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Category: People

  • Ashwani Gandhi appointed CEO of Niraamaya Life

    Ashwani Gandhi appointed CEO of Niraamaya Life

    Mumbai: Niraamaya Life has appointed Ashwani Gandhi as the new chief executive officer. With over 18 years of experience, he brings a strong background in the digital space, having worked with globally renowned brands such as Pfizer, Paras Pharma (Reckitt Benckiser), Himalaya as well as global start-up Believe Pte. He is also an alumnus of IIM Lucknow & holds multiple management degrees from prestigious institutes.

    Ashwani Gandhi will lead the three business verticals – retreats, D2C, and products verticals, aiming at transforming Niraamaya Life into a digitally native wellness platform. He plans to enhance retreats with personalized wellness programs, expand D2C reach through innovative e-commerce strategies, and introduce new wellness products driven by product innovation. Central to this initiative is the ‘Niraamaya Life’ Wellness app, offering services like yoga, ayurveda, sleep management, and mindfulness to promote overall health and tranquillity.

    “I’m thrilled to join the Niraamaya family, a well-established and strong brand with a prominent position in the global market in the wellness segment. Our move into the direct-to-consumer space is a natural progression, and I am eager to lead this transformative journey. By expanding our offerings and innovating across all verticals, including the introduction of the ‘Niraamaya Life’ D2C App, we are looking to further enhance and elevate the wellness experience for our patrons worldwide, creating an ecosystem that nurtures health and well-being,” said Gandhi.

    Niraamaya Life will be unveiling its own line of consumer products, reaffirming its steadfast commitment to luxury wellness. Niraamaya Life aims to emerge as the preferred choice for wellness enthusiasts globally, presenting an array of offerings to foster holistic well-being.

  • Madison Media promotes Vinay Hegde to CEO – Investments

    Madison Media promotes Vinay Hegde to CEO – Investments

    Mumbai: Madison Media, a unit of Madison World, just announced that the agency has promoted Vinay Hegde as the chief executive officer – Investments.

    Vinay has over 25 years of experience and has been associated with Madison Media for almost 8 years as a chief buying officer. He has previously worked at Mindshare Fulcrum for over 10 years, where he handled buying for the Unilever business. He has also worked with Disney as Director, Revenue Strategy, in addition to having worked at Starcom, HTA and Percept.

    Madison Media & OOH group CEO Vikram Sakhuja said “Vinay has been a proven performer over the years, whose has leveraged his deep understanding of the media domain and buying analytics to deliver scaled advantage in Buying. As CEO Investments I have no doubt that under his leadership Madison will deliver best-in-class returns on Clients’ Media investments.”

    Hegde shared his excitement about the new role, stating, “I am truly honored to take on the position of CEO—Investments at Madison Media. It’s a privilege to lead such a talented team and drive strategic investments that will propel our client’s business to a greater success in the media landscape.”

  • Tribes Communication appoints Himanka Das as chief strategy officer

    Tribes Communication appoints Himanka Das as chief strategy officer

    Mumbai: Tribes Communication has appointed Himanka Das as chief strategy officer to lead the organization’s strategic vision and drive its ambitious expansion goals. In under a decade, the group has transformed from an out-of-home (OOH) solutions service provider into a formidable comprehensive marketing powerhouse.

    As an industry leader, Himanka Das brings with him more than two decades of experience in media and marketing communication, having worked across 250 plus brands and managed large investment portfolios. He is a seasoned executive with a strong strategy orientation to drive business outcomes and has worn many hats before taking on the role of chief strategy officer at Tribes. In the recent past, Himanka was serving as country director at Infomo, a global AI AdTech pioneer in the first-party data space. He has held leadership roles at Dentsu International for over nine years, which included three years as CEO of its group company, Vizeum India and as EVP Carat, India. Himanka began his career at Madison World, building his career working at Initiative, Lintas Media Group, FCB Ulka of IPG and Starcom of Publicis Media.

    Prior to joining Infomo, Himanka took an academic sabbatical to earn a postgraduate qualification in data science from International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Bangalore to accelerate his analytical skills. He also has a Masters in International Marketing and Mass Communication Studies from University of Pune.

    Expressing his excitement about joining Tribes Communication, Himanka stated, “What impressed me is the pace and agility with which Tribes has made a cutting-edge mark in the marketing industry in less than a decade, leading transformations in disruptive technology such as AI, CRM data, analytics and continuously evolving consumer behaviour. It’s inspiring and an honour to be part of such an entrepreneurial team and culture, driving ambitious future plans. I am excited to work closely with the diverse business units, bringing strategic connections to engage and help consumers to make decisions in their purchase journey.”

    Welcoming Himanka, Tribes Communication MD and chairman Gour Gupta said, “I am extremely pleased to welcome Himanka to the Tribes family, especially at such a pivotal time. Himanka’s profound industry knowledge and strategic acumen will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and deliver exceptional value to our clients. In addition, our shared values of business excellence and forward-thinking are perfectly aligned and I look forward to this collaboration, which will be instrumental in driving our next phase of growth.”

    As chief strategy officer, Himanka will oversee the development and implementation of the company’s strategic initiatives, working closely with the executive team to identify new growth opportunities and enhance operational efficiencies.

  • CEAT names Vishal Pawar senior vice president of global sales and supply chain

    CEAT names Vishal Pawar senior vice president of global sales and supply chain

    Mumbai: CEAT, a tyre manufacturer, announced the elevation of Vishal Pawar to the role of senior vice president – global sales and supply chain. This significant leadership change marks a new chapter in CEAT’s growth trajectory.

    Vishal Pawar, who was leading the replacement sales as vice president, will succeed Saurav Mukherjee, who has resigned after a successful stint spanning over four years in the role. His contributions have been instrumental in shaping the company’s global sales and supply chain strategies.

    Vishal Pawar brings extensive experience to his new role. An engineering graduate from the College of Engineering Pune and a management graduate from SIBM, he began his career with TAFE Limited in Chennai as a management trainee. He first joined CEAT in 2005 as Category Head before moving into sales and serving a successful stint as the Zonal Sales Head for the South.

    In 2019, Pawar transitioned to Garware Technical Fibres before returning to CEAT, where he rose to become vice president of India’s largest aftermarket sales division. His wealth of experience and proven track record make him the ideal candidate to lead CEAT’s global sales and supply chain efforts.

    CEAT MD & CEO Arnab Banerjee said, “We are thrilled to have Vishal step into this critical role. His deep understanding of the industry, combined with his strategic vision and leadership capabilities, makes him the perfect fit to drive our global sales and supply chain initiatives. I am confident that under his leadership, CEAT will continue to strengthen its market position and achieve new heights. I would also like to express our sincere thanks to Saurav Mukherjee for his significant contributions to the company. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”

    Vishal Pawar said, “I am excited to take on this new role and shall work towards taking CEAT to the next level in terms of driving market share and making it a premium brand in the years to come. My primary focus will be on capability development and strengthening processes, which I believe makes the strong foundation of any sustainable business.”

    Following the movement of Saurav Mukherjee from the company on July 31, 2024, Vishal Pawar has taken on his new role with effect from 1 July 2024.

  • GroupM Strengthens India Operations with appointment of Praseed Prasad as chief growth officer

    GroupM Strengthens India Operations with appointment of Praseed Prasad as chief growth officer

    Mumbai: GroupM India, WPP’s media investment group, today announces the appointment of Praseed Prasad as chief growth officer. In its newly created role, Praseed will lead GroupM’s growth, marketing and communications. The role is further designed to accelerate GroupM’s growth and strengthen its position as the industry’s leader in media investments and marketing partner.

    In his new role, Praseed will oversee strategy and operations for GroupM’s business development, growth, marketing, and communications to clients, employees, and industry audiences. He will work closely with the agency and GroupM leadership to identify growth opportunities, develop integrated solutions that leverage the skills and expertise of the industry’s deepest bench of talent, and effectively communicate GroupM’s value proposition.

    Praseed, returning back to GroupM, brings a wealth of experience to this position. Prior to joining IceCream Labs in 2015, he held key roles within GroupM, including heading Digital Trading and overseeing digital investments for all GroupM clients. His diverse background also includes stints at Flipkart, where he ran the Ads Agency Business and led Media and Partnerships, as well as at Google, where he managed Media Operations for EMEA markets and later ran the Google APAC Agency and Partner business.

    GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said, “It is great to have Praseed back to GroupM as Chief Growth Officer. His extensive experience in understanding client needs, strategic initiatives, industry knowledge, and cross-functional collaboration positions will help us enhance our market growth. His track record underscores his ability to navigate complex ecosystems and deliver results. We anticipate that his leadership will directly benefit our clients and the brands we work with, driving innovation and enhancing performance.”

    Praseed said, “I am delighted to return to GroupM where I grew during the early days of my career and spent more than a decade setting up new business units and functions. I look forward to strengthening opportunities for our clients and brands that will allow me to apply my experiences to help grow the GroupM business onwards and upwards. Am excited to collaborate with all the agency teams to help drive our clients’ business impact and deliver them exceptional growth.”

    Praseed will be based out of GroupM’s Bangalore office and report into Prasanth Kumar. 

  • GroupM elevates Ashwin Padmanabhan to chief operating officer, GroupM South Asia

    GroupM elevates Ashwin Padmanabhan to chief operating officer, GroupM South Asia

    Mumbai: GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, today announces the  elevation of Ashwin Padmanabhan as chief operating officer for South Asia.

    Ashwin, will now oversee a streamlined structure that brings together GroupM’s  extensive and diversified key practices. This includes Influencer Marketing, Content,  OOH offering and Nexus. Investments, Trading, Partnerships, Motion and Entertainment will continue to be part of his portfolio. Ashwin’s strategic vision will play a pivotal role  in seamlessly integrating GroupM’s diversified services, to develop and deliver a best in-class solution that unlocks value for clients and GroupM.

    As the current President of GroupM Investments, Trading, Partnerships, Motion and  Entertainment Ashwin’s commitment to innovation and process-driven excellence has  solidified GroupM’s position as a leader in client-centric and technically advanced  media solutions.

    GroupM South Asia CEO  Prasanth Kumar said, “Ashwin’s deep understanding of  client requirements and industry ecosystems and his proven track record ensures a  seamless alliance across respective domains. He will continue to drive synergies across multiple practices emphasizing simplicity and consolidation to consistently  deliver outstanding client work.”

    Padmanabhan said, “Clients  today are looking for bespoke operating strategies that help transform their  businesses and GroupM has always been an architect of new approaches when it  comes to its clients. I look forward to working with our teams to drive long-term  success for brands, bringing effectiveness and optimization to our services that  generate enduring impact.”

    Ashwin will continue to be based out of Gurgaon and report to Kumar. 

  • Inderniel Shivdasani joins Pepperfry as head of strategy and investor relations

    Inderniel Shivdasani joins Pepperfry as head of strategy and investor relations

    Mumbai: Pepperfry, an e-commerce furniture and home decor company, has announced the appointment of Inderniel Shivdasani as head of strategy and investor relations. In this role, Inderniel will be responsible for leading Pepperfry’s strategic initiatives and investor relations.

    Inderniel brings over 13 years of experience in finance, strategy, investor relations, and mergers & acquisitions, having held leadership roles at prominent companies in the consumer tech and healthcare industries. Most recently, he was director – corporate strategy at Cleartrip, playing a key role in the company’s 100 per cent acquisition by Flipkart in 2021. He also served as the chief of staff at Manipal Health Enterprises, where he spearheaded strategy, expansion, and business analysis initiatives.

    As head of strategy & investor relations, Inderniel will be responsible for communicating Pepperfry’s journey and future plans to the investor community, while leveraging the company’s strengths to drive profitable growth.

    Speaking on the new appointment, Pepperfry co-founder & CEO Ashish Shah said, “We are thrilled to welcome Inderniel to the Pepperfry team. His in-depth knowledge and expertise in managing investor relations, strategy, and financial reporting, combined with his proven track record of success in scaling businesses, makes him an asset to our organisation. We are confident that he will play a pivotal role in driving Pepperfry’s future growth and success.”

    Pepperfry’s newly appointed head, IR & strategy – Inderniel Shivdasani added, “I am excited to join Pepperfry at this pivotal moment in the company’s journey. As the category creator of the organized furniture and home decor market in India, Pepperfry has been instrumental in driving the growth of this industry. It is a leading player in the rapidly expanding online furniture and home décor market, and I look forward to working with the team to enhance its investor relations strategy and drive the company’s continued success.”

    Inderniel holds a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Thadomal Shahani Engineering College, Mumbai and an MBA from T.A. Pai Management Institute, Manipal. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

    Inderniel balances his professional acumen with a passion for adventure, travel, and sports. His pursuits range from adrenaline-fueled activities like cliff and bungee jumping to challenging road trips. He also enjoys his dose of sports or a run on the beach.

  • Ampverse DMI appoints Sona Mazumdar as general manager

    Ampverse DMI appoints Sona Mazumdar as general manager

    Mumbai: Ampverse DMI, a leader in the gaming and entertainment sector, has announced the appointment of Sona Mazumdar as the head of its newly launched marketing solutions unit targeted to revolutionize the Indian Gaming market. Having successfully collaborated with over 300 top brands such as Porsche, Samsung, Riot Games, KFC, and Coca-Cola across Asia, Ampverse aims to replicate its Southeast Asian success in the Indian market.

    Sona Mazumdar, known for her proven track record in spearheading transformative marketing initiatives, will lead this new venture, driving growth and innovation in the gaming sector for Ampverse DMI in India.  A seasoned professional, Sona has previously served as the chief partnership officer at Kidzania for eight years. Being a part of the initial leadership team; Sona played a pivotal role in forging key long term strategic partnerships for the company and helped scale the business.

    With over two decades of experience of working across diverse entertainment sectors in India, she excels in structured problem-solving, data analysis, and strategic execution, making her a trusted advisor to Board and C-level stakeholders. She has been instrumental in forging the joint venture between DMI and Ampverse.

    Commenting on Sona’s appointment, Ampverse CEO Charlie Baillie stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Sona Mazumdar as the GM of our marketing solutions vertical. A seasoned professional, Sona has a proven track record in crafting impactful campaigns and building robust client relationships. Her expertise aligns perfectly with our vision to revolutionize brand engagement within and beyond the gaming community in India.

    With Sona’s strategic vision and extensive experience, we are confident in our ability to set new standards in marketing excellence and drive our ambitious growth objectives, creating a lasting impact in this dynamic market.” 

    An industry veteran in media and entertainment, Sona is also known for her role as an evangelist, combining gaming and entertainment to showcase this powerful medium for brands to reach millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. She specializes in creating, proposing, and developing medium-term brand alliances and partnerships with CMOs and brand leaders across multiple gaming, esports, and digital entertainment sectors.

    “The gaming industry has always captivated me with its limitless potential for creativity and connection. I see immense potential in India to enhance how brands connect and engage with Gen Z and Gen Alpha through gaming,” remarked Sona Mazumdar. “My focus will be on building strong partnerships, leading innovative initiatives, and implementing

    strategies that will redefine engagement in this dynamic market. Ampverse DMI’s established ecosystem and commitment to innovation provide a solid foundation to bring global best practices and localized strategies to our clients.”enabling us to provide them with a one stop shop solution for reaching out to the TG”

    Sona’s leadership is extended to a honorary role as the National President of the Gaming, Esports and Digital Entertainment Council at Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WICCI), where her role is to include more women professionals in this fast-growing gaming industry, laying out key action points and organizing industry-expanding discussions.

    Sona is one of the founding members of COGS (Changemakers of Gurgaon@Scale), where she works with the community to create transformation projects, including efforts to convert Gurgaon into one of the world’s top 50 most sustainable cities.

    As part of the core team, Neha Sethi Mehta will be leading sales, based in Gurgaon. Neha brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as the regional lead for Kidzania for seven years being a key contributor for the organization.

  • Tredence elevates Rekha Nair to chief human resources officer

    Tredence elevates Rekha Nair to chief human resources officer

    Mumbai: Tredence, a data science and AI solutions provider has promoted Rekha Nair to Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) effective 1 July 2024.

    Rekha is a strategic HR leader with over 20 years of experience in the consulting industry. She joined Tredence in 2021 as the HR Head for India and spearheaded its talent management program to develop its data science, data engineering, and AI capabilities. Overseeing 4X hiring growth, Rekha has helped develop a workforce of 2,500 data scientists and data engineering professionals. In her new role, Rekha will oversee Tredence’s global HR strategy, developing a scalable talent model and continuous learning and innovation culture that accelerates the company’s growth.  In her new role, Rekha’s key focus areas will be scaling training across practices, upskilling, and creating growth opportunities in data science, data engineering, prescriptive AI, and generative AI. This will enable teams to enhance the value they deliver to enterprise clients.

    In addition, Rekha will champion initiatives that promote career growth and mobility while continuing to build a diverse and inclusive workplace where every employee can thrive, further enhancing Tredence’s reputation as a Great Place to Work®.

    “Stepping into this role at Tredence is a tremendous privilege. We have built a great company that embodies a people-first approach, valuing every individual’s contribution and creating a culture of continuous growth. Our teams embody our company’s ACE framework, serving as advisors to clients, coaches and captains to our teams, and entrepreneurs to the business, enabling enterprise clients to accelerate business transformation and improve outcomes. I am confident that we can strengthen Tredence’s position as a data science and AI leader, providing them with fresh insights and innovative business solutions,” said Rekha Nair, CHRO of Tredence.

    “Rekha has been a transformative force in shaping our team and culture at Tredence over the past three years. Her appointment to CHRO is a testament to her exceptional leadership and alignment with our strategic vision. The executive leadership team has absolute confidence that she will continue to elevate our global team and its skills, building our brand as a company that delivers the best AI innovations and partners with leading enterprises to operationalise these capabilities and create breakaway competitive advantage,” said Tredence CEO and co-founder Shub Bhowmick.

    Before Tredence, Rekha held leadership roles at Capgemini, Mphasis, and HCL Tech, heading HR for global business units and overseeing talent management, learning, and transformational HR initiatives. Her expertise in helping top consultancies rapidly evolve talent capabilities and build a brand for DEI leadership has played a crucial role in shaping Tredence’s organizational culture and contributing to its marketplace success.

  • TPV Technology appoints Sajeev Rajasekharan as MD of Philips AVA & soundbar business in India

    TPV Technology appoints Sajeev Rajasekharan as MD of Philips AVA & soundbar business in India

    Mumbai: TPV Technology, the world’s leading global manufacturer of monitors, with a market share of around 30 per cent, announced the appointment of Sajeev Rajasekharan as the new managing director of Philips AVA & Soundbar Business in India. Sajeev brings over 30 years of experience in the automotive and consumer durables industries and has an impressive track record in his previous roles.

    This move comes in line with the company’s goal to meet local market demands and ensure the availability of its innovative portfolio of AVA & Soundbars.

    Before joining TPV Technology, Sajeev was associated with Harley-Davidson as the managing director – Asia Emerging Markets & India. He has a trustworthy track record of managing large-scale operations with expertise in business turnaround and driving significant growth. Before joining Harley-Davidson, he worked with Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Ltd as the Executive Vice President. Beyond the automotive space, Sajeev has over 2 decades of experience in consumer durables industries with brands such as Samsung and Panasonic.

    At TPV Technology, Sajeev now steps into a pivotal role as the managing director of the Philips AVA & Soundbar Business in India.

    Expressing his enthusiasm for the new role, Sajeev Rajasekharan, managing director – Philips AVA & Soundbar Business- India, TPV Technology, said, “I am thrilled to embark on this journey with TPV Technology. Drawing from my extensive background in consumer durables and the automotive industries, I look forward to spearheading the transformative growth and innovation in the Philips AVA & Soundbar segment. I aim to build on the company’s strong foundation and steer it towards newer heights of success in the Indian market.”

    Speaking on the appointment, TPV Technology head of global AVA business Grace Sun said, “We are thrilled to have Sajeev Rajasekharan as the new Managing Director of our Philips AVA & Soundbar Business in India. With over 30 years of remarkable experience in consumer durables and the automotive industry, Sajeev has a proven track record in managing large-scale operations and driving growth. His leadership and strategic vision will be invaluable as we innovate and expand our presence in the Indian Market”.

    With his MBA in marketing from Pune University and a career marked by outstanding achievements, Sajeev Rajasekharan stands poised to lead Philips AVA & Soundbar Business in TPV India to attain new milestones.