ITV

Category: People

  • Jamie Chambers to lead BBC Advertising, ANZ

    Jamie Chambers to lead BBC Advertising, ANZ

    MUMBAI: Jamie Chambers has been promoted to regional sales director for BBC Advertising in Australia & New Zealand (ANZ), further strengthening the local advertising sales team.

     

    Chambers will be responsible for advertising sales for BBC Advertising’s digital assets – bbc.comand BBCGoodFood.com – as well as international deals for global channel BBC World News.  He will oversee the generation of new business, development of major accounts and expansion of existing business through the management of the in-house sales team based in Sydney and Melbourne, plus sales reps in New Zealand and Australia, across a number of digital platforms and custom solution opportunities.

     

    Working alongside BBC head of advertising solutions Katrina Norton-Knight, they will develop bespoke cross-media advertising and sponsorship opportunities for the ANZ market across all BBC Worldwide digital and STV platforms.

     

    Over the years, Chambers has gained broad advertising experience across a portfolio which includes newspapers, magazines, digital, TV and event sponsorships.

     

    He began his career in Manchester in the UK in 2005, working for two of the largest UK publishers, Guardian Media Group and then Trinity Mirror, rising to senior account manager.

     

    In 2011, Chambers moved to Sydney and joined BBC Worldwide, focusing on digital advertising. Rising through the ranks of account management to become sales manager NSW, QLD and ACT in 2014, Chambers has led BBC Advertising’s move into content solutions, events and programmatic sales.

     

    In his new role, he will lead the ANZ team based in Sydney and Melbourne and will continue to report to Alistair McEwan, who was recently promoted to SVP Commercial Development, Asia and ANZ.

     

    Chambers said, “I’m very proud to now lead BBC Advertising across ANZ at an exciting time in our business’ evolution, as content, data and programmatic become central pillars in our offering. The BBC is famous for producing world class content and I’m passionate about helping brands take advantage of the opportunities available by partnering with one of the world’s most respected media companies to produce memorable and successful campaigns.”

     

    McEwan added, “Jamie’s leadership and strategic skills as Regional Director will further strengthen the BBC Advertising sales team in ANZ. Jamie has been instrumental in the success of BBC Advertising in Australia in recent years, he thoroughly deserves this promotion, I’m delighted for him and for our business.”

     

    Chambers’s new role is effective immediately.

  • ZenithOptimedia Singapore names Nik Vyas as content head

    ZenithOptimedia Singapore names Nik Vyas as content head

    MUMBAI: ZenithOptimedia Singapore has named Nik Vyas as head of Newcast, the agency’s content division, as it looks to grow and expand its content offering.

     

    Vyas has been part of the Newcast London team for six years, where he was instrumental in the set-up and diversification of the unit into a broad range of content areas.

     

    Vyas said, “This is a very exciting time to be joining the talented team at ZenithOptimedia Singapore. The value and power of content is increasingly understood and there are growing opportunities for creating connected campaigns that work for both brands and consumers. I’m looking forward to working with our partners to create and distribute quality content, which gets audiences excited.”

     

    ZenithOptimedia Singapore MD Helen Lee added, “We are looking forward to tapping into Nik’s extensive experience. He will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in developing rich brand experiences for our clients and their consumers.”

  • netCORE names Kalpit Jain as CEO

    netCORE names Kalpit Jain as CEO

    MUMBAI: Digital marketing solutions company netCORE has appointed Kalpit Jain as chief executive officer, effective from August, 2015.

     

    In his new role, Kalpit will lead global operations with a special focus on business and sales, product and people development. This move is in alignment with company’s strategy of accelerating growth in India and globally. After the former CEO moved out of the company in August 2014, founder and MD Rajesh Jain was at the helm of operations as interim CEO.

     

    Rajesh Jain said, “Kalpit became an obvious choice for the role owing to his deep domain expertise and unprecedented commitment to the growth of the company. He has always believed in building a very strong, profitable company in a competitive marketplace. I am confident that his in-depth industry knowledge and leadership capabilities will further strengthen our market positioning and contribute immensely as netCORE rides the digital wave.”

     

    “It is exciting to be a part of a next generation company, which is focused on bringing innovative products like SmarTech in Marketing Automation and Iris in Internet of Things to the Indian market. The tremendous growth in digital marketing industry and onslaught of various cloud-based models have given rise to the need for DIY marketing platforms. Hence, our strategy is focussed on expanding the portfolio of services with DIY and reach out to national & international markets with it,” added Kalpit Jain.

     

    Kalpit has over 17 years of experience at netCORE, having joined as a software programmer in 1998. Over the years, he has vastly contributed to the company’s evolution from a start-up to an industry leader in the Indian Enterprise Communication & Digital Marketing space, serving in numerous capacities. As the business head at netCORE, he was instrumental in re-inventions in product development and operations and was also instrumental in the expansion of the Mumbai-based company to five other locations in India. He has been handling technology, marketing and operations of all netCORE’s divisions as its COO since 2011.

  • Hero Cycles chairman emeritus OP Munjal passes away

    Hero Cycles chairman emeritus OP Munjal passes away

    MUMBAI: Hero Cycles chairman emeritus and one of the founders of Hero Group OP Munjal passed away earlier today (13 August) in Ludhiana.

     

    The 86-year-old industry legend was facing health related issues for the past few months. He is survived by one son, four daughters, a daughter-in-law, four son-in-laws and 10 grandchildren. The cremation will take place on 14 August in Ludhiana.

     

    Munjal had only last month ceded chairmanship of Hero Motors group and retired from active role in the business. His son Pankaj Munjal succeeded him as the chairman and managing director of the Group.

     

    He along with his three brothers Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Dayanand Munjal and Satyanand Munjal started a bicycle spare parts business in Amritsar In 1944. They subsequently moved their base to Ludhiana naming the company ‘Hero’ and set up India’s first bicycle manufacturing unit in 1956. During 1980s Hero Cycles became the largest bicycle manufacturer by volume in the world. Munjal, who led Hero Cycles for almost 60 years, also helped Hero Cycles in diversifying to other businesses such as auto parts manufacturing and hospitality. Under his leadership, the company grew from its humble beginnings to a fledging Rs 3000 crore industrial house. He also served as the president of All India Cycle Manufacturers’ Association.

     

    Munjal had received national honours from former Presidents of India including Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, VV Giri, Giani Zail Singh and Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He had also received the Udyog Rattan Award for outstanding contribution towards economic development of the State (Punjab).

     

    He was not only a renowned businessman but also a known philanthropist. He supported several educational institutions and hospitals across India.

  • Viacom launches new ad sales division to lead GenX products

    Viacom launches new ad sales division to lead GenX products

    MUMBAI: In a move to tap new social and data products for ad sales, Viacom has launched a new division within Viacom Ad Sales called Velocity Products Group, which is designed to bring multi-platform social partnerships, products, and services to clients.

     

    In addition to offering a specialized set of Velocity Product experts that are aligned with each Ad Sales team, the group harnesses the collective power of Ad Sales’ social and data products to super-serve clients. The Velocity Products Group will also drive partnerships with key external social media platforms, including Snapchat, Twitter, and Tumblr.

     

    “Intense demand for our innovative products during this Upfront season made it a strategic necessity to create a group singularly dedicated to evolving and developing our industry-leading offerings. As the industry’s largest sales distribution network, Viacom’s Ad Sales organization and the new Velocity Product Group bring our ad partners unrivalled creativity, cutting edge possibilities, and expertise to connect them with our highly-engaged millennial audience,” said Viacom head of sales Jeff Lucas.

     

    Year-over-year, Ad Sales has doubled the number of advertisers utilizing the suite of product offerings from the Velocity Product Group, totaling more than 100 blue chip clients after this year’s Upfront.

     

    Elizabeth Herbst-Brady, who reports to Lucas, oversees the team in her expanded role as executive vice president of Ad Sales Strategy and Products. Reporting to Herbst-Brady are SVP Strategy Kalina Nikolova as well as Sarah Iooss, who steps into the newly created role of SVP, Velocity Product Group. Deborah Brett has been named VP of Velocity Products Group reporting to Iooss.

     

    This new team of nearly two dozen Velocity Product experts is charged with growing strategic partnerships, spearheading product development, and augmenting sales efforts across the entire Viacom network portfolio.

     

    The group will also be the bridge between advertising partners and 645 million socially engaged fans across Viacom’s brands.

     

    Velocity Product Group’s offerings consist of a comprehensive slate of solutions, including:

     

    • Viacom Vantage – Using a combination of Viacom’s proprietary data and third party data from multiple sources, Vantage offers advertisers precise consumer targeting and unmatched predictive capabilities

    • Echo – A strategic approach to harnessing Viacom’s unparalleled social reach with customized programs for ad partners. The groundbreaking analytics tool, Echo Social Graph, measures engagement deeply and holistically by tapping multiple social platforms, including those outside of Viacom’s own portfolio.

    • The Social Talent Platform – Velocity makes talent engagement turnkey by giving advertisers direct access to a growing roster of social superstars for custom campaigns.

    • Integration+ – This offering gives advertisers added flexibility and choice when customizing their branded entertainment opportunities.

    • Pulse Real-Time Marketing – An exclusive multi-platform functionality that puts partners into the cultural conversation with sharable content in their authentic voice.

    • Social Media Advertising Partnerships – Key social media partnerships with Twitter, Snapchat, and Tumblr bolster the reach and impact of social-by-design campaigns.

  • Mullen Lintas makes multiple senior level appointments

    Mullen Lintas makes multiple senior level appointments

    MUMBAI: Mullen Lintas, the recently launched creative agency of Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, has appointed its senior management team across cities.

     

    Announcing the new team, Mullen Lintas CCO and chairman Amer Jaleel said, “I’m thrilled with the all-star-lineup that Mullen Lintas has been able to assemble in such a short time. With this kind of firepower at the start, this team has the weight-class to rival the biggest and the best. I look forward to cutting our teeth into briefs, and creating some great work together.”

     

    EktaRelan has been appointed as the senior VP and planning head – national brands. Based in Mumbai, Relan’s mandate would include leading the strategic planning function across offices and brands for the agency.

     

    The creative art function for Mullen Lintas would be led by Garima Khandelwal, who has been appointed as executive creative director. In her last role, Khandelwal was group creative director at Lowe Lintas where she worked for five years.

     

    The business mandate for the Delhi office will be led by Syed Amjad Ali, who has been appointed as executive director. Ali moves into this role from Lowe Lintas Delhi, where he spent 20 years in multiple business leadership roles managing large client portfolios across product categories.

     

    On the other hand, Ayyappan Raj, who assumes the role of executive vice president, will lead the mandate of Mumbai office.

  • Snapdeal appoints Adobe’s Viraj Chatterjee as VP – engineering

    Snapdeal appoints Adobe’s Viraj Chatterjee as VP – engineering

    MUMBAI: Snapdeal has roped in Viraj Chatterjee as vice president, engineering. In his new role, Chatterjee will lead the technology development solutions to enrich the overall seller experience on the marketplace.

     

    Recently the company launched Snapdeal Plus and Capital Assist to further enhance the ability of small and medium businesses to sell on its platform. Chatterjee will play a pivotal role in strengthening the overall seller platform and introducing newer products backed by strong technology solutions.

      

    Prior to his appointment at Snapdeal, Chatterjee spent 16 years at Adobe Systems where he most recently served as director engineering leading the Acrobat and Flash Runtime line of products. His stint with the Adobe team was focussed on product management, engineering and building powerful products across Desktop and Mobile which included the Adobe Reader and Acrobat. 

     

    Snapdeal co-founder Rohit Bansal said, “Our vision is to build the most impactful digital commerce ecosystem in the country that creates life changing experiences for our buyers and sellers. With our entire ecosystem resting on technology, a robust infrastructure and team is critical to our success. Our goal is to create one million successful online entrepreneurs within the next three years and our seller interface will play a key role in enabling this. It is crucial to equip sellers with the necessary infrastructure and Viraj with his rich experience and deep understanding of consumer facing tech products will provide the right impetus to building the best products for our sellers. We are delighted to have Viraj on board and wish him a great journey ahead with the Snapdeal family.”

     

    Chatterjee added, “India’s growing internet economy presents immense opportunities for growth of small and medium businesses and I am particularly excited about the company’s vision of creating one million successful online entrepreneurs within the next three years. My main focus would be on strengthening the technology interface and building products that will enable our sellers to bring scale and efficiency in their business across the mobile and web platform.”

  • LIQVD Asia sets shop in Delhi; appoints Saurabh Gupta as biz head

    LIQVD Asia sets shop in Delhi; appoints Saurabh Gupta as biz head

    MUMBAI: Empirical multi-ethnic marketing company LIQVD Asia is setting up its office at Gurgaon in Delhi NCR. The company has appointed Saurabh Gupta as its business head.

     

    Gupta is entrusted with the responsibility to provide holistic digital solutions for all clients of LIQVD Asia in the region. Prior to this, he was in charge of the digital wing of Allied Media Corp.

     

    LIQVD Asia managing director Arnab Mitra said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Saurabh on board. Saurabh’s immense experience in the space and progressive approach to innovate aligns perfectly with our business plans. We are sure he is the right person for our commitments to our clients in the region.”

     

    Gupta added, “LIQVD Asia has been on an assertive and progressive path and I would only love to contribute my bit to its growth exploring the constantly evolving in the digital landscape. I strongly believe that with LIQVD Asia’s culture and leadership one cannot but eagerly look forward to a tremendous learning experience.”

     

    Gupta’s expertise lies in digital media brand solutions, online and mobile gaming, VAS, digital activation and online publishing. He has previously worked in companies like Wipro, Lakshya Consulting, Games2win India, Zapak Digital Entertainment and Allied Media Corp.

  • Snapdeal appoints Amitava Ghosh as vice president – engineering

    Snapdeal appoints Amitava Ghosh as vice president – engineering

    MUMBAI: Snapdeal has appointed Amitava Ghosh as vice president – engineering.

     

    In his new role, Ghosh will lead the development of intuitive technology solutions for ease of accessibility and enhanced user experience on the marketplace. 

     

    Ghosh comes with over 17 years of experience in building scalable web based products and platforms for consumer internet and enterprises.

     

    Ghosh has spent several years working for a diverse set of organizations, both in India and USA, across Internet companies, medium strength organizations and Silicon Valley start-ups.

     

    Prior to his appointment at Snapdeal, Ghosh was the chief technology officer at Taxiforsure before the company’s acquisition by OLA Cabs. Previously, he headed the India Engineering team of Tribune Digital Ventures (TDV). He has also had a decade long stint at Yahoo where he was responsible for building platforms and user experiences for listings, media verticals, communities & Social products.

     

    Ghosh will work out of the company’s technology innovation centre in Bangalore.

     

    Ghosh said, “Snapdeal’s growth in the technology space has been unprecedented. The clarity of vision and rigorous effort behind strengthening the vertical is commendable. All our efforts are towards ensuring that we deliver best in class experience to our customers. My focus would be on in-depth analysis of consumer insights to develop best mechanisms for delivering delightful customer experience. I am excited to be a part of this dynamic team and look forward to a challenging but exciting journey ahead.”

     

    Snapdeal co-founder Rohit Bansal added, “Our vision is to build the most impactful digital commerce ecosystem in the country. We are building the strongest technology team at Snapdeal to create a future ready and innovative technology infrastructure. At Snapdeal, we believe that our business exists to serve our users and strongly feel that creating a frictionless buying and selling experience is key to our success. Customer service interface is one of the key verticals of our technology infrastructure and we are looking at strengthening it further to offer a superior experience to our customers We are delighted to have Amitava onboard and wish him a great journey ahead with Snapdeal family.”

     

    The technology team at Snapdeal is currently 1000 people strong and company looks at doubling it by the end of this year.

  • Sandip Soparrkar named Cube sport brand ambassador in India

    Sandip Soparrkar named Cube sport brand ambassador in India

    NEW DELHI: Bollywood’s internationally renowned choreographer Sandip Soparrkar is the new brand ambassador for Speed Cubing Mumbai Unlimited (SCMU).

     

    The aim is to bring Bollywood and sports – two of the most loved fields – come closer for the promotion of Cube sport. 

     

    Soparrkar, who was recently seen doing a photoshoot with various cubes, said, “I am having a great time. I feel honoured that SCMU asked me to represent them as their brand ambassador. Cubing is a fantastic sport, which sharpens not just the mind but even develops the motor movements in a person. It is an amazing sport for kids as well as adults and I am glad that I have been chosen as the face of the brand.”

     

    The photoshoot will convey that the cube is just not a toy but a complete sport in itself. Cube is not just a hobby for kids but can be helpful for working professionals too to tackle everyday challenges in life and is a great stress buster.

     

    SCMU head Girish Bhatia added, “We are proud to announce our association with Bollywood’s ace choreographer Sandip Soparrkar as our brand ambassador. He got addicted to speed cubing through his cuber son Arjun who shares a similar passion and wants to take speed cubing to a greater level.”

     

    SCMU is a group of speed cubers from Mumbai formed in 2011 by Akshay Rao who later left the group to pursue higher studies. Since then, the organisation has actively promoted Rubiks Cube as a sport and not as a hobby. 

     

    The group currently headed by Bhatia has about thirty active members who are collectively referred to as Team SCMU. Since 2011, the team organized and supported over 40 cube competitions, and is the only organization in India to promote speedcubing at a professional level. 

     

    Their competition in January 2015 was Asia’s largest competition and world’s eighth largest. Their June 2015 competition was held in Juhu, which turned out to be the world’s largest single day event. 

     

    In 2013, the Team made a Rubik cube mosaic of Sachin Tendulkar, which gave them entry into the Limca book of Records for Rubik’s cube for a mosaic made with 6240 cubes. 

     

    Their next competition – SCMU Freedom open 2015 – will be held on 15 and 16 August at Phoenix Market City, Kurla, Mumbai. It’s an International competition associated with World Cube Association (WCA), where India’s best talents would compete against time to solve the most challenging Rubik’s cube in a matter of few seconds.