ITV

Category: People

  • Check Point Software Technologies appoints Sundar N Balasubramanian as MD India & SAARC

    Check Point Software Technologies appoints Sundar N Balasubramanian as MD India & SAARC

    MUMBAI: Check Point Software Technologies Ltd, a leading provider of cyber security solutions globally, announced today the appointment of Sundar N Balasubramanian as managing director for the India and SAARC region as Bhaskar Bakthavatsalu has been promoted to take on a global role. The changes are effective immediately.

    As managing director for India and SAARC, Sundar will be responsible for Check Point’s continued growth in the region. He will report to Sharat Sinha, vice president (VP) / general manager (GM), Asia-Pacific & Japan. Sundar has over 25 years of experience in information technology and has held key positions with companies such as IBM, Microsoft, and EMC/VMware. He has a MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta and a Bachelor of Technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

    On Sundar’s appointment, Sharat Sinha, VP/GM, Asia-Pacific & Japan said, “I am very excited to welcome to Check Point Sundar Balasubramanian, an industry veteran who has contributed to some of the world’s most established technology brands. I believe with Sundar’s leadership and experience, we will continue to drive success for Check Point, its partners and customers in India and SAARC.”

  • Paytm Money elevates Pravin Jadhav to MD & CEO

    Paytm Money elevates Pravin Jadhav to MD & CEO

    MUMBAI: Paytm Money – India's largest online platform for mutual fund investments and the wholly-owned subsidiary of One97 Communications that owns & operates Paytm, announced that it has promoted Pravin Jadhav, currently its Whole-time Director to Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer.

    Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma said, "In last one year, under Pravin's leadership, the team at Paytm Money has built an entire organisation, product, and business grounds up. As a true entrepreneur, Praveen has made Paytm Money from an idea to India's largest mutual fund investment platform today. As our business expands in Stock Broking, NPS, and other investment products, I am very proud that Pravin will lead the company as its Managing Director & CEO."

    An ex-entrepreneur himself, Pravin is well recognized and followed in the Indian internet & startup domain as a product & growth leader. With near two decades of professional experience, prior starting with Paytm Money he served as the Chief Product and Growth Officer at Servify; earlier he led Product Management for e-commerce & mobile at Rediff.com, and was Founder & CEO of Wishberg.

    Paytm Money MD and CEO Pravin Jadhav said, "Everyday we continue to build Paytm Money to manage user's trust. It has been an exciting journey so far with Paytm Money and I am looking forward to the massive opportunity that lies in front of us to make investments more simpler, transparent and accessible to millions of Indians."

    The company now has over 3 Million users on its investment platform and is the single largest contributor of SIPs to the mutual funds' industry, also contributes to about 40% of all SIPs registered in Direct Mode. Paytm Money aims to invest INR 250 Crores over the next 18-24 months as it is expected to launch new businesses including Stock Broking, NPS and more in this financial year.

  • Happy mcgarrybowen appoints Mahendra Bhagat as National Creative Director

    Happy mcgarrybowen appoints Mahendra Bhagat as National Creative Director

    Happy mcgarrybowen, the creative and design agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has further strengthened its creative prowess with the appointment of Mahendra Bhagat as National Creative Director.

    With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Mahendra has worked with agencies like Enterprise, SSC&B Lintas, JWT and FCB, where he created some iconic campaigns for brands like Titan, Britannia, Times of India, Godrej and Unilever. He has been the recipient of many National and International awards including Cannes, Clio, New York Festival, London Festival as well as AME (Advertising & Marketing Effectiveness) and has been on the Jury of several prestigious Advertising awards.

    Additionally, Mahendra parallelly dabbles in various aspects of Art. He has created some intriguing pieces spanning across corporate installations, video and digital art, mixed media, contemporary paintings and sculptures. His work has been widely acclaimed by audiences in several countries.

    Commenting on his appointment, Agnello Dias, Creative Chairman, Dentsu Aegis Network India said, “I have worked with Mahendra during my last stint at an agency, and always felt he had a calm, collected,  creative mind without the tantrums that some creative people have. He is keen to understand the brand’s point of view and apply his undoubted creative skills to find a solution. He has a keen art and design eye as well. I’m sure Happy mcgarrybowen will forge a great partnership with him and their clients. I wish him all the best.”

    Soumitra Karnik, Chief Creative Officer, Happy mcgarrybowen added, “I am thrilled to have Mahendra in our team as we plan to take Happy mcgarrybowen to the next level. He is a rare creative talent who is on top of the game as far as craft is concerned, and who has managed to use the new media platforms really well. Above anything else, he is a lovely person to work with and I am quite certain that we couldn’t have found a better leader than him. Happy mcgarrybowen is now happier with him around.”

    Speaking on his appointment, Mahendra Bhagat said, "The future of advertising lies in marrying creativity with technology. Instead of relying on traditional mediums, Happy mcgarrybowen is constantly in an exploratory mode; finding a new age communication solutions. Being a relatively young agency, it is buzzing with new ideas and energy. I look forward to channelizing that energy in creating some path breaking work for our clients.”

    Commenting on Mahendra’s appointment Samarjit Choudhry, President, Happy mcgarrybowen said, “Mahendra brings to the table the varied experience that is much needed in today’s world and also the freshness that comes from his being an artist. With him as the NCD I am sure we will become a lot more stronger as a creative solution provider to our clients.”

  • Dentsu India strengthens creative team with new appointments

    Dentsu India strengthens creative team with new appointments

    MUMBAI: Dentsu India, the brand solutions agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has appointed Siddharth S as group creative director and Rigved Sarkar as associate creative director at their Bangalore and Mumbai offices, respectively.

    Siddharth’s last stint was with Leo Burnett Orchard, Bangalore, where he was senior creative director on brands like Amazon and Ola. He will report to Krishna Mani who recently joined Dentsu India as ECD – South.

    Before joining Dentsu India, Sarkar was creative controller at 82.5 Communications, Mumbai, where he worked on Tata Motors, RuPay, etc.

    Speaking about their roles, Dentsu India chief creative officer Malvika Mehra said, “We are nothing without our people. I’m happy that we have new talent like Siddharth and Rigved on board, who believe in the vision we have for the creative product at Dentsu India. Both are talented writers, with a pulse on the requirements of the new brand world we are experiencing today. I am really looking forward to us working together and creating some famous work for our clients across both geographies. ”

    On his appointment, Siddharth said, “In the business of creativity, one can't afford to get comfortable. The world outside is an ever evolving one. The mechanics of advertising are changing every day. I was seeking an exciting new challenge that would help me recalibrate my skill sets to the demands of start- ups and established brands. As they say, what you seek is seeking you. My meeting with Malvika was just that.”

    He added, "Malvika has a vision for Dentsu India. All we need to do is align with that vision. I feel Dentsu India has an exciting mix of talent and clients to become a force to reckon with. 2019 has been a year of unprecedented momentum at Dentsu India and there's a collective feeling here that this momentum will propel us into an even bigger league.”

    Talking about the new role, Sarkar said, “When Malvika told me of the vision that she had for Dentsu India, I was hooked immediately. We are entering an era that requires a whole new level of creative thinking, with brands old and new constantly looking for innovative and inspiring ways to reach out and engage with people. Dentsu India is doing just that and I’m excited to be a part of it. There are some amazing people here doing amazing stuff and I cannot wait to create more magic with them.”

  • Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk ropes in millennial heartthrob Kartik Aaryan

    Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk ropes in millennial heartthrob Kartik Aaryan

    MUMBAI: Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk, India’s favourite premium chocolate brand ropes in new-age Bollywood actor, Kartik Aaryan, as the new entrant into the Silk family. The heartthrob of B town who has been storming the box office with a series of romantic comedy blockbusters fits in perfectly with the brand’s romantic appeal. His consistency matches the brand love that Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk enjoys and both will be a win-win together.

    Commenting on the association, Mondelez India director – marketing (chocolates) Anil Viswanathan said, “Ever since we launched, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has grown to be one of our most successful chocolate innovations in the country and has played a lead in the premium segment, offering the consumers a unique and indulgent experience. We believe that our association with Kartik Aaryan will further help in strengthening our connection with the youth, taking Silk’s appeal to the next level.”

    On becoming a part of the Silk family, Kartik Aaryan, said, “I am extremely excited about this association. I love playing romantic fun-filled characters and am looking forward to partaking in yet another refreshing and romantic journey with the iconic Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk.”

  • Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe-owned digital agency, Digitas India has announced the appointment of Sonia Khurana as chief operating officer. She joins the agency from Ogilvy India where she was senior vice-president and head of customer engagement. She will report to Digitas India CEO Amaresh Godbole.

    Commenting on her appointment, Godbole said, “Digitas India has been on the fast track for the last decade, and today we’re 450 plus experts partnering top-notch clients. To keep up with this growth trajectory, we need more leaders who are adept at solving business problems through modern marketing practices. Sonia is just that, a true T-shaped personality who has run digital businesses as well as capabilities. Further, she understands how to tackle the challenges of integration. It’s what we need to drive our next phase of growth as the premier connected marketing agency, and as a partner in Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Solutions."

    A marketing old hand with experience of over two decades in key roles across prominent agencies in the advertising industry, Khurana has been instrumental in shaping up business and strategy for the agencies and has handled clients across retail, hospitality, telecom, technology, automotive, travel & tourism, and more. Some of the clients include Aditya Birla Group, Vodafone, IBM, BMW, Microsoft, Nokia, and Diageo.

    Much of her professional life has been spent at Ogilvy India where she worked for almost a decade in its Bengaluru and Mumbai offices. While at Ogilvy, she was instrumental in setting up OgilvyOne (the digital unit of Ogilvy) in Bengaluru. She also conceptualised and created India's first retail social CRM program for Elle Fashionwear. Prior to Ogilvy, she was at Wunderman International as the India Lead for Nokia.

    On her new role Khurana said, “I'm very excited to be part of a young, energetic team whose focus is at the nexus of creativity, data, technology and media. My goal is to partner with the team to chart the agency's next chapter and make it the agency of choice for clients looking to take a leap in their digital journey. On my first day at work, I saw the Publicis Groupe's Power of One strategy in action. It made me realize that I haven't just joined the agency brand but that I am part of the enriching Groupe ecosystem committed to delivering truly integrated, client-focused solutions. Three weeks in and I can already see what makes this place so special."

  • McCann Worldgroup appoints Sanjeev Chopra as SVP & head, McCann Health – Delhi

    McCann Worldgroup appoints Sanjeev Chopra as SVP & head, McCann Health – Delhi

    MUMBAI: Sanjeev Chopra has joined McCann Health as senior vice president and head McCann Health – Delhi. He has over 25 years of experience in healthcare advertising, marketing & sales. He moves from Publicis Health.

    Chopra has earlier worked with companies like Wockhardt, Crosslands, a division of Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd., McCann Health, Publicis India, Aspire Cerebro. He has worked on clients like Sanofi, Sanofi Pasteur, Abbott, Sun Pharma, Pfizer, Lupin, Zydus, Novartis, Astra Zeneca, Novo Nordisk, Draeger, J&J, Dr. Reddy’s, GSK, Glenmark, Wockhardt Pharma, Perkin Elmer, Pregna, MSD, Cipla, Lupin, Narottam Seksaria Foundation (Anti-tobacco), BMC Mumbai, Wockhardt Hospitals, Sion Hospital, KEM Hospital & Baljiwan Pharma, etc.

    Commenting on Chopra’s appointment, McCann Asia Pacific Chairman, and McCann Worldgroup India CEO & CCO Prasoon Joshi said, “I am extremely happy to have Sanjeev come on aboard in a key role. He is passionate about the business and I am sure this will further strengthen our McCann Health operations in Delhi with his vast experience in healthcare space.”

    On joining the agency, Chopra said, “I am thrilled to join back McCann Health, a place from where I had started my agency journey. McCann Health has all that makes it a leader agency – enjoys amazing confidence of well-known clients in health & nutrition domain, has extraordinary talent and exhibits ever-growing hunger to win reputed awards. Healthcare communication industry is currently experiencing exciting times – clients are implementing ideas generated by out-of-box thinking and technology is playing a role like never before. Indeed, this is the best time for me to join the best agency.”

  • Sania Mirza to continue as Centuary Mattresses’ brand ambassador till September 2020

    Sania Mirza to continue as Centuary Mattresses’ brand ambassador till September 2020

    MUMBAI: Centuary Mattresses – one of the India’s leading mattress brands, will be continuing its association with Sania Mirza till September 2020. The tennis star’s engagement as the brand ambassador of Centuary Mattresses which started in March 2018 will now continue till September 2020. This engagement also made the company an early mover amongst the Indian mattress companies, and to have a continuous association with a celebrity brand ambassador.

    While commenting on the development, Centuary Mattresses executive director Uttam Malani said, “Our association with Sania Mirza was a step towards accelerating our growth plans for the brand. The synergies between the attributes of Centuary Mattresses and Sania Mirza’s personality have had a positive impact on our brand. Our continued association also enables us to rise our positioning and increase our focus on the premium segment.”

    Centuary Mattresses has been continuously leading the product innovation in the Comfort and Bedding industry, offering varied range of products which are manufactured using advanced technology, and conforming to the highest norms. Sania Mirza also encourages people to dream big to achieve greater success and the importance of Power of Better Sleep to chase those dreams. Post successful launch of Signature Collection – inspired by its brand ambassador Sania Mirza, Centuary Mattresses has launched yet another collection under its umbrella – Hybrid Collection; which is the latest in mattress technology.

    Sania Mirza will be seen across a fresh marketing campaign of the brand in the coming season; where she will be seen advocating to “Sleep like a Champion”.

    “For the success of champion; one must understand how important it is to sleep like a champion. I am proud to continue my association with a brand such as Centuary – which has been offering the Power of Better Sleep to all those who dream to be a champion”, said Sania Mirza, on her continued association as the brand ambassador with Centuary Mattresses.

  • Xaxis’ Alok Kapase joins Madison Media as account director for digital buying

    Xaxis’ Alok Kapase joins Madison Media as account director for digital buying

    MUMBAI: Alok Kapase has joined Madison Media as account director for digital buying ending his three year-long stint at Xaxis, a part of GroupM, where he was working as group head for supply operations.

    Kapase has more than 8 years of experience in web and mobile advertising industry, gaming, business development & account management. He has earlier been associated with companies like Audience Science, PubMatic, Vserv and Vmax.

    He had joined Xaxis in 2016 and was responsible for managing entire programmatic buying for Xaxis India. During his stint at the company, he had direct ownership of approximately INR 42 cr+ inventory buying including Youtube mastheads and Truecaller roadblocks along with OTT partnerships and other inventory deals.

    Kapase is RIT College of Engineering graduate and has his MBS degree from Maharashtra Institute of Technology.

  • Dentsu India ropes in Asheesh Malhotra to head Mumbai division

    Dentsu India ropes in Asheesh Malhotra to head Mumbai division

    MUMBAI: As part of its strategic intent to bolster operations, Dentsu India has roped in Asheesh Malhotra to head its Mumbai office. He will report to Dentsu India CEO Simi Sabhaney.

    With over 20 years of experience across leading agencies including Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, Bates CHI Partners and Ogilvy, Asheesh has been instrumental in building brands such as Unilever, Mondelez , ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Castrol, BP, and Toyota.

    His last stint was as executive director at PointNine Lintas, Mullen Lowe Lintas Group. He has also won accolades like the Effie’s, Kyoorius, and Spikes in India and the Asia Pacific region.

    On his appointment, Sabhaney said, “We are truly delighted to have Asheesh come on board to lead the Mumbai operations. His experience of having led omni channel functions makes him the perfect choice in line with our growth strategy and the changing media landscape.”

    Commenting on his new role, Malhotra said, “My focus will be on building new partnerships and growing our existing client relationships. I believe that the age of transformation (from traditional to digital or vice versa) is over. If you haven’t hopped on to that wagon yet, you best not. You cannot be running an agency with a siloed mindset. DAN, with its true One P&L structure, has integration at its core and it brings together the best of creative minds, media, data and technology to bring the best ideas and value to our clients. In today’s context, this is true integration and I am truly excited to be part of this journey.”