ITV

Category: People

  • Prashanth Challapalli joins Leo Burnett

    Prashanth Challapalli joins Leo Burnett

    MUMBAI: Leo Burnett announced Prashanth Challapalli as the chief integration officer for South Asia.

    In his new mandate, Challapalli will work with leaders across Publicis Communications to drive integration, and will report to Publicis Communications India CEO Saurabh Varma. His last stint was with iContract, where he was the executive vice president and digital head.

    At Leo Burnett, his key mandate predominantly includes operationalizing and scaling up Leo Burnett’s unique methodology, PLAY, which puts context at the heart of creating content. Prashanth will also be a key bridge between Publicis Communications and Publicis.Sapient, responsible for bringing the best of Publicis.Sapient to all clients.

    Varma said, “Prashanth will be key as we put digital at the core of our offering and increasingly create cutting edge ideas and stories which emanate from the product itself.”

    Added Prashanth, “I have always been a big believer in one brand, one consumer and one communication approach and most of the leaders at Publicis Communications are either ex-colleagues or friends for a long time.”

    With over 19 years of experience, Prashanth has worked with agencies like Ogilvy, Lowe, Dentsu, Publicis Ambience and Rediffusion Y&R, and has also successfully built and lead Jack in the Box Worldwide and iContract in the digital space. He has won multiple national and international awards like EFFIES, Spikes, and AME, among others, for his work across brands and campaigns like Puma, Pepsi, Slice, Louis Philippe, Durex and Kolaveri Di.

  • Ketan Desai new Grey group India president – north

    Ketan Desai new Grey group India president – north

    MUMBAI: Grey group India announced the appointment of Ketan Desai, as president north. Desai has been in the Marketing Services businesses for close to two decades, most of which has been with Grey in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Colombo and until recently as the chief operating officer of Grey Bangladesh.

    He brings with him experience from across geographies in India; across domains of Advertising; Activation and Shopper; across clients such as ITC, P&G, Marico Audi, Revlon, Gujarat Ambuja, Hindustan Times, CRY, Suzlon etc. Apart from GREY, Ketan has worked with TBWA too where he set up its Shopper Business.

    Desai will be based in Grey’s Delhi office and will work closely with Grey group India CMD Sunil Lulla. Lulla said, “Grey is enhancing its talent and leadership pool with Ketan Desai. He brings in the relevant diverse skills required to navigate contemporary communication needs of Grey’s clients”

    Desai said, “It is a privilege to be able to partner this marquee list of clients and help build their brands in Grey’s famously effective way.”

  • Ketan Desai new Grey group India president – north

    Ketan Desai new Grey group India president – north

    MUMBAI: Grey group India announced the appointment of Ketan Desai, as president north. Desai has been in the Marketing Services businesses for close to two decades, most of which has been with Grey in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Colombo and until recently as the chief operating officer of Grey Bangladesh.

    He brings with him experience from across geographies in India; across domains of Advertising; Activation and Shopper; across clients such as ITC, P&G, Marico Audi, Revlon, Gujarat Ambuja, Hindustan Times, CRY, Suzlon etc. Apart from GREY, Ketan has worked with TBWA too where he set up its Shopper Business.

    Desai will be based in Grey’s Delhi office and will work closely with Grey group India CMD Sunil Lulla. Lulla said, “Grey is enhancing its talent and leadership pool with Ketan Desai. He brings in the relevant diverse skills required to navigate contemporary communication needs of Grey’s clients”

    Desai said, “It is a privilege to be able to partner this marquee list of clients and help build their brands in Grey’s famously effective way.”

  • Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Impact, the full-service creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network that was in news recently for launching two new divisions of Digital and CRM under the strategic leadership of senior VP & head – strategy, digital and CRM Kartikeya Srivastava has strengthened its team by roping in Swati Ratnakar to lead content & strategy on its digital mandate for Maruti Suzuki.

    She joins as VP – planning on the account and will be reporting directly to Srivastava. Swati began her career as a journalist with India Today Group. Looking for a more strategic role and long-term approach to brand building, she moved to main stream advertising as a planner and later moved into digital space as a content strategist. With a total of 12 years of experience she has worked in India, Singapore and Paris on brands like VW, Spotify, Samsung, Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L’Oreal, Bacardi, PepsiCo and others. Some of the organizations she has worked with are DDB, Weber Shandwick and contract.

    Srivastava commented, “At Dentsu Impact we are looking at this medium not so much as technology or process led, but rather as brand and experience led. We want to focus strongly on creating connected brand experiences. In Swati we have found somebody who can join the dots seamlessly between offline and online, creative and content, design and experience.”

    Dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa said, “We at Dentsu Impact are looking towards seamless digital integration in creativity and hence are looking to invest in talent that will help us do that. Swati does that beautifully for us.”

    Swati commented, “My current role at Dentsu involves understanding the commercial and brand challenges of clients businesses, and ensuring that creative solutions support their business objectives.”

  • Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    Swati joins Dentsu Impact to strengthen digital leadership

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Impact, the full-service creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network that was in news recently for launching two new divisions of Digital and CRM under the strategic leadership of senior VP & head – strategy, digital and CRM Kartikeya Srivastava has strengthened its team by roping in Swati Ratnakar to lead content & strategy on its digital mandate for Maruti Suzuki.

    She joins as VP – planning on the account and will be reporting directly to Srivastava. Swati began her career as a journalist with India Today Group. Looking for a more strategic role and long-term approach to brand building, she moved to main stream advertising as a planner and later moved into digital space as a content strategist. With a total of 12 years of experience she has worked in India, Singapore and Paris on brands like VW, Spotify, Samsung, Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L’Oreal, Bacardi, PepsiCo and others. Some of the organizations she has worked with are DDB, Weber Shandwick and contract.

    Srivastava commented, “At Dentsu Impact we are looking at this medium not so much as technology or process led, but rather as brand and experience led. We want to focus strongly on creating connected brand experiences. In Swati we have found somebody who can join the dots seamlessly between offline and online, creative and content, design and experience.”

    Dentsu Impact president Amit Wadhwa said, “We at Dentsu Impact are looking towards seamless digital integration in creativity and hence are looking to invest in talent that will help us do that. Swati does that beautifully for us.”

    Swati commented, “My current role at Dentsu involves understanding the commercial and brand challenges of clients businesses, and ensuring that creative solutions support their business objectives.”

  • ‘Entrepreneur at heart’ Tekwani joins Monk Media

    ‘Entrepreneur at heart’ Tekwani joins Monk Media

    MUMBAI: Monk Media Network has appointed Prashant Tekwani as the senior vice-president to strengthen its leadership team on completing its first year of operations.

    Tekwani, who was the associate vice-president at iContract, headed major accounts such as YouTube, Google and HSBC. He will be spearheading brand strategy unit and business management at Monk Media. He has rich experience across categories and has worked with clients such as UTI Mutual Funds, Hot Star, Shoppers Stop, Truly Madly and Star Sports.

    Tekwani said that he had always been an entrepreneur at heart and the challenge of building one of the most exciting agencies was too enticing.”

    Monk founder & CEO Ashish Patkar said that Tekwani was a rare suit that was as bothered about the idea as he was about the billing. They were sure his cross-category brand experience and incisive insights would be a major value-add for its clients, he added.

  • ‘Entrepreneur at heart’ Tekwani joins Monk Media

    ‘Entrepreneur at heart’ Tekwani joins Monk Media

    MUMBAI: Monk Media Network has appointed Prashant Tekwani as the senior vice-president to strengthen its leadership team on completing its first year of operations.

    Tekwani, who was the associate vice-president at iContract, headed major accounts such as YouTube, Google and HSBC. He will be spearheading brand strategy unit and business management at Monk Media. He has rich experience across categories and has worked with clients such as UTI Mutual Funds, Hot Star, Shoppers Stop, Truly Madly and Star Sports.

    Tekwani said that he had always been an entrepreneur at heart and the challenge of building one of the most exciting agencies was too enticing.”

    Monk founder & CEO Ashish Patkar said that Tekwani was a rare suit that was as bothered about the idea as he was about the billing. They were sure his cross-category brand experience and incisive insights would be a major value-add for its clients, he added.

  • Malkani joins Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi

    Malkani joins Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi

    MUMBAI: Rohit Malkani has joined Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi from Minority Brand Creation and Management. He has over 22 years of experience in agencies such as Rediffusion DY&R, Planetasia.com, JWT, Grey Worldwide, Publicis Ambience Advertising, Bates 141, Publicis Singapore. He will be based out of the Mumbai office of the agency.

    He has worked on brands such as Van Heusen, Unilever, Kingfisher, Sony Music, P&G, Reliance Telecom, Killer Jeans, Parle, ICICI Bank, Citibank, Virgin Mobile, Legrand and Siemens.

    Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi CEO & managing partner Anil S Nair says, “Rohit’s expertise and energy will be a great asset for Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi clients.”

    Malkani says, “Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi is at yet another inflection point with an agenda that promises one heck of a ride. We have brands that would make any agency envious, a team that is hungry, a vision that is inspiring and audacious and the ammunition to fire us into the next level. To me it was an irresistible.”

  • Malkani joins Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi

    Malkani joins Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi

    MUMBAI: Rohit Malkani has joined Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi from Minority Brand Creation and Management. He has over 22 years of experience in agencies such as Rediffusion DY&R, Planetasia.com, JWT, Grey Worldwide, Publicis Ambience Advertising, Bates 141, Publicis Singapore. He will be based out of the Mumbai office of the agency.

    He has worked on brands such as Van Heusen, Unilever, Kingfisher, Sony Music, P&G, Reliance Telecom, Killer Jeans, Parle, ICICI Bank, Citibank, Virgin Mobile, Legrand and Siemens.

    Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi CEO & managing partner Anil S Nair says, “Rohit’s expertise and energy will be a great asset for Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi clients.”

    Malkani says, “Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi is at yet another inflection point with an agenda that promises one heck of a ride. We have brands that would make any agency envious, a team that is hungry, a vision that is inspiring and audacious and the ammunition to fire us into the next level. To me it was an irresistible.”

  • Gutenberg appoints Neil Ashurst as UK head

    Gutenberg appoints Neil Ashurst as UK head

    MUMBAI: Award-winning global agency Gutenberg has appointed Neil Ashurst as the director and country head for UK. This follows the company’s recent rebranding which formalises their offering as an integrated communications firm providing digital, content, social, video and public relations services.

    Neil has over 15 years of experience in the communications industry, working closely with content and marketing teams both in-house and cross-agencies to deliver campaigns that focus on business impact.

    “Neil’s knowledge of the UK market coupled with his passion for communications will allow Gutenberg clients to have a great ally in creating and implementing impactful digital, PR and communications campaigns. Neil’s insights on the changing nature of customer journey for brands reflect his focus on ensuring business impact for our clients. Neil will lead our growth and expansion plans for the UK and Europe from our office in London. Additionally, he will integrate with our US and India teams on global multi-geography clients,” said Gutenberg founder and CEO Harjiv Singh.

    Neil earlier worked at Performance Communications, working on the Nissan Europe account. He has also worked at well-known UK agencies Frank, Brands2Life and 3Monkeys Zeno on brands such as Microsoft and 3 Mobile. Additionally, he was the head of UK communications for retailer – Game, working closely with Xbox, Activision and EA on the retail launches of their biggest titles.

    “Our experience as story-tellers as well as our growing capabilities across all channels means that we have a fantastic opportunity and offering here in the UK as the industry continues to evolve,” said Ashurst.

    Globally, Gutenberg services industries such as technology, retail, financial services, real estate, healthcare, education, aviation, defence, hospitality, infrastructure and not-for-profit causes.