covering FMCG/CPG, mobile devices, finance, media, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, travel, B2B technology, and the social sector.

    Cheil India COO Sanjeev Jasani said, “We wanted to hand-pick someone who had the balance of a classic strategy background and the ability to formulate a strategy that’s relevant for today. Sourav is that person. He has a depth of experience which, together with his curiosity and understanding of the new nuances of today’s marketing landscape, will elevate our strategic offering. I look forward to some great work from him.”

    “Cheil is a unique agency with a hugely diverse set of minds. I don’t need to point out the uncertain times that we all are in. This organisation can harness the power of diversity and create connected experiences that matter and provide positive value to our clients. I have been deeply interested in work that drives change; brand/business transformations, behavioural change, or even social change. In my new role, I look forward to helping clients integrate the idea of the brand with the digital reinvention of people and businesses to tell great stories,” added Ray.

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  • Pine Labs appoints Gayatri Rath as CMO & communications officer

    Pine Labs appoints Gayatri Rath as CMO & communications officer

    NEW DELHI: Pine Labs has appointed Gayatri Rath as chief marketing & communications officer. Rath will lead the brand, marketing and communications function as the company accelerates its growth in merchant commerce across India, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

    Pine Labs CEO B Amrish Rau said, “At Pine Labs, we continue to invest in industry-leading talent and build leadership depth. Gayatri’s years of experience in building local and global brands will be valuable as we take Pine Labs to more merchants and many other new audiences in Asia.”

    Rath said, “I am excited to join Pine Labs at this time when they are gearing up for the next phase of growth. There will be challenges and opportunities in branding, marketing, and communications as the organisation expands its reach and relevance. I am really looking forward to an enriching and learning experience.”

    Rath has 25 years of experience. Prior to joining Pine Labs, she led storytelling, branding and communications in India and Asia for several brands including Microsoft, GE Capital and Oracle. 

  • Advertising veteran Sam Balsara demands stimulus package from government

    Advertising veteran Sam Balsara demands stimulus package from government

    NEW DELHI:  Lamenting the lack of support from Indian government, and Madison Communications founder and CMD Sam Balsara demanded a stimulus package for the advertising industry. He was speaking to Governance Now MD Kailashnath Adhikari on ‘Impact of Covid-19 on media and entertainment industry and the role of governance in the media sector’. 

    Balsara said, “The government needs to provide a stimulus package to the advertising industry and push consumer demand. Perhaps they think if they gave a concession to advertising, then it would be considered a concession to the sector itself. It is not a concession; it is a stimulus package to revive demand and that is how it should be seen by the government and positioned and not as a sop to the media industry." 

    He shared that the advertising industry has faced an overall steep drop of almost 75 per cent in the first quarter of the FY 2020-2021 adding that in April it was about 95 per cent, improved slightly in May, and recovered well in June, especially in the TV and digital media. 

    “Print, radio outdoor and cinema are totally in the dumps and will only see some semblance by Diwali provided the govt allows suburban railways in metros and majority offices open. The industry was expecting TV to recover 80%-90% of last year’s levels in Q2 of the FY,” he said.

    He also said that work from home is a huge setback to the economy as it could work well for individuals and companies but not create consumer demand. "When advertising is widely recognized as the engine for a large number of consumer companies and drives demand in its absence the economy goes into a downward cycle. To spin out of this de-growth and perk up, a massive dose of advertising is required in July August, September."

    Balsara also came down heavily on Indian news channels and said that he is disappointed at what they repetitively put out and have to break out of the current rhythm of content. He was referring to the daily headlines of highest no of Covid2019 cases and deaths being reported by news channels which he said look as identical every day as they did four months ago. 

    “There are many opportunities for news channels to innovate, be more humane, and capitalise news intake intelligently. But repetitive news content is bringing the viewership down. When in the first week of lockdown viewership of news channels had shot up 300 per cent today it has come down to February levels," said Balsara. 

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  • Paytm appoints Bhavesh Gupta as SVP & CEO of lending business

    Paytm appoints Bhavesh Gupta as SVP & CEO of lending business

    NEW DELHI: India's homegrown financial services platform Paytm today announced the appointment of Bhavesh Gupta, as chief executive officer of the company's lending business. Gupta will develop and expand Paytm's lending services to strengthen the company’s vision of financial inclusion for 500 Milion Indians. Under his leadership, the company will continue to simplify, innovate, and bring new credit products to millions of Indians & SMEs in partnerships with other banks and NBFCs. Gupta will be reporting to Amit Nayyar, president at Paytm.

    Gupta, a banker with over two decades of experience, has led the digital transformation journey of some of the top retail banks and NBFCs in the country. Most recently he served as the founding member & CEO of Clix Capital, earlier known as GE Capital India. There he focused on building a well-diversified NBFC in digital consumer and MSME lending along with urban affordable housing segment driven by cutting edge technology and analytics to deliver simple, fast, innovative, and customised solutions to customers. Prior to this role, he was founding member and head – SME & business banking at IDFC First Bank for two years. Gupta spent more than a decade at ICICI Bank where he played a senior role across retail banking, both on liabilities and lending side of the business.

    Nayyar said, “Paytm is on a mission to democratise diversified financial services in the country and access to credit for consumers and small businesses is a critical enabler to fulfil their ambitions and wishes. We are very excited to welcome Bhavesh, whose experience would help us accelerate our goals. I look forward to working closely with him to expand our lending business further along with our esteemed banks and NBFC partners."

    Gupta said, "I am thrilled to be part of the team that is responsible for introducing innovative products like Paytm Postpaid making a meaningful effort to promote financial inclusion in the country. I plan to build along with a fantastic team the most cost-effective & consumer-friendly lending products for all citizens. The wealth management and financial service solutions that Paytm is building are transforming the lives of millions of Indians and are relevant globally as well."

    Paytm continues to build its presence in financial services through multiple senior hires in the last 12 months across insurance, Paytm Money, and now lending business vertical. In the lending business, Paytm, in partnership with Bank and NBFCs has launched Paytm First Credit Card, Paytm Postpaid, Personal Loans, and Merchant Cash Loans.  

  • MediaMonks India hires Karan Amin as creative director

    MediaMonks India hires Karan Amin as creative director

    NEW DELHI: MediaMonks, the content practice of S4Capital plc (SFOR.L), has hired Karan Amin as creative director, India. Operating from MediaMonks’ Delhi office, his role will be critical in guiding and transitioning brands’ digital journey. 

    “We spent a lot of time finding the right creative person for this role. As a digital business that champions Creative+Tech,  we wanted someone focussed and yet true to the digital medium to head the creative mandate for the market.  With the firm backing of programmatic, Karan and his team will be creating engaging digital content and powerful brand campaigns, powered by technology,”  says Media Monks India managing director Robert Godinho. 

    As creative head, Amin will lead the digital creative mandate for Indian and international clients looking for brand solutions across platforms and mediums. 

    With MediaMonks single P&L and immersive global team structure, Amin will be working on key businesses across India and the region.

    Amin began his career in account management before switching to the creative side as a writer in 2004. He has around 18 years of work experience having worked in some of India’s top advertising agencies, digital agencies & content platforms. He has won major advertising awards across the world, including the prestigious Gold Lion at Cannes and was voted India’s number 1 creative in the year 2007 by Campaign Brief Asia. 

    Over his entire working career, he has gained valuable experience across industries like telecom, FMCG, consumer electronics, footwear, airlines and finance to name a few. 

  • Allied Blenders & Distillers appoints Anupam Bokey as CMO

    Allied Blenders & Distillers appoints Anupam Bokey as CMO

    NEW DELHI: Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD) has appointed Anupam Bokey as the new chief marketing officer (CMO).

    Bikram Basu, who was COO of the company has resigned after five and a half years.  

    Bokey will be responsible for leading marketing strategy and brand growth.

    Prior to this, he was working as a CMO at RP-Sanjeev Goenka Group, and played an important role for the launch of Too Yumm! healthy snacks as well in the market.

    He has also worked for more than 17 years with Unilever, holding various marketing leadership roles in India, UK, and Thailand. In his career, he had also worked with plethora of brands like Dove, Sunlight, Clinic Plus, Clear, Lifebuoy, Vaseline, Pepsodent, Huggies and Pureit. 

  • Capital India Finance Limited appoints Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala as Executive Chairman

    Capital India Finance Limited appoints Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala as Executive Chairman

    NEW DELHI: Capital India Finance Limited, today announced the appointment of Dr Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, an Industry Veteran and former Chairman – NABARD, as the Executive Chairman, to the board with effect from August 6, 2020.

    Welcoming Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala on board as Executive Chairman Capital India Finance Limited  promoter SK Narvar said,” We are extremely pleased to have Dr Bhanwala on board with us as Executive Chairman and extend our warmest regards and good wishes on behalf of the entire team at Capital India Finance Ltd (CIFL). I am confident that Dr. Bhanwala’s immense experience of more than two decades will add greater value to the Capital India Group and take it to the next growth phase. I wish him a successful journey ahead and look forward to his valuable insights and expertise to fuel Company’s growth plans”

    Speaking on the appointment, Dr Bhanwala said: “I am delighted to be a part of Capital India family. It’s a great opportunity to work with the incredible pool of talent present in the company. With my 25 years of experience in the financial sector, I am confident to add value to the company's operation enabling further growth of Capital India.

    In these challenging times when the whole world is fighting Covid-19 pandemic, it is important for companies in the financial sector to stay relevant and keep introducing innovative strategies to create large customer base and achieve company’s growth. “

    Prior to joining, Capital India, Dr Bhanwala has been the Chairman – NABARD and the Executive Director of India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd. (IIFCL) and functioned as its Chairman and Managing Director from 2012 to 2013.

    Dr Bhanwala holds a Post-Graduate degree in Management from IIM, Ahmedabad and is also a PhD holder. He has also been the Managing Director of Delhi State Cooperative Bank Ltd (DSCB), during its turning around (1999 to 2005). During his stay with NABARD & DSCB, he led various initiatives related to Financial Inclusion, Microfinance, Coop. Credit Institutions, Rural Infrastructure Project Development and Project Appraisal related to Agricultural Projects.

  • Manan Shah is new Chimp&z Inc head of client services, west and north India

    Manan Shah is new Chimp&z Inc head of client services, west and north India

    NEW DELHI: Chimp&z Inc today announced the appointment of Manan Shah as the head of client services. Shah will manage Chimp&z Inc’s west and north India accounts and report directly to the CEO & co-founder, Angad Singh Manchanda. The agency aims at expanding the senior leadership with the appointment.

    With a decade's experience in digital marketing across verticals, including banking, e-commerce, travel, and insurance, Shah had been associated with marketing wizards like Convonix and AdLift. In his earlier roles, he has held positions in media planning, business development, operations and also ran his enterprise.

    Shah said, “Chimp&z Inc Opportunity comes at the right time in my career as the way brands would approach marketing is transforming swiftly with a great deal of focus on revenue and business growth. With a great team to back me and Angad & Lavinn's support, I am excited and looking forward to creating some great work.”

    The 7-year-old multi-dimensional marketing agency has been working with Fortune 500 brands and managing their 360-degrees integrated communications across healthcare, entertainment, government agencies, skin care, beauty & edu-tech categories. 

    Manchanda said, “Manan's eye for details and a unique understanding of a client's needs, marketing dynamics, and consumer trends will strengthen the team’s perspective on the data and analytical thinking, which I believe is absolutely necessary for our journey ahead. His vast experience, problem-solving skills, and enthusiastic drive are distinctively suited to lead our client servicing function. We are excited about this new leg of our journey and look forward to working together to create a visible stir in the digital-first businesses in India and overseas.”

  • Greg Joswaik replaces Phil Schiller as new marketing head for Apple

    Greg Joswaik replaces Phil Schiller as new marketing head for Apple

    NEW DELHI: Apple Inc long term marketing head Phil Schiller has been replaced by Greg Joswaik on Tuesday. Schiller will be leaving his post as senior vice president of worldwide marketing to become an Apple Fellow but will retain leadership of the app store. Whereas Joswiak, who previously handled the marketing of Apple’s products will take over for Schiller as senior vice president of worldwide marketing.

    Schiller who is often seen on-stage introducing new Apple products, will continue to oversee Apple’s event.

    Schiller has been associated with Apple for the last 30 years and has witnessed the company’s struggles in the mid-1990s and its ascendance after the return of co-founder Steve Jobs in 1996. Apart from Apple’s marketing, Schiller also guided the company’s products and served as one of the few public faces authorized to speak freely for the company.

    “I’ll keep working here as long as they will have me. I bleed six colours, but I also want to make some time in the years ahead for my family, friends, and a few personal projects I care deeply about,” Schiller said in a statement.

    Lately, the company has come under criticism from developers who say its fees and rules create an uneven playing field to compete with the iPhone maker. Schiller has overseen the App Store since 2015.

    Joswiak who is replacing Schiller comes with over 2 decades of experience and has been a veteran of Apple. He was handling the marketing for the original iPod and iPad. He will report to chief executive Tim Cook.