ITV

Category: People

  • MiQ ropes in Vikas Khanchandani as strategic advisor to fuel India growth and scale up advanced TV strategy

    MiQ ropes in Vikas Khanchandani as strategic advisor to fuel India growth and scale up advanced TV strategy

    MUMBAI: In a market where programmatic media is rewriting the advertising playbook, MiQ has pulled in one of the industry’s seasoned players. Vikas Khanchandani has been appointed strategic advisor for MiQ India Commercial, the company announced today.

    With over 25 years of experience across media, advertising, and digital transformation, Vikas is expected to guide MiQ’s growth strategy, sharpen its media operations, and ramp up its advanced TV capabilities. The appointment signals MiQ’s deeper push into India’s high-potential adtech landscape.

    “We are delighted to welcome Vikas to the MiQ India leadership journey”, said MiQ India CCO Varun Mohan. “His experience, wisdom, and industry influence align perfectly with our mission to deliver market-leading innovation and value to our clients”.

    Khanchandani, who has worked across legacy media houses and new-age platforms, will focus on bolstering MiQ’s partnerships and helping it unlock new revenue avenues. His mandate includes navigating the increasingly complex media-tech stack and enhancing data-driven ad solutions.

    “I’m thrilled to be part of MiQ at such an exciting inflection point”, said Khanchandani. “MiQ’s commitment to innovation, client-centricity, and future-ready media solutions truly stands out. I look forward to contributing to its momentum—helping build stronger partnerships, unlocking new growth avenues, and shaping the evolution of data-driven advertising in India”.

    MiQ, a global programmatic media partner, has been steadily expanding its Indian footprint. Khanchandani’ appointment underscores its intent to stay ahead of the curve with both talent and technology.

  • Olympic icon Neeraj Chopra joins Audi India as brand partner in performance-first drive

    Olympic icon Neeraj Chopra joins Audi India as brand partner in performance-first drive

    MUMBAI: In a move as sharp as his throws, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra has joined hands with Audi India, aligning world-class athleticism with German engineering finesse. The partnership, announced on 26 May 2025 by JSW Sports, brings together the double Olympic medalist and the iconic luxury carmaker in a collaboration driven by shared values of performance, precision, and progress.

    The tie-up follows Chopra’s remarkable journey from a history-making gold at the Tokyo Olympics to a silver medal finish at the Paris 2024 Games, alongside podium wins at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships. Audi, known for its relentless innovation and engineering craft, sees Chopra as the embodiment of its brand ethos.

    “At Audi, we stand for those who push boundaries… Neeraj Chopra is the embodiment of that spirit”, said Audi India head Balbir Singh Dhillon. “Determined and iconic, his journey from ambition to achievement mirrors Audi’s progressive DNA”.

    The collaboration reflects not just a brand endorsement but a philosophical alignment. Chopra’s laser focus on precision and relentless pursuit of betterment mirrors Audi’s design discipline and technological edge. The athlete’s admiration for the brand adds another layer of authenticity to the partnership.

    “I’ve always admired Audi – not just for the cars, but for what the brand stands for. The pursuit of excellence never stops. I’m excited to join the Audi family”, said Chopra, speaking on the association.

    JSW Sports, which manages Chopra’s commercial interests, facilitated the tie-up. JSW Sports CCO Karan Yadav described the partnership as a landmark for Indian sport and brand synergy. “Audi is a car manufacturer Neeraj really admires, and one whose vision aligns with his as an athlete. The potential of this partnership is limitless”.

    This collaboration signals Audi’s deeper engagement with Indian sport and its commitment to aligning with icons who personify evolution, resilience, and excellence.

  • Preeti Jain joins Adani-GCC as CPO to shape talent and transform HR playbook

    Preeti Jain joins Adani-GCC as CPO to shape talent and transform HR playbook

    MUMBAI: After nearly thirty years of HR firefighting, boardroom negotiations, and decoding what ‘synergy’ really means, Preeti Jain has waltzed into her latest gig—chief people officer at Adani-GCC. She officially grabbed the role in March 2025 but decided to let Linkedin in on the secret just yesterday. From her new HQ perch in Ahmedabad, she’s already rolling up her sleeves to rewire the group’s talent machinery.

    As CPO, Jain is steering Adani-GCC’s strategic HR vision to build a world-class global capability centre grounded in process rigour, innovation, and internal talent hubs. “As the CPO driving the strategic initiative of the group of building a world class GCC focused on processes, innovation and a talent hub internally”, Jain stated.

    Before joining Adani-GCC, she served as vice president of human resources at Airtel for over three years, based in Gurugram. Her tenure was marked by efforts in strategic human resources leadership, career development, and organisational transformation.

    Jain’s earlier roles included CHRO at Droom (Feb–Oct 2021) and director of HR at Huawei Consumer Business Group for over 11 years, where she led manpower transitions, audits, certifications, and policy execution across functions. She has also held senior HR positions at Conexant and HFCL.

    From managing startups to overseeing multinational transitions, Jain brings deep operational insight into people development, executive coaching, stakeholder engagement, and performance frameworks. Her journey reflects a consistent push towards aligning HR with core business goals.

    In her current capacity, she is expected to anchor Adani-GCC’s long-term talent pipeline, craft scalable L&D frameworks, and implement people-first initiatives while balancing the pressures of scale.

  • Ad reels and recall: Senthil Kumar reveals what set the jury screens ablaze at Goafest 2025

    Ad reels and recall: Senthil Kumar reveals what set the jury screens ablaze at Goafest 2025

    MUMBAI: In a session that played out like a director’s cut of India’s most memorable commercials, VML India CCO Senthil Kumar took the Goafest 2025 audience inside the jury room for a deep dive into what makes an ad truly work. The verdict? If you’d willingly watch it again, it’s doing something right.

    Speaking under the session banner ‘What Ignited the Jury Room?’, Kumar opened with a simple litmus test: “The best ad films aren’t just one-watch wonders. A great film has repeat value”.

    Kumar walked attendees through a curated list of top-performing ad films that had not just caught the jury’s eye, but had also burned themselves into the audience’s collective memory.

    One of the top contenders was the Lahori Zeera commercial. “Every frame had the brand. That’s rare today”, Kumar said, noting how strong visual branding contributed to high recall.

    Another winner was the Veeba Desi Chinese spot, which cleverly flipped expectations. “Chinese characters behaving like Indians—it’s fresh, culturally playful, and paired with a sticky soundtrack. That’s what lands”, he said.

    He also tipped his hat to the Snickers ad directed by Rohit Shetty. While Kumar admitted it wasn’t a novel idea globally, its execution was unmistakably local and creatively bold. “’Grab a Snickers’ may not be new, but how you grab attention is”, he said.

    In the Dream11 campaign, Kumar praised its sharp scripting and cast synergy. “It’s not easy to pull off dialogue-led storytelling with both actors and cricketers, but this one had audiences asking, ‘Aapki team mein kaun hai?’ on loop”.

    He rounded off with the Adani campaign highlighting rural electrification. “’Pehle pankha aayega, phir bijli aayegi’ wasn’t just a line, it was a layered narrative of transformation”. Kumar added.

    Throughout the session, Kumar emphasised one consistent metric: resonance. “An idea may be clever, but if it doesn’t move you—or make you laugh, pause, or hum—it’s just noise”, he concluded.

    Goafest’s jury, he noted, rewarded ads that nailed both craft and clarity, but above all, evoked genuine emotion or reaction. In the scroll-and-skip era, Kumar reminded creatives that the real test of storytelling lies in its staying power.

  • Being uncomfortable is a creative superpower, says Marcel CEO Youri Guerassimov at Goafest 2025

    Being uncomfortable is a creative superpower, says Marcel CEO Youri Guerassimov at Goafest 2025

    MUMBAI: At Day three of Goafest 2025, Marcel (Paris) chief creative officer & CEO Youri Guerassimov delivered a wake-up call to a packed house, reminding brands that playing safe is a fast-track ticket to irrelevance. His keynote, titled ‘Creativity That Dares to Disrupt’, challenged marketers to ditch comfort and lean into creative bravery.

    “Bravery in advertising is about stepping outside comfort zones and challenging norms”, said Guerassimov, adding that brands face an uphill battle for attention with over 6,000 ads bombarding consumers each day. Visibility alone no longer cuts it; what cuts through is conviction.

    Citing global studies, he noted that 86 per cent of consumers (Edelman) now expect brands to take a stand on social or environmental issues, and 66 per cent (Accenture) are willing to switch allegiance if companies remain silent. “Fear is temporary”, he warned. “Regret is forever”.

    Drawing from iconic campaigns, Guerassimov spotlighted Nike’s controversial Colin Kaepernick ad as a case of calculated defiance and cultural impact. He also praised Volvo for its courage in sharing a safety innovation with rivals—an act that served both purpose and people.

    Importantly, he clarified that bravery in branding doesn’t always require provocation. “Bravery can be strategic, design-led, or business-oriented”, he said, showcasing Mcdonald’s minimalist billboard and Marcel’s ‘Inglorious Fruits and Vegetables’ campaign. The latter began as a simple retail concept and grew into a national movement tackling food waste.

    Guerassimov also emphasised that bravery lies not in budgets but in belief. Whether it’s a few purposeful words added to a contract or overhauling a store layout to reflect values, real change comes from intent and execution.

    He celebrated Patagonia’s headline-making move to donate its profits to climate activism as a prime example of purpose-driven disruption. “Bravery is a strategic tool”, he affirmed. “A superpower to connect with consumers and lead markets”.

    Ultimately, Guerassimov urged brands to trust their ideas and act on them decisively. “When you feel a little uncomfortable with your idea, that’s often the sign you’re on the right track”.

  • Jury duty or ad brief? Raj Kamble lays down the real test of creative craft at Goafest

    Jury duty or ad brief? Raj Kamble lays down the real test of creative craft at Goafest

    MUMBAI: It was less red carpet, more war room as Famous Innovations founder & CCO Raj Kamble took centre stage on Day three of Goafest 2025. Speaking at the session titled ‘What Ignited the Jury Room?’, Kamble broke down the behind-the-scenes chaos, chemistry, and cold truths of judging at one of the industry’s most-watched award marathons.

    With over 500 entries to sift through in just three days, Kamble said the pressure was nothing short of a creative crucible. “You have 15 restless judges, limited sleep, and 30-second coffees. It’s not glamorous. It’s gladiatorial”, he quipped, setting the tone for an unfiltered dive into how work truly gets weighed.

    At the heart of his message was a blunt reminder: industry cliques still exist. “Networks can feel like cartels. But craft can still break through if it punches above its weight”, Kamble remarked. He urged creators to think of their case study videos not as routine documentation but as persuasive pitches. “It’s your best ad – and the jury is your target audience”.

    In a time-crunched jury room, the first few seconds can make or break a campaign. Kamble emphasised, “Hook them in the first seven seconds. Don’t save your best for last – they may not get there”.

    He challenged the cookie-cutter rulebook too. “There’s no law that says your case study has to be two minutes long. If your story needs three, take it. If it needs one, be sharper”.

    Most importantly, he differentiated between ideas and execution. “A strong idea can fail because of poor storytelling. Show the change, not just the communication”.

    Closing his talk, Kamble urged agencies to honour both their ambition and their audience. “Don’t just chase a Lion. Chase impact. That’s what gets the jury talking”.

  • Ideas took the stand as Goafest jury Anupama Ramaswamy championed storytelling that stirred minds and movements

    Ideas took the stand as Goafest jury Anupama Ramaswamy championed storytelling that stirred minds and movements

    MUMBAI: Havas Creative India CCO & JMD Anupama Ramaswamy took the Goafest 2025 day three stage with a fiery address that tore through apathy and spotlighted the ideas that truly set the jury room ablaze. Speaking at the session titled ‘What Ignited the Jury Room?’ under the theme ‘Ignite Your Mind’, Ramaswamy walked the audience through a curated list of campaigns that, in her words, “didn’t just tick boxes but flipped the narrative”.

    The Jury leaned into creativity not as an embellishment but as a battering ram against social inertia. Among the campaigns highlighted was the Lays x UNA collaboration – ‘Farm Equal’, which reframed the lens on gender equality by spotlighting female farmers. The storytelling was more than empathetic; it was revolutionary in the way it reclaimed space for women in India’s agricultural narrative.

    Reliance’s ‘Pink Star Rating’ received a nod as the world’s first global safety app dedicated to women travellers, turning safety from a concern into a creative proposition. The app served both function and form, giving users the tools to stay informed while providing marketers with an inspiring brief: build tech that protects.

    Football found a new pitch in Mahindra’s ‘Nanhi Kali’ campaign, which shattered traditional ideas about girlhood by encouraging girls to embrace ambition through sport. The ad steered away from stereotypical portrayals and celebrated freedom, focus, and the fierce footwork of aspiration.

    In the same breath, Navneet’s Colour Blindness Book tackled the overlooked needs of children with colour vision deficiency. The campaign aimed to help one crore Indian students, merging design thinking with inclusive education policy.

    Sabhyata’s Diwali ad, made in collaboration with Motherhood Hospitals, shifted the spotlight to working mothers, balancing duty and desire with poise. Meanwhile, Vaseline’s initiative for the transgender community offered skincare designed specifically for their needs—a product-led campaign built on the foundation of visibility and respect.

    Beyond India, a Japanese campaign supporting surname reform for women questioned why marriage should erase identity. By giving voice to choice, the work opened a broader conversation on equality through culture.

    Wrapping up, Ramaswamy reminded the room that it wasn’t causes but creativity that clinched the win. “Big ideas lead—causes follow”, she asserted, adding, “Creativity is the catalyst, not the charity”.

     

  • Stefi Dsouza hops over to United Breweries as media lead

    Stefi Dsouza hops over to United Breweries as media lead

    MUMBAI: Stefi Dsouza has traded one beer giant for another, leaving AB InBev to become media lead at United Breweries Ltd, the Indian arm of Dutch brewing behemoth Heineken. The move caps a career that has seen the media planning specialist work her way through some of advertising’s most prestigious agencies before landing client-side roles at major corporates.

    Dsouza’s appointment comes after two years as senior media manager at AB InBev, where she helped the world’s largest brewer navigate India’s increasingly competitive beer market. Her move  to United Breweries—Heineken’s local operation—represents a significant coup for the Dutch company as it battles for market share against rivals including AB InBev and Carlsberg.

    The media planning veteran brings 12 years of experience spanning both agency and corporate roles. Her CV reads like a who’s who of Indian advertising, with stints at Mindshare, OMD India, MediaCom and MediaVest before making the leap to the client side in 2020.

    At Volkswagen India, where she served as media manager and later senior media manager, Dsouza helped the German carmaker navigate the choppy waters of India’s automotive market. She then moved to Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd for a year-long stint before joining AB InBev in 2023.

    Her agency background includes a director-level role at Mindshare and a group head position at OMD India, suggesting she knows how to handle large-scale media campaigns. The Cannes Young Lions India shortlist recipient and Social Samosa award winner has built a reputation as what she calls an “Excel nerd”—no small compliment in the data-driven world of modern media planning.

    The appointment signals United Breweries’ commitment to strengthening its media capabilities as competition intensifies in India’s beer market. The company, which owns brands including Kingfisher, has been battling for market leadership against AB InBev’s portfolio of premium international brands.

    Dsouza’s move also highlights the increasing importance of media planning expertise in India’s consumer goods sector. With digital advertising spend continuing to surge and traditional media becoming more fragmented, companies are placing greater emphasis on hiring specialists who can navigate the complex media landscape.

    Her tagline—”bringing brands live on media, one campaign at a time”—suggests United Breweries can expect an integrated approach that combines traditional and digital channels. Given her track record across automotive, electric mobility and brewing sectors, Dsouza appears well-equipped to handle the diverse challenges of marketing alcoholic beverages in India’s highly regulated environment.

    The hiring represents a small but significant shift in the ongoing talent war between India’s major consumer brands, as companies increasingly poach senior executives from direct competitors rather than relying solely on agency talent pipelines

  • Ashish Khazanchi says forget the trophies, chase truth and craft instead

    Ashish Khazanchi says forget the trophies, chase truth and craft instead

    MUMBAI: Ashish Khazanchi took the stage at Goafest 2025 with neither glitter nor gloss—just a blunt reminder: advertising isn’t about awards, it’s about expression. Delivering his keynote titled “Ignite Your Mind”, the Enormous managing partner reminded attendees that the work must speak before the metal does.

    “Self-expression, not awards, is the true reason to enter advertising”, he declared, dismantling the decades-old belief that awards define success. According to Khazanchi, awards are nothing but the inevitable byproduct of solving real problems with genuine passion.

    He emphasised that modern judging panels don’t have time to savour slow-burn brilliance. “Immediate impact is key—judges don’t have time for nuance”, he said, urging creatives to cut through the clutter with speed and surprise.

    Craft, originality, and clarity formed the holy trinity of his talk. “Craft and surprise make ideas stand out”, he added, nudging creators to resist the temptation of safe bets. Khazanchi pushed the idea that creativity thrives not on briefs but on boredom. “Great ideas often come from proactive, self-initiated work”, he said.

    He advised attendees to never settle for their first idea. “Always explore multiple executions”, he said, adding that lazy storytelling is the fastest route to forgettable work. The real win, he noted, comes when the message lands with both the jury and the janitor.

    For those chasing visibility, Khazanchi had a pragmatic tip—amplify. “Use LinkedIn and media to get your work noticed”, he quipped, reinforcing the need for creators to be their own hype machines.

    From dissecting campaign anatomy to elevating originality, Khazanchi’s keynote was less a creative sermon and more a survival manual. His final rallying cry? Keep the story clear, the spark original, and the execution bold.
     

  • Klugklug appoints Ruchika P. as Chief Business Officer to drive India market strategy

    Klugklug appoints Ruchika P. as Chief Business Officer to drive India market strategy

    MUMBAI: Influencer marketing just got a shot of seasoned leadership. The global influencer marketing SaaS platform, Klugklug announced the appointment of Ruchika P. as its chief business officer (CBO) for India on 22 May 2025. The move signals the company’s aggressive growth plans in a sector rapidly shifting towards data-driven credibility and scale.

    With more than two decades of experience across digital advertising, ad tech, and sales leadership, Ruchika joins Klugklug at a pivotal inflection point. She previously held leadership roles at Rezworx and Inshorts and led business development for Colombia Ads at Times Internet. Her deep engagement with media agencies like GroupM, Dentsu, IPG, Havas, and Publicis adds strategic heft to her new role.

    “We’re pleased to welcome Ruchika as our chief business officer. The first aspect of her that caught our eye was something we internally call ‘Klug-ness’, which is about her being ‘a self-motivated ninja’, which is what her past has shown, and Klugklug is gunning for that and another trait – ‘radical transparency’ in all our engagements. Her leadership and structured thinking will be key in expanding our operations and reinforcing Klugklug’s values in the Indian market”, said Klugklug co-founder & CEO Kalyan Kumar.

    Co-founder & CPO Vaibhav Gupta added, “Brands today are gradually realizing the importance of data science and tech in influencer marketing. With Ruchika’s experience, she brings a thoughtful mix of industry knowledge and new energy. Her grasp of what brands look for, along with her focus on structured, data-driven approaches, sits well for Klugklug’s growth in India”.

    Ruchika said the role felt like a natural alignment. “I am excited to join Klugklug at such a pivotal time in its growth journey. The company has already shown a completely novel and audacious approach to influencer marketing, and this resonated with my experience and passion for driving real and impactful business outcomes & unlocking true value to every brand’s Influencer deployment. I am stoked to be a part of the talented team at Klugklug, especially since the Founders, who have been entrenched in the Influencer space for over a decade, and the growth of this category has only just begun”.

    Klugklug currently serves over 200 Indian and global brands across FMCG, D2C, electronics, beauty, health, and e-commerce. Its AI-powered platform analyses more than 400 million influencers across 150+ countries, 35,000+ cities, and 160+ languages. With robust tools for audience insights, credibility scoring, and campaign intelligence, Klugklug is building transparency into every layer of the influencer marketing funnel.