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Category: People

  • Uber appoints Pradeep Parameswaran as its new India head

    Uber appoints Pradeep Parameswaran as its new India head

    MUMBAI: Ride-sharing app Uber on Tuesday appointed Pradeep Parameshwaran as its new India and Asia head. The company’s move is in line with its aim to double down on its investment in the country, as it looks to grab market share from home-grown rival Ola (ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd).

    Parameshwaran will replace Amit Jain, who has been tasked with heading Uber’s entire Asia Pacific business, including countries such as Australia, New Zealand and North Asia. Jain’s appointment was part of the broader strategy that indicated Uber’s intentions to grab the market as Ola has taken in Australia, which also recently launched its service n that country. 

    Earlier in an Interview with Livemint, Uber’s chief operating officer Barney Harford said, “The company was considering both internal and external candidates for the role of India head.  Uber would continue to invest heavily in India, the ride-hailing company’s most important market outside the US, for an indefinite period rather than focus on cutting the company’s massive losses in India” 

    Commenting on his new role, Pradeep Parmeashwaran said, “Uber is one of the most exciting, innovative and mission-driven companies in the world, and I’m thrilled to lead our business in this critical global market as we work to bring the benefits of ride-sharing to even more riders, drivers, and cities. After twenty years building businesses and leading through change across Asia and the US, I am excited to shape how the region moves over the next twenty”

    Prior to joining  Uber, Parmeshwaran was working with Den Network Limited as CEO. He brings with him 20 years of experience, having worked in the US, Asia Pacific and Africa. He has also been associated with companies across the technology value chain including Internet companies, telecom service providers, ISPs, cable/DTH providers, handset manufacturers, network OEMs, IT service providers, software companies and fiber players on multiple functions including strategy, business building, sales acceleration, operations, organization and finance. 

    Parameswaran’s appointment comes at a time when Uber is engaged in market share battles in the Asia Pacific region against local rivals such as Ola, which is backed by Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp, a common investor in both taxi start-ups. 

    Rumours of a potential Ola-Uber merger in India have been doing the rounds for the past few months, but both companies have repeatedly denied any such reports.

  • Arun Sharma elevated to COO for Delhi business at Initiative

    Arun Sharma elevated to COO for Delhi business at Initiative

    MUMBAI: Initiative, which is a full-service media agency from IPG Mediabrands, has promoted Arun Sharma to the role of chief operating officer for Delhi business. 

    Prior to this, as senior partner of Initiative, Sharma played a pivotal role in spearheading one of the top clients of the agency, Reckitt Benckiser. Last year, Sharma was also given the additional mandate of IPG Mediabrand’s newly launched unit ‘Magna’ and was named managing director of the division.

    Initiative CEO Vaishali Verma says, “We couldn’t have found a better person for this position as he is one of our own and has been leading the RB business for the last 4 years with many industry and RB India firsts. Our approach to rapidly interpreting and acting on cultural data signals, creating relevant, long-lasting consumer connections that drive business results.”

    Talking about the new role, Sharma mentions, “Indian media industry is going through very exciting times. Initiative with its strong brand equity, perfect mix of large and reputed global and local clients, cutting edge tools and techniques, strong product offerings, talented and driven bunch of people is best poised to serve its client in this dynamic market scenario.” 

    In his dual roles as COO Initiative Delhi and MD of Magna, his key priority would be to help the clients grow their business by leveraging the company’s expertise, strategic use of tools, by implementing their global learning and dominant scale in media.

    Sharma started his career with Madison in 1998 as strategic planning supervisor for the Coca Cola Business. In 1999, he moved to Universal McCann as associate media director and handled businesses like Nestle, L’Oreal and Gillette. In 2003, he had a brief stint with Mediacom following which Sharma moved to the client’s side and joined Bharti Airtel as DGM Marketing. Following a stint of 11 years, in 2014, Sharma quit Bharti Airtel as VP marketing – head media (All Business, South Asia) and moved to Initiative as vice president to handle Reckitt Benckiser account as business head.

  • Audi CEO Rupert Stadler arrested

    Audi CEO Rupert Stadler arrested

    MUMBAI: German automobile company Audi’s CEO Rupert Stadler has been arrested on suspicion of fraud. The arrest has been made in connection with Audi’s parent company Volkswagen’s role in emissionsgate (dieselgate).

    The Volkswagen emissions scandal began in September 2015, when the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to German automaker Volkswagen Group. 

    The prosecutors’ office recently widened its emissions cheating probe to include Stadler among the suspects accused of fraud and false advertising. The prosecutors also said that the arrest of Stadler was essential as the investigators saw the risk of him trying to suppress evidence in the diesel emissions probe.

    The agency found that Volkswagen had intentionally programmed turbocharged direct injection (TDI) diesel engines to activate their emissions controls only during laboratory emissions testing which caused the vehicles’ NOx (Nitrogen Oxides) output to meet US standards during regulatory testing, but emit up to 40 times more NOx in real-world driving.

    Volkswagen deployed this programming software in about eleven million cars worldwide, and 500,000 in the United States, in model years 2009 through 2015.

    Standler’s home was raided last week where Munich prosecutors based the arrest warrant on concealment of evidence.

    Audi confirmed the news in a statement: “We confirm that Mr Stadler was arrested this morning. The hearing to determine whether he will be remanded is ongoing.”

    Volkswagen has pleaded guilty to the criminal charges pressed against the company where two managers are serving prison time in US.

  • Anita Mookerjee joins Lodestar UM as head for South business

    Anita Mookerjee joins Lodestar UM as head for South business

    MUMBAI: Media and marketing company, Lodestar UM has appointed Anita Devraj Mookerjee as the head for South India business. 

    Mookerjee will lead the entire South India operations of LUM, including the agency’s Bangalore, Chennai and Kochi operations. Lodestar UM’s South India operations includes marquee clients like Wipro Consumer Care, Accenture, MedLife, Exide Life Insurance, Duroflex, Zivame, Amaron Batteries, Amante and several others. 

    Mookerjee will lead the agency’s continued focus on strategic media planning, technology, data, content and ROI driven solutions.

    Prior to joining Lodestar UM, Mookerjee was the managing director at Mediacom Indonesia. 

    Lodestar UM chief executive officer Nandini Dias says, “A comprehensive search for the right leader, led us to Anita, who is the perfect candidate to spearhead the next phase of development in these critical markets. A performance-oriented, industry leader with a proven track record of success, especially in the areas of business growth, strategy and brand building, Anita will ensure we continue to deliver on the Lodestar UM promise of powerful, creative, insight-driven ideas for our clients”

    Talking about her new role, Mookerjee mentions, “I spent my formative years in media in Lintas Media Group (now Initiative), where I used to handle ITC. So, this is a home coming for me. Lodestar UM as an agency has always focussed extensively on its product and people.”

    Armed with over 19 years of experience in media communications and brand planning, Mookerjee is an alumni of Mumbai University. She started her career with Ogilvy in 1999. In 2005, she joined Lintas Media Group as Business Director. Following a stint of 3 years, Mookerjee joined Mediacom in 2008 as General Manager and overlooked the agency’s operations in Bangalore and Chennai. She moved to Mediacom Indonesia in 2012 as Managing Director and spent 5 years with the agency before returning to India.

  • Anjali Malthankar joins Tonic Worldwide as NSD

    Anjali Malthankar joins Tonic Worldwide as NSD

    MUMBAI: Digital agency, Tonic Worldwide, has appointed Anjali Malthankar as its national strategy director in India. Anjali brings with her fourteen years of experience in the advertising industry – developing deep insights, building brands and understanding the art of decoding human behaviour. Prior to Tonic, she has worked with various agencies, such as Ogilvy & Mather, Law & Kenneth, DDB Mudra, Leo Burnett Orchard and Madison BMB. In her last full-time stint, Anjali was leading strategic planning at Madison BMB. Over the past 3 years, she has been an independent consultant for leading advertising and research firms.

    Malthankar has nurtured various FMCG brands throughout her career including Pond’s, Huggies, BeBeautiful, Clean & Clear, ITC Skincare, Go Air, HyperCity, Godrej Nature’s Basket, Jo & Doycare soaps, Tata GoldPlus, Ferrero Rocher, Prince Pipes, Sri Sri Tattva and Reliance Retail. She has also worked on qualitative research studies for MAC, Star Plus, Star Pravah, Emami Male Grooming, Jay Tea, BigRock.com, Fazlani Foods, Godrej Nupur, among others.

    Tonic Worldwide founder and CEO Chetan Asher says, “We are delighted to have Anjali on board with us. Anjali fuels our ambition to build communication that is human centric and her deep understanding of Indian consumers and cultural insights will balance our tech led future focused approach.”

    Anjali Malthankar mentions, “I am excited about sharing, learning and working with the young and energetic talent and proud to be part of a great leadership team. I really admire their people-centric approach in an industry where there is a high attrition rate and client relationships are short-term. Looking forward to shaping brands and cracking insightful work in a fast-paced digital world.”

  • DoIt Talent Ventures appoints Priya Goradia Shah as business head

    DoIt Talent Ventures appoints Priya Goradia Shah as business head

    MUMBAI: DoIt Talent Ventures, a talent management firm, has appointed Priya Goradia Shah as the business head for entertainment and culinary. Led by Darshana Bhalla and Radha Kapoor Khanna, the company marked its entry into the Indian market in April this year.

    Shah exclusively told Indiantelevision.com, “Twelve years of spearheading the brand endorsements at MATES has been a very enriching experience for me. Excited to be a part DO IT Talent Ventures where I look forward to managing the entertainment and culinary verticals by bringing value to our talent roster and brands.”

    After a one-year stint with PMG Sports, Shah moved to Mates, the entertainment unit of Madison communication in 2005. Having started as an assistant manager, she rose to the position of VP celebrity management and solutions during her 20-year tenure at the company.

    Shah joins DoIt Talent Ventures with over 10 years of experience in the celebrity management and solutions business.

    She holds a MBA degree in marketing from Narsee Monjee Institute of management studies (NMIMS).

    Within a span of three months, DoIt Talent Ventures has already signed a number of personalities across films and TV like Farhan Akhtar, John Abraham, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal and Neeraj Pandey.

    When it comes to sporting talent, the brand now works with Virender Sehwag, Mahesh Bhupathi, Geeta Phogat, Ashwini Ponnappa, Robin Singh, Viren Rasquinha and Aparna Popat.

    Dharshana Bhalla is a former CEO of Mates, while Radha Kapoor Khanna is founder and executive director of DoIt creations.

    Also Read:

    DoIt Talent Ventures appoints Murtuza Madraswala as business head

    Do IT talent venture has big plans for the unorganised sector

  • Sudeep Gohil moves on from Publicis India

    Sudeep Gohil moves on from Publicis India

    MUMBAI: Sudeep Gohil, chief strategy officer and managing partner of Publicis India has announced that he is moving on from the agency. 

    Sudeep will be moving on after serving his notice period at the agency.

    The move follows the end to his 18-month contract, which will end in August 2018. He is contemplating his next career move, which he will announce very soon. 

    Sudeep Gohil joined the agency in March 2017 and was the planning head for a number of brands under Publicis India. He, along with his team of planners across Delhi and Mumbai, provided strategic direction and solutions for brands like Nestle, HDFC MF, Heineken, Citibank, Garnier, Twitter and others. Agency aside, he even espoused the role as an industry advocate with great fervour as he re-launched the Account Planning Group (APG) in India with much success. His efforts saw the coming together of planning heads from all major agencies to further the cause of the profession in India.

    Publicis Communications CEO Saurabh Varma says, “He was instrumental in shaping up the future of a number of brands with his dynamic ideas and out-of-the-box solutions. Under him, the planning function was established as a well-oiled unit resulting in the agency winning multiple accounts over the past year or so. We will miss his dedication and passion that he bought to work every day but I am sure he will excel in whatever next he does. I wish him the very best for his venture.”

    Additionally, Publicis India managing director Srija Chatterjee adds, “The past 16 months have been almost the same for Sudeep and me as we embarked on our journey at the agency around the same time. His mandate was to bring in finesse and ambition in the ideas that came out of the agency, and I am glad to say that he lived up to the promise to its fullest. Under him, the agency was able to throw up some fascinating and purpose-led work, which created quite an impact in the marketplace.”

    Sharing his views on leaving the agency, Sudeep Gohil says, “My tenure with the Publicis India team has been amazing. The energy, enthusiasm and passion is genuinely infectious, but all good things come to an end. I’m looking forward to seeing what more the crew achieves in my absence.”

    Sudeep Gohil has a vast repertoire of experience, and has worked across some of the world’s biggest agencies. He consulted on the agency’s Asia-Pacific plans in addition to leading the Adidas business globally. He has played key roles in agencies like BBH London, and Wieden+Kennedy Portland. Sudeep set up Droga5 in Australia and later became its CEO.

  • Saba Adil gets additional responsibility at Aegon life insurance

    Saba Adil gets additional responsibility at Aegon life insurance

    MUMBAI: Online insurance company, Aegon Life Insurance, has appointed Saba Adil as the chief operating officer with a mandata to drive the strategic goals and operating plans of the company. Along with this new responsibility, Saba will continue to serve as the chief people officer. 

    In the new role, Saba will be responsible for creating a differentiated and superior customer experience and will continue reporting to the MD and CEO Vineet Arora.

    Arora says, “Her rich experience of over 18+ years in diverse roles including human resources, project management, customer insights and operations will be very relevant and valuable for Aegon Life Insurance. She has led transformational roles in digital innovation; created and launched a well thought business strategy working with a core group of people as well as led a recent project on customer driven innovation. Saba has been a part of the Aegon Life family since inception and we are very delighted to have her in the new role.”

    Aegon Life Insurance chief people and operating officer Saba Adil mentions, “Aegon Life, over the years, has established itself as a digital specialist in the Life Insurance sector. We have constantly redefined the space we operate in and have set a clear vision and roadmap for the benefit of our customers. I am excited about this new role and look forward to be a strategic partner as we continue our growth journey.”

    Saba joined the company in 2007 as one of the founding members and has since played an important role in creating a powerful culture, aligning the organisation to company values, building a strong employee value proposition, capability building for a future fit organisation and personalised employee experiences.

    Aegon Life Insurance Company Limited launched its pan-India operations in July 2008. The company is headquartered in Mumbai serving over 4.4 lakh customers across India.

  • DoIt Talent Ventures appoints Murtuza Madraswala as business head

    DoIt Talent Ventures appoints Murtuza Madraswala as business head

    MUMBAI: DoIt Talent Ventures, a talent management firm, has appointed Murtuza Madraswala as the business head, Indiantelevision has learnt. Lead by Dharshana Bhalla and Radha Kapoor Khanna, the company marked its entry into the Indian market in April this year.

    Madraswala was previously working as the head of marketing and PR for Sony Six and Sony ESPN. Having joined Sony in 2012, he played a pivotal role in the company’s FIFA World Cup and Euro campaigns over the years. Madraswala also crafted marketing initiatives for NBA and key cricket tournaments.

    Madraswala joins the company with over two decades of experience in marketing and client servicing. He joined Sony from Amigo Sports where he was GM for marketing and worked on the FIFA business division.

    Sony is not the only broadcaster Murtuza worked has with, he had a four-year stint with then ZEEL-owned Ten Sports.

    In the span of three months, DoIt Talent Ventures has already signed a number of personalities across films and TV like Farhan Akhtar, John Abraham, Lara Dutta, Kajal Aggarwal and Neeraj Pandey.

    When it comes to sporting talent, the brand now works with Virender Sehwag, Mahesh Bhupathi, Geeta Phogat, Ashwini Ponnappa, Robin Singh, Viren Rasquinha and Aparna Popat.

    Dharshana Bhalla is a former CEO of Mates – the entertainment unit of Madison communication, while Radha Kapoor Khanna is founder and executive director of DoIt creations.

    Also read:

    DoIT Ventures launches India’s first integrated talent management firm

  • Apple appoints first marketing director for India

    Apple appoints first marketing director for India

    MUMBAI: Global technology giant, Apple has appointed Poonam Kaul as the director for marketing for India. She will be the first person to lead Apple in India, as it is a new role the company has created in India.

    She is said to join Apple in the next few weeks.

    At Apple, Kaul will be responsible for product marketing, advertising and communications.

    She is currently serving her notice period at Pepsico India as the company’s  vice president for communications and CSR. Kaul also worked with leading mobile company, Nokia India as director for communications IMEA  between 2012-2015 before the company was sold to Microsoft.

    An official statement from PepsiCo AMENA vice president for communications Krista Pilot read, “We are sad to see Poonam leave PepsiCo India, as she has been a terrific leader who has driven brand and corporate communications to positive results during her tenure. We wish her the best in her new role, and know she will be a lifelong fan of PepsiCo and our brand.”