ITV

Category: People

  • Belson Coutinho comes on board as VFS Global’s CMO

    Belson Coutinho comes on board as VFS Global’s CMO

    MUMBAI: Belson Coutinho has joined VFS Global as Chief Marketing Officer effective July 2019, and will be responsible for driving the company’s global Marketing & Branding strategy across its vast network of 147 countries spanning 5 continents. He joins the management team to support the organisation's growth & business plans and will also manage overall Customer Service, Quality, Information Services and Loyalty in his role.

    Prior to VFS Global, Belson Coutinho was Sr. Vice President at Jet Airways, heading the airline’s global marketing, digital, social media, eCommerce, loyalty & Voice of Guest strategy.

    A highly experienced marketer, Belson Coutinho has been instrumental in setting up and managing Jet Airways' global marketing, digital, social media, eCommerce and Voice of Guest strategy and pioneered various innovative industry-first initiatives in the global aviation industry. 

    With the continuous increase in visa applicants at VFS Global Visa Application Centres globally, the company is in the process of further extending its customer service to applicants – consolidating various support aspects of Customer Care across all online and offline touch-points, Information Services for applicants and Quality management – to offer a holistic and fully integrated customer experience for applicants and for the company’s client governments. As part of his responsibilities, Belson Coutinho will lead these efforts, in addition to leading the Marketing and Branding function.

    Mr. Zubin Karkaria, CEO, VFS Global Group said, "We are pleased to have Belson join VFS Global as our Chief Marketing Officer. He brings a unique combination of experience in marketing, loyalty and customer care with a strong focus on leveraging technology. With his background and expertise in the field, we look forward to having Belson further strengthen VFS Global’s brand in global markets and enhance overall customer experience."

    Mr. Belson Coutinho, Chief Marketing Officer, VFS Global said, “VFS Global is the pioneer in visa, passport, identity management and citizen services for client governments and I am delighted to be a part of VFS Global. Building a strong consumer brand and enhanced customer experience will be my key focus and I am excited to leverage my experience across various mediums and markets globally. I look forward to collaborate with our partners, stakeholders and our highly committed & talented colleagues to play an integral role in further enhancing VFS Global’s brand and business globally.”

  • Oscar-winning executive producer Guneet Monga joins MUBI India as content advisor

    Oscar-winning executive producer Guneet Monga joins MUBI India as content advisor

    MUMBAI: Following the recent announcement of curated global streaming service, MUBI’s expansion into South-East Asia, Guneet Monga joins the company as content advisor for India as it expands its operations in the region. Times Bridge and MUBI announced a strategic investment and partnership last year.

    Monga is an Oscar-winning executive producer and BAFTA-nominated producer, having won an Academy Award for her short film ‘Period. End of Sentence’, and has to her credit films including the smash hits like ‘The Lunchbox’ and ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’.

     At MUBI India, Monga will take forward the overall programming and acquisitions strategy for MUBI India. She brings with her a wealth of experience within the Indian film industry that will help define the content profile.

    MUBI founder and CEO Efe Cakarel said, “We bring great cinema to audiences across the globe, and in recent years have localiSed our service to cater to film lovers in more countries and more languages than ever before. With our upcoming launch in India, following our recent Malaysia launch, we are thrilled to expand our value proposition with the introduction of bespoke channels to showcase content from across the region, appeal to local tastes, and champion the work of local filmmakers.”

    Film producer Guneet Monga said, “I've been a fan of MUBI for many years now. To see a new curated film everyday through my own little window to the world of cinema, has brought me unparalleled joy. And now, as the MUBI India content strategy consultant, I am thrilled to be a part of the Times Bridge – MUBI partnership, and share with the Indian audiences the delight that this platform can be. Looking forward to bringing movies from across languages and film industries to MUBI India and watching them with the rest of the country. I will, alongside this wonderful opportunity, continue to produce movies and build my company, Sikhya entertainment.”

    Times Bridge sr vice president, investment Viral Jani said, “As part of our India playbook for MUBI, we want to build a strong connection with the Indian content ecosystem and drive strategic partnerships for wider distribution. We are excited to have Guneet on board to advise on content strategy & acquisition for MUBI India. We look forward to jointly working on localising the MUBI experience for India to bring curated high quality movie consumption experience to viewers.”

    As part of Times Bridge’s investment in MUBI, they will also be providing the company with local market expertise, talent outreach and access to commercial and festival partnerships.

    MUBI recently announced that it is expanding into South-East Asia, with offices now open in Kuala Lumpur running a localised service for the platform, and further plans to launch across more territories in the fast-developing region.

    By the end of the year, MUBI India will host a channel dedicated to curated Indian cinema as part of its offering to audiences here.

  • Group M global CEO Kelly Clark Steps down

    Group M global CEO Kelly Clark Steps down

    MUMBAI: As reported by The Drum, Group M global chief executive officer Kelly Clark has resigned from his post after serving it for three years. He, reportedly, will be replaced by current Group M agency Essence chief executive officer Christian Juhl.

    The agency is still finding a replacement for Juhl.

    Clark has led the WPP media giant globally since October 2016 and before that ran its North America and European operations. He has served exclusively in WPP agencies since joining its JWT advertising firm as a media director in New York in 1988.

    From there, Clark moved to Mindshare where he held chief exec roles in Asia Pacific and the UK and he also enjoyed a four-year spell in charge of Maxus before taking the reins at Group M.

  • HUL’s Vikas Gupta joins Flipkart as head of marketing

    HUL’s Vikas Gupta joins Flipkart as head of marketing

    MUMBAI: Former Hindustan Unilever general manager Vikas Gupta has reportedly joined Flipkart as head of marketing.

    A media report quoted Flipkart group chief corporate affairs officer Rajneesh Kumar saying, “Vikas is joining Flipkart after a long, successful stint in Unilever where he has worked in multiple countries and in various functions. He is relocating from Indonesia.”

    Gupta had been working with Hindustan Unilever for the past two decades and was working as the general manager at the home care division and VP digital transformation when he resigned.

    Gupta penned down an emotional note on his LinkedIn profile as he bid adieu to HUL. He wrote, “I joined this great company in 1998. Over the last 20 years, it has been my home, my school, my playground, my family and my office. Not only did I get the opportunity to work on some of the biggest and most diverse challenges across multiple functions and product categories, I also got to experience living in 5 different countries cross 3 continents. Deep gratitude for everything I experienced, lived and learnt and most of all the wonderful friends I made in this time. Everything I am today, I owe to this beautiful place we call Unilever and the most talented, caring people that make it so. They say you can take a man out of Unilever but never take out Unilever from the man, so I leave with Unilever beating in my heart, always wishing for its success.  New adventures beckon, new challenges await. So long Unilever. Farewell for now…till we meet again!”

  • Dabur India appoints Amit Burman as chairman

    Dabur India appoints Amit Burman as chairman

    MUMBAI: FMCG major Dabur India Ltd today announced the appointment of Amit Burman as the company's chairman in place of Anand Chand Burman. Amit Burman has been elevated to the position for five years with effective from 19 July.

    “Amit Burman vice chairman of the company has been appointed as chairman of the company and Mohit Burman has been appointed as vice chairman of the company w.e.f. July 19, 2019, post board meeting, for a period of five years,” the company informed Bombay Stock exchange in a filing.

    The company’s board also approved the induction of Aditya Burman, son of Anand Burman, as a non-executive additional director on the board. At the same time, Sunil Duggal has resigned from the office of director of the company as non-executive director of the company.

  • MediaCom announces changes to Worldwide, EMEA and UK leadership teams

    MediaCom announces changes to Worldwide, EMEA and UK leadership teams

    MUMBAI: MediaCom has promoted Nick Lawson, Josh Krichefski and Kate Rowlinson in changes to its Worldwide, EMEA and UK leadership teams. All changes will come into effect in September.

    Nick Lawson, currently MediaCom’s EMEA CEO and global client practice lead, succeeds Toby Jenner as worldwide chief operating officer. Nick will be responsible for driving the network’s business development, marketing and product offers, while retaining his position as global client practice lead. Nick has been with the agency for 28 years, originally as part of the media business before it merged with MediaCom in 1999.

    Josh Krichefski, who originally joined MediaCom in 2011, replaces Lawson as EMEA CEO, having spent the last three years as UK CEO. He takes responsibility for 4,400 people across 37 offices, driving the vision and culture for the region.

    Josh is replaced as UK CEO by Kate Rowlinson, the agency’s current managing director, Worldwide Hubs who has been part of the network for ten years. She will lead the country’s biggest agency, comprised of 1,250 people across five offices.

    Worldwide chairman and CEO Stephen Allan said of the appointments, “Nick, Josh and Kate’s track records in delivering truly innovative work are unparalleled and I am in no doubt they are the best people to lead the MediaCom network into its next exciting chapter. They will bring forward thinking and rich expertise to our clients, helping them achieve their growth agendas, and perfectly exemplify our People First, Better Results belief. Their continued personal growth has and will continue to deliver the best possible results for the brands we work with.”

    Lawson and Krichefski will report into Stephen Allan, whilst Rowlinson will report into Krichefski.

  • Resulticks brings on board Kulmeet Bawa as COO and president JAPAC

    Resulticks brings on board Kulmeet Bawa as COO and president JAPAC

    MUMBAI: Real-time omnichannel marketing solutions provider Resulticks announced today that Kulmeet Bawa has joined the company as its chief operating officer and president, JAPAC. In his wide-ranging new role, Bawa will play a pivotal role in global strategy formulation and will drive Resulticks’ marketing and business development efforts in the JAPAC region. He will be based out of the company headquarters in Singapore.

    Building on Resulticks’ strong foothold in much of the region, Bawa will assume executive leadership responsibility across Japan, India, Korea, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, empowering organizations there to leverage Resulticks’ industry-leading approach to highly individualised, real-time customer engagement.

    "We’re thrilled that Kulmeet has joined our highly energized leadership team,” said CEO and co-founder Redickaa Subrammanian. "His deep knowledge of the global marketplace, strategic focus, and shared commitment to drive aggressive growth both for our clients and our company aligns directly with Resulticks’ mission to be the brand to reckon with in today’s seamless engagement era."

    Bawa brings to his new role a profound understanding of the challenges and opportunities enterprises face in the digital era, having served as vice president and managing director for Adobe South Asia. With more than 28 years of cross-functional experience, he has a strong track record of building businesses from the ground up and steering them to a leadership position within a short span of time. Known for his suave and “never say never” style, he has helped global brands challenge the status quo, embrace innovation, and be at the forefront of digital transformation in an era of data explosion and artificial intelligence.

    Commenting on his new role, Bawa said, "There is a fast-growing awareness throughout our industry that Resulticks is the game-changer in data-driven, AI-enabled customer engagement. I’m proud to be part of the special force that is challenging the status quo and empowering brands to achieve top-line growth through strategic mindset, marketing expertise, and technological innovation.”

    Prior to his tenure at Adobe, Bawa has worked in leadership roles at Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. He has also served for more than 12 years in the Indian Armoured Corps and is an alumnus of the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad, and the prestigious National Defence Academy.

  • ByteDance appoints Rohan Tyagi as marketing head India

    ByteDance appoints Rohan Tyagi as marketing head India

    MUMBAI: Beijing-based content & media company ByteDance, which owns a portfolio of apps like TikTok, Helo, and Vigo Video, has appointed Rohan Tyagi as its marketing head for India. 

    Tyagi comes from Zee Media Corporation, where he was working as the product and marketing head for its digital properties. 

    He has prior experience of working with companies like ABP News, and IT company CEB, which is now known as Gartner.

  • CleverTap names Miten Mehta as chief alliance officer to head its global partnership ecosystem

    CleverTap names Miten Mehta as chief alliance officer to head its global partnership ecosystem

    MUMBAI: CleverTap, the leading customer retention SaaS platform, announced today that Miten Mehta, has joined the company as Chief Alliance Officer to lead its strategic alliance and partnership program across Americas, EMEA & APAC regions.

    Miten, Xoogler, is a senior digital transformation and innovation leader, who will relocate to Mumbai from Silicon Valley to drive the next phase of growth at CleverTap through strategic alliances with consulting, product and SaaS firms, ISV’s, digital agencies, marketing analytics firms, educational & training Institutes among others.

    “Miten brings a global perspective and an impeccable track record of enabling rapid partnership led growth at early to late-stage companies across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific to CleverTap leadership team. He will not only provide leadership to accelerate and scale our strategic growth by ramping our alliance program but also co-innovate solutions with partners to address our customer needs in new markets and verticals” said Anand Jain, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at CleverTap.

    Miten brings over 25+ years of P&L experience in technology leadership across – strategic alliance and partnerships, corporate development, M&A and product innovation. Prior to joining CleverTap, he worked at Google as a consultant where he supported their strategic partners and customers for Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and community ecosystem program. Previously, Miten was the co-founder of Spinta Global Accelerator, KD, eComLive (acquired by InfoSpace) and MoConDi (acquired by MobileMedia) and served on board / advisory board of companies in USA and India.

    “CleverTap enables our partners to grow their clients digital business through our industry-leading customer retention platform which helps Fortune 2000 brands increase customer lifetime value while reducing churn and customer acquisition cost. I’m excited at this opportunity to add value to our partners and help them expand into new markets and verticals by leveraging the CleverTap platform”, said Miten Mehta, Chief Alliance Officer at CleverTap.

  • Sunish Jose appointed to lead global distributed delivery at Publicis Media India

    Sunish Jose appointed to lead global distributed delivery at Publicis Media India

    MUMBAI: Publicis Media India announced the appointment of Sunish Jose as its lead for global distributed delivery. The global distributed delivery set-up is a centre of expertise catering to international markets on a full spectrum of digital, data, and tech services. It houses over 300 specialists across Mumbai and Gurgaon and supports a host of Publicis operations across US, Europe and Asia and their multinational clients on search, programmatic, data engineering, data sciences, ecommerce, consulting and development. 

    Jose comes with about 18 years of experience and is a multi-faceted Six Sigma Black belt professional with extensive experience in managing Digital Operations business across Programmatic Solutions, Search, Social, Display & Mobile, Analytics and Business Process Management. Some of the global clients he has had experience on include P&G, Sprint, Reckitt Benckiser, Nestle, Kraft, PepsiCo, Verizon, Toyota, Honda. With a proficiency in managing Service Delivery, defining SLA’s, contracts, SOP’s he also has a track record of partnering with Technology teams and leveraging automation to drive efficiencies. His last role was with Accenture UK & Ireland where he was based in Dublin and managed key businesses for Accenture EMEA, as the EMEA delivery leader with a 500+ member team based across Dublin, Lisbon and Krakow.

    Publicis Media India CEO Anupriya Acharya said, “Sunish Jose’s rich experience and demonstrated capabilities in successfully managing and scaling up large specialist operations across India and Europe, makes him the right fit for the role. As GDD expands its footprint both in terms of geographies as well as capabilities, managing the speed of growth well is important. Jose will guide our GDD charter and deliver on expansion and operational excellence. Furthermore, GDD will also continue to provide the right talent pipeline for our fast expanding domestic business and clients across all the future-facing service streams.

    Publicis Media India GDD head Sunish Jose said, “This is an exciting time to be returning to India. The market is vibrant and the country continues to be an incubator and exporter of ideas and innovation. GDD is a world-class operation that provides the backbone talent and infrastructure for strong execution on our Global clients. I look forward to accelerating GDD’s growth and keeping our offering competitive, relevant and well-ahead of the curve as we gear up for the next round of expansion.”