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Category: People

  • Adarsh Mishra signs on as content lead at Viewtrade to steer strategic storytelling

    Adarsh Mishra signs on as content lead at Viewtrade to steer strategic storytelling

    MUMBAI: Adarsh Mishra has joined Viewtrade Holding Corporation as lead, content, signalling a potential pivot in how the financial infrastructure company approaches brand engagement. With nearly a decade of experience building strategic content ecosystems for new-age platforms, Mishra’s appointment suggests Viewtrade is tightening its focus on narrative-led outreach, both client-facing and public-facing.

    Viewtrade, headquartered in Jersey City and founded in 2000, has long operated at the backend of fintech enablement. The company provides brokerage and technology infrastructure to financial institutions, fintech ventures and wealth managers, covering everything from APIs and white-label platforms to onboarding tools and post-trade services.

    Now, with Mishra’s entry, content may no longer play a background role. Best known for his work with creators and brands like WTF by Nikhil Kamath, BeerBiceps, Figuring Out, and Josh Talks, Mishra brings deep experience in creating content IPs that align creativity with business intent.

    While the specifics of his remit at Viewtrade remain under wraps, industry observers suggest he may help build a structured content strategy—spanning educational assets, thought leadership and platform-led storytelling to support scale, customer enablement, and global reach.

    The move also underlines Viewtrade’s ongoing ambition to remain competitive in a cluttered fintech stack where differentiation increasingly lies in narrative. With financial literacy, onboarding UX, and retention becoming as much about trust as tools, Mishra’s presence could prove instrumental.

  • Cheil X ropes in Ankit Singh as national strategy chief to sharpen its creative edge

    Cheil X ropes in Ankit Singh as national strategy chief to sharpen its creative edge

    MUMBAI: In a calculated move to tighten its grip on the brand strategy reins, Cheil X has appointed Ankit Singh as its national strategy director. This appointment is the latest in a series of leadership upgrades as the agency revs up its transformation into a full-funnel powerhouse.

    Singh, a marketing veteran with over a decade of brand-building know-how, will report to Cheil X CEO Jitender Dabas. He takes on the ambitious task of steering strategic operations across all Cheil X companies in India, bringing with him a reputation for scaling businesses and unlocking creative muscle at past stints with Leo Burnett, BBH Delhi, and most recently, Hilton south Asia.

    At Hilton, Singh served as director – brand marketing for south Asia, where he played a pivotal role in firming up its brand presence across the region. Prior to that, he helped drive Leo Burnett Delhi into a strategy-led creative force, and oversaw the BBH Delhi expansion with cultural fluency and sharp insight. His strategic fingerprints can be found on campaigns for Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Reckitt, Uber, Tinder, Apple, Niva Bupa, and Unilever, among others.

    Cheil X’s latest talent coup is part of a broader vision to evolve from a traditional ad agency into a future-ready, connected experience firm. With an integrated model that straddles content, commerce, and brand experience, the agency is banking on Singh’s cultural intelligence and digital-first approach to fuel its next phase.

    “I’ve always believed that a strong strategic core doesn’t just solve business problems for brands — it shapes the agency’s ability to stay ahead of change. Ankit brings his expertise of partnering with big global and Indian brands and an astute understanding of what marketing and brands need today. We are building a winning team — and Ankit will be a key player in that formation”, said Dabas.

    A recognised industry thinker, Singh has been featured in WARC, CNBC, and Afaqs, and decorated with honours including the Effies, Cannes Lions, the Warc Prize for Asian Strategy, and Impact’s 30 Under 30.

    Speaking on his new role, Singh said, “Data and technology are reshaping how brands connect with people, and Cheil has long been at the forefront of this shift — creating connected experiences across the consumer journey. I’ve always been drawn to building new things, so when Jeetu shared his bold vision for Cheil X, it felt like the perfect moment and the right place to build a future‑ready agency that delivers impact at scale”.

    The appointment aligns with Cheil X’s broader mission of assembling a modern team of strategists, technologists, creatives, and experience designers to reimagine brand-building in an increasingly connected world. 

    (If you are an Anime fan and love Anime like Demon Slayer, Spy X Family, Hunter X Hunter, Tokyo Revengers, Dan Da Dan and Slime, Buy your favourite Anime merchandise on AnimeOriginals.com.)

  • Epack Group names Narayan Lodha as executive director and group CFO to sharpen financial play

    Epack Group names Narayan Lodha as executive director and group CFO to sharpen financial play

    MUMBAI: When a conglomerate with IPOs on the radar and diversified ambitions across durables, prefab, and packaging needs a steady hand on the financial tiller, it turns to a pro. Epack Group has done just that by appointing Narayan Lodha as its executive director & group chief financial officer, effective immediately.

    The move signals Epack’s intent to bolster its financial firepower as it deepens its presence across consumer durables, prefabricated construction, EPS-based packaging, and petrochemicals. Lodha, a CA & company secretary, brings over 25 years of experience in corporate finance, capital markets, and strategic planning.

    He steps into the role with an extensive resume: Lodha previously held senior posts at Vikram Solar, Inox Wind, Ravindra Energy, and Indian Energy Exchange. His track record includes leading IPOs, private equity placements, and debt raises. He also played critical roles in turnaround strategies and capital optimisation in India’s manufacturing and renewables sectors.

    “We are delighted to welcome Narayan to the Epack family. His depth of experience in financial strategy and capital markets will be invaluable as we embark on our next phase of accelerated growth. His leadership will help us stay agile, resilient, and aligned with our long-term vision”, said Epack Group group chairman & whole-time director Bajrang Bothra.

    Lodha’s appointment comes on the heels of robust year-on-year growth for Epack Group. Epack Durable is already listed, and Epack Prefab Technologies has filed its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) in preparation for a planned IPO. In this context, Lodha’s mandate is clear: reinforce governance, optimise capital deployment, and steer financial strategy to power Epack’s ascent.

    “I am excited to join Epack Group at such a dynamic time in its journey. The Group has built a solid reputation for innovation, agility, and operational excellence. I look forward to working closely with the leadership team to strengthen our financial systems, support strategic growth, and create long-term value for all stakeholders”, said Lodha.

    His leadership is expected to support a sweeping transformation, as Epack Group scales its ambitions with a sharper focus on fiscal discipline and stakeholder trust.

  • InMobi names Kunal Nagpal as chief business officer to spearhead ad empire makeover

    InMobi names Kunal Nagpal as chief business officer to spearhead ad empire makeover

    MUMBAI: Mobile advertising heavyweight InMobi has tapped Kunal Nagpal as its new chief business officer for advertising, tasking him with orchestrating a bold unification of its ad platforms—including the newly launched Glance AI, InMobi DSP, and the InMobi Exchange.

    The newly minted role is a key move in InMobi’s ongoing push to centralise its global go-to-market (GTM) strategy and tighten its grip on the evolving world of programmatic, AI-led, and first-party advertising.

    “We are on a transformative journey to build a stronger, more unified team and the ability to better adapt to market needs,” says InMobi Advertising CEO & co-founder Abhay Singhal. “Centralizing our advertising GTM across all product lines is essential for maintaining our growth momentum, and Kunal’s proven expertise with the company across InMobi Exchange positions him as the perfect leader for this initiative.”

    Over the past five years, Nagpal has helped scale InMobi Exchange into the second-largest full-funnel mobile SSP, expanding well beyond just mobile and in-app. In his new role, he’s now charged with monetising Glance AI—a generative AI commerce engine launched last month-while also aligning InMobi’s suite of ad products under one powerful umbrella.

    “The drive to redefine advertising through innovation requires strong leadership and bold strategies,” says Nagpal. “I am eager to embrace this challenge and collaborate with our incredible teams to generate even more value for our partners and customers.”

    Glance AI, InMobi’s latest innovation, lets users generate hyper-realistic fashion looks from a selfie using Google’s Gemini and Imagen models—creating one-tap shopping across 400+ brands. With Nagpal now at the helm, the platform is expected to play a larger role in InMobi’s monetisation machine.

  • ONO appoints Anurag Sinha as CBO to lead its next agri-charge across India’s mandi networks

    ONO appoints Anurag Sinha as CBO to lead its next agri-charge across India’s mandi networks

    MUMBAI: The mandi may be a centuries-old system, but ONO is betting on a modern formula: data, tech and now, a seasoned operator with two decades in the trenches. On June 24, 2025, Bengaluru-based agri-tech startup ONO appointed Anurag Sinha as its chief business officer (CBO) to lead its expansion across India’s vast and varied mandi ecosystem.

    Sinha, whose career spans leadership roles in firms like ITC and BigHaat, brings hands-on experience in agri-finance, tech and supply chains. From early-stage ventures to scale-stage challenges, he has consistently shaped agri-businesses into impact-led enterprises—a skill ONO is counting on as it doubles down on market linkages, credit access and logistics for India’s smallholders and agri-entrepreneurs.

    “Agriculture continues to be one of the most crucial yet underserved sectors when it comes to tech-enabled efficiency and data-driven decision making. I am excited to join ONO’s mission to reimagine agricultural supply chains through data, innovation, and ecosystem collaboration. I look forward to working with this dynamic team and driving meaningful change in the agriculture landscape”, Sinha said.

    As CBO, he will anchor ONO’s go-to-market operations, grow partnerships, and build new channels to enhance the platform’s core offering: mandi digitisation. ONO currently provides services such as formal credit access, price intelligence, logistics, and market linkages, backed by investor Aeravti Ventures.

    “Anurag’s proven experience in business building and execution will accelerate our vision and help us bring more stakeholders into the fold. We are happy to have him on board”, said ONO founder & CEO Rama Rao Kancharapu.

    Founded to modernise the traditional mandi model with data and transparency, ONO is emerging as a crucial enabler in India’s agri-value chain—bridging age-old practices with next-gen technology. Sinha’s entry signals a sharper focus on execution, market depth and ecosystem-building as ONO eyes national scale.

    If India’s farm-to-market puzzle needs solving, ONO seems ready with the algorithm—and Anurag Sinha may just be the codebreaker.

  • Ugro Capital appoints Anuj Pandey as CEO to steer its MSME engine into the next growth orbit

    Ugro Capital appoints Anuj Pandey as CEO to steer its MSME engine into the next growth orbit

    MUMBAI: In India’s rapidly evolving fintech theatre, few stages are as critical-and crowded-as MSME lending. Now, Ugro Capital, the Datatech-driven non-banking finance company, has shuffled the deck and handed the reins to a man who helped script its earliest chapters. On 24 June 2025, Ugro announced the elevation of Anuj Pandey—its founding team member and chief risk officer—as its new chief executive officer (CEO).

    Pandey steps into the top role at a pivotal moment. The company recently crossed Rs 12,000 crore in assets under management, announced the strategic acquisition of Profectus Capital, and completed a large capital raise. With over 300 branches now in play, Ugro is transitioning from growth mode to scale mode—and Pandey has been handed the wheel to steer that transition.

    As CEO, he will lead Ugro’s national MSME operations, digital lending platforms, and partner ecosystem. He will report to Shachindra Nath, founder, VC, & managing director, who continues to helm the company’s strategic direction, governance and investor relations.

    “Anuj’s elevation as CEO is a natural progression in Ugro’s evolution as an institution. As a founding member and chief risk officer, his deep understanding of MSME lending, risk, and technology-driven operations makes him ideally suited to lead execution. I will remain fully accountable for Ugro’s strategic and governance matters, while Anuj takes full charge of the business. With recently concluded acquisition of Profectus and a large capital raise, I along with my Board felt that Ugro should be steered under one strong hand who exclusively focuses on the operating performance while I continue to focus on the strategic agenda of making Ugro as India’s largest financial institution for MSME financing”, said Nath.

    Pandey, an alumnus of IIM Lucknow with a B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, brings over 25 years of experience from GSK Consumer, ABN AMRO, Barclays and Religare. At Ugro, he has built its credit and risk architecture from the ground up, helping shape the company’s data-first approach to MSME financing.

    “I have been working with Shachindra for last seven years even prior to our formation. Being part of Ugro’s founding journey has been a privilege. I look forward to leading the next phase of growth — expanding our MSME reach, scaling embedded finance, and continuing our mission of ‘solving the unsolved’ credit gap with discipline and innovation”, Pandey said.

    His elevation signals Ugro’s ambition to pair entrepreneurial vision with institutional rigour. As it scales new lending frontiers, the company appears intent on anchoring growth with continuity—and trusting those who helped build the ship to now captain it.

  • Vijay Chauhan to become general manager of adidas India

    Vijay Chauhan to become general manager of adidas India

    MUMBAI: adidas has appointed Vijay Chauhan as general manager of adidas India, effective 1 August 2025. Vijay will oversee operations in India and be based in the Gurugram office.

    Vijay succeeds Neelendra Singh, who will be stepping down after more than two decades with the adidas brand. Under Neelendra’s leadership, adidas India made remarkable progress, notably establishing cricket as a high-impact category for the brand. Neelendra played a pivotal role in transforming the cricket jersey culture in India, driving brand affinity and commercial success.

    Vijay Chauhan rejoins adidas from his most recent role as SVP International at American Eagle Outfitters in New York and brings over 25 years of industry experience across the sporting goods and fashion lifestyle. Vijay first joined adidas in 1999 and during his tenure he served in leadership roles including VP of Retail/Franchise for SEAPAC and general manager of Thailand.

    Emerging Markets managing director, Dave Thomas said, “We’re grateful to Neel for his strong leadership of the India business over the past six years, during which he significantly strengthened adidas’ brand presence, accelerated business growth, and deepened our connection with consumers across India. We also look forward to welcoming Vijay back to the three stripes. With his strong commercial acumen and growth mindset, I’m confident he will continue to drive the adidas brand and business forward in India.”

    Neelendra will remain in his role until August 2025 to ensure a seamless transition.

  • Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    Actimedia’s Trupti Vasudev joins Travel Lifestyle Network board in global first

    MUMBAI: Actimedia PR & Digital’s chief executive, Trupti Vasudev, has been appointed to the global board of the Travel Lifestyle Network (TLN), making her the first-ever representative from India to hold the role. She will represent the Asia-Pacific region, spanning India, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia, GCC, Indonesia and Japan.

    The appointment comes as TLN – a coalition of 25 top-tier independent communications agencies – celebrates its 20th anniversary with an expanded mandate and a more globally integrated structure. Known for steering campaigns across luxury travel, hospitality, airlines, wellness and lifestyle, TLN is sharpening its focus on consumer storytelling and cross-border collaboration.

    “The Travel Lifestyle Network is a prime example of the power of collaboration – both for the participating agencies and clients who choose to work with a TLN agency. Specialist agencies are offering agility and deeply localised solutions for lifestyle brands and travel tourism brands with the professionalism of a global network, and as such are offering up a stiff competition to international conglomerates. The APAC region represents one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets and offers unparalleled opportunities across lifestyle, travel, and luxury segments. I’m excited to leverage the network to create greater opportunities for each of the members and also to expand TLN further into other Asia Pacific markets” said Vasudev.

    Also joining the new-look board is David Zapata, founder of US-based Zapwater Communications, who steps in as executive chair. He’s joined by Marilyne Levesque of Marelle Communications representing the Americas, and Virginie Le Norgant of GroupExpression for Europe. TLN founder Hanna Kleber continues as honorary chair.

    “Our agencies represent a remarkable group of entrepreneurial and innovative leaders deeply embedded in their local markets. Moving forward, we will place greater emphasis on new offerings, services and industries – all while maintaining the high standards of excellence that have defined TLN for two decades,” said Zapata.  

    For Vasudev and Actimedia – TLN’s exclusive Indian agency partner – the move marks a bigger role in shaping global strategy in one of the most competitive segments of PR: lifestyle, hospitality and tourism.

    TLN’s message is clear: 20 years in, the network isn’t slowing down – it’s going global with more force than ever.

  • The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    The Script Room appoints K. Ramakrishnan as an independent director

    MUMBAI: The Script Room, an independently owned, bespoke creative agency, founded by Ayyappan Raj & Rajesh Ramaswamy (Ramsam), onboards K. Ramakrishnan (Ramki), managing director – South Asia at Kantar Worldpanel, as an independent director on its board. With over three decades of experience in marketing, branding, and business strategy, he has held leadership roles at companies like Lenovo, Café Coffee Day and TVS Motor Company. In his new role, Ramakrishnan will participate in the strategic business decisions of The Script Room bringing his deep market knowledge, experience and thought leadership to the table.

    Known for its commitment to enjoyable scripts across formats, The Script Room has always championed storytelling that connects. With Ramki’s mentoring, the company takes a significant step forward in its journey of shaping their business with both soul and structure.

    Reflecting on the decision, The Script Room co-founder Ayyappan Raj shared, “Two years ago, when I first conceived the idea of establishing a Board of Directors and shared it with Ramsam, Ramki was the very first name on the list. I had the privilege of meeting Ramki in 2005 when he was a client at TVS Motor Company, and since then, he has played a significant role in both my professional and personal journey. It is with great pleasure that we announce his appointment as an Independent Director on our Board. Ramki is widely regarded as a trusted advisor and mentor – his innate capacity for leadership and guidance, coupled with his expanding sphere of influence, make him a valuable addition to our governance and strategic thinking.”

    K. Ramakrishnan shared, “It is a pleasure and honour to be able to serve as an independent director on the board of The Script Room. I am happy to work with bright and creative professionals such as Ramsam, Ayyappan and the others. I hope to provide professional counsel and promote a lot of dialectic thinking as The Script Room continues to scale up in its Creative Business journey”.

    Now in its sixth year of operations, The Script Room is excited about the future with Ramki joining as an Independent Director and will soon announce its full board of directors. With this guidance, the company is poised to continue delivering outstanding stories across all formats while building a cheerful and inspiring environment for its team and partners alike.

  • Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    Saumya Agarwal is appointed as vice president – Madison Media Plus

    MUMBAI: Madison Media Plus, a unit of Madison World, is delighted to announce the appointment of Saumya Agarwal as vice president. He will report to Madison Media Plus COO Mimi Deb.

    Saumya brings over 18 years of diverse experience in Integrated Marketing Communications. He has previously held leadership roles across GroupM, Dentsu and Publicis Groupe, and has worked with marquee brands such as Nykaa, HUL, Jaguar Land Rover, ICICI Group, HDFC Bank, Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, Allied Blenders and Spotify. Prior to joining Madison Media, he served as AVP at Starcom. Along with his deep brand-building expertise, Saumya brings a strong passion for new business initiatives, nurturing talent and crafting purpose-driven narratives.

    “As our client portfolio continues to expand and brand needs evolve, we are realigning our team structure to stay agile, strategic, and future-ready. Saumya’s addition to the leadership team marks a significant step in this direction, strengthening our capabilities to deliver impactful solutions and drive sustained business growth,” said Deb.

    Sharing his excitement, Agarwal said, “I’m excited to join Madison Media Plus at such a dynamic time of growth and transformation. The energy of the team is truly inspiring. I look forward to contributing meaningfully to our clients.”