ITV

Category: People

  • Sanjay Mishra joins Jindal Stainless as the new CDIO

    Sanjay Mishra joins Jindal Stainless as the new CDIO

    Mumbai: India’s leading stainless steel manufacturer, Jindal Stainless, announced the appointment of Sanjay Mishra as its new chief digital and information officer (CDIO). Mishra comes with nearly three decades of experience in digital and information technology. At Jindal Stainless, he will be responsible for spearheading strategic digitalisation and transformation initiatives aimed at making the organisation a digital powerhouse.

    Speaking on the appointment, Jindal Stainless MD Abhyuday Jindal said, “Embracing digitisation and prioritising information security are not just trends; they’re essential to the growth and sustainability of our organisation. As our new CDIO, Mr Mishra will help us envision a future where we are heralded as the flagbearers of technological innovation in the industry. I am certain that his contributions will boost our efficiency, ensure company-wide data integrity and safeguard our valuable assets.”

    Prior to joining Jindal Stainless, Mishra has worked at renowned global organisations, including IBM, GE, and L&T. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in spearheading the development of core commerce products, overseeing the implementation of ERPs for global clientele, and leading the development of one of the largest in-house developed ERP & analytics platform. He holds an M.Tech in Industrial Management from IIT Kanpur and earned his B.Tech in Civil Engineering from KNIT Sultanpur.

    Commenting on his new role, Mishra said, “I am thrilled to join Jindal Stainless at such a pivotal moment in its digital transformation journey. With the organisation’s steadfast commitment to innovation and a clear focus on information security, I am excited to lead the charge in augmenting the company’s technological capabilities, while driving growth, streamlining processes, and elevating Jindal Stainless to new heights of success.”

  • Kunal Gupta joins First Livingspaces as Asst. Manager of PR, Media & Corporate Communications

    Kunal Gupta joins First Livingspaces as Asst. Manager of PR, Media & Corporate Communications

    Mumbai: Kunal Gupta has joined First Livingspaces (FLS) powering Ziki & sirrus.ai as Asst. Manager PR, Media & Corporate Communications. He announced his position via his Linkedin post stating, “ Thrilled to embark on this new chapter It’s with great excitement that I join First Livingspaces (FLS) powering Ziki & sirrus.ai as Asst. Manager PR, Media & Corporate Communications. As I reflect on my journey, I wanted to share this update with everyone. Here’s to an exhilarating journey ahead, adorned with challenges, learning experiences, and the beauty of meaningful accomplishments.”

    In addition to his role at Ziki and Sirrus.ai, Gupta is also the founder of Media PR and Folks Group, a premier networking platform for PR and media professionals. Designed for journalists and PR professionals, Media PR and Folks Group provides a dynamic space for collaboration and networking.

    https://www.linkedin.com/company/media-pr-folks/

  • FCB Kinnect names Neville Shah as the new CCO

    FCB Kinnect names Neville Shah as the new CCO

    Mumbai: FCB Kinnect, part of FCB Group India, welcomes Neville Shah as its new chief creative officer, representing a pivotal moment in the agency’s continuous creative progression.

    As chief creative officer, Neville will partner closely with FCB Kinnect’s CEO Rohan Mehta and COO Chandni Shah to lead the offices for FCB Kinnect and FCB/SIX across the country. He will also be a key member of FCB Group India’s creative leadership, collaborating with leaders across agencies to continue elevating the work across the network.

    With over twenty years of experience, Neville emerges as a profound creative leader for the modern era, consistently advocating for curiosity. He has worked on brands like Mondelez, Bajaj Auto, Chevrolet, Standard Chartered Bank, Star Sports, Amazon, and more, embracing uniqueness and steering them toward the quest for creative brilliance.

    On his appointment, Dheeraj Sinha, FCB Group CEO of India and South Asia, said, “Neville joins us at such an exciting time for the FCB Group in India, where we are forging a new phase of growth and glory. His passion for modern creativity and adeptness at leveraging data and technology make him an exceptional addition to our team. Under his leadership, we will continue to foster an environment that celebrates creativity as an economic multiplier, empowers talent, and produces globally benchmarked work that sets the standard for innovation and excellence in our industry.”

    FCB Kinnect and FCB/SIX India chief executive officer Rohan Mehta said on the appointment, “Neville’s professional journey has been truly remarkable, marked by outstanding growth. We are excited about the opportunity this presents for our young creatives to enhance their craft under his mentorship. In today’s advertising landscape, humour serves as a powerful catalyst, and with Neville, we anticipate leveraging this element even more effectively for our brands. With him at the helm, we aim to foster a unified creative culture at FCB Kinnect, where innovation is a collective pursuit that spans across verticals, to deliver unparalleled digital-first creative solutions to our clients.”

    FCB Kinnect chief creative officer Neville Shah added, “I am very excited to be part of FCB Kinnect. Every conversation has been about driving great creative work and strengthening creative culture. There is so much talent, so many resources to make great things happen here. We are in the business of ideas and great ideas are what we will chase. It’s what will help our clients win and put us on the global map. The agency and the group are rife with ambition and there’s no better time to start this journey.”

  • Mindshare ropes in Kalyan Undinty as head of E-Commerce

    Mindshare ropes in Kalyan Undinty as head of E-Commerce

    Mumbai: Mindshare, the media services company that is part of GroupM and  WPP, has announced the appointment of Kalyan Undinty as the Head of E-Commerce.  

    With over 17 years of diverse experience spanning E-Commerce, Sales, Marketing, and  Supply Chain, Kalyan brings a wealth of expertise to his new role. A graduate of the  esteemed Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode, Kalyan joins Mindshare from Reckitt,  where he played a pivotal role in establishing and scaling a dynamic and sustainable E

    commerce business over the past eight years.

    Mindshare – South Asia CEO Amin Lakhani, said, ” His extensive experience in building  and scaling e-commerce businesses will help us innovate and deliver exceptional results  for our clients. As brands embark on a journey of growth and transformation, we want to  help them leverage the power of e-commerce to redefine strategies and drive tangible  value for them. Together, we will chart new territories, elevate customer experiences in the  ever-evolving realm of digital commerce.”

    Undinty said, “It’s an exciting opportunity to  explore new avenues and create transformative experiences, driving sustainable growth in  the e-commerce ecosystem. Together, we’ll utilize data-driven insights, consumer-centric  strategies, and cutting-edge technology to surpass our clients’ and consumers’  expectations. I’m excited to join the team and help shape Mindshare’s e-commerce  agenda.” 

  • Social Beat appoints Ashish Tambe as national creative director

    Social Beat appoints Ashish Tambe as national creative director

    Mumbai: Social Beat, a digital growth partner for leading brands across verticals, announced today the appointment of Ashish Tambe as national creative director. Ashish was previously with FCB Kinnect and comes with a proven track record of delivering several award-winning campaigns, including at Cannes, Clios and the One Show.

    A microbiologist by qualification, he was en route to making a German laboratory his home when the world of stories, ideas, and brand strategies beckoned. Joining as the first creative resource, he went on to help build one of the well-known digital agencies in the country. He has experience in crafting pathbreaking creative strategies, campaigns and uplifting brand stories for many brands over the last ten years.

    Speaking on his appointment, Social Beat co-founder Suneil Chawla said, “I am delighted to welcome Ashish Tambe to Social Beat, and look forward to creating effective as well as award-winning digital campaigns with him and the team. Ashish’s extensive experience and proven track record of success will add to our proven capability to drive business outcomes and win awards in the process.”

    Commenting on his appointment, Ashish Tambe said, “I am eager to contribute to the growth of Social Beat with cutting-edge creativity that will enable clients to grow their business. Social Beat has been a pioneer in digital marketing and has had several remarkable achievements to their name, and I am thrilled to be joining the team and growing along with them.”

    Ashish believes that the best creatives hinge on the smallest nuances, and believes thinking inside the box is the key to successful campaigns that benefit brands. When not thinking about work, he spends time working out to compensate for his love for fried food and sweet desserts.

  • Kalpana Devnani Joins Smartworks as Chief Human Resources Officer

    Kalpana Devnani Joins Smartworks as Chief Human Resources Officer

    Mumbai: Kalpana Devnani has joined Smartworks as the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). She previously served as the HR Head for Emerging Brands & International Markets at Jubilant FoodWorks Ltd. With over 13 years of distinguished HR leadership experience in industries including FMCG, cosmetics, QSR, and banking.

    Kalpana brings extensive knowledge to her new role. Her impressive background includes significant positions at ICICI Bank, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, and Samara Capital, where she successfully managed programs that transformed company cultures and enhanced team performance.

  • Hybrid appoints Afla Zulfahmi as Indonesia’s country head

    Hybrid appoints Afla Zulfahmi as Indonesia’s country head

    Mumbai: Hybrid, a pioneering AdTech company with a strong foothold in Indonesia for the last three years, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Afla Zulfahmi as the new country head of Indonesia. With a stellar track record spanning over 14 years in the AdTech industry, Afla brings a wealth of expertise in digital advertising solutions and technology-driven marketing strategies to his new role.

    Afla has held key leadership positions in renowned AdTech companies, including general manager at Smaato, Inc., where he led the Indonesia mobile exchange initiative. He also served as the country manager at Mobilewalla, leading audience-targeted mobile ad campaigns and ensuring transparent campaign execution where he helped to establish a strong presence in the Indonesian market. At Google, Afla specialized in market analysis across Southeast Asia, notably in Indonesia, introducing Google Admob as a potent advertising platform while nurturing robust client relationships.

    In his new role as country head of Indonesia at Hybrid, Afla will spearhead strategic initiatives to further solidify the company’s position as a leader in the AdTech industry. His expertise in digital advertising, data analytics, and advanced targeting techniques will play a crucial role in driving business growth and delivering impactful, data-driven advertising solutions for clients.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Afla to the Hybrid family as our new Country Head of Indonesia,” said Hybrid INSEA MD & co-founder Shreyas Sathe. “His wealth of experience and proven track record in the AdTech industry make him the ideal candidate to lead our operations in Indonesia and drive our continued success in the region.”

    Afla’s appointment reaffirms Hybrid’s commitment to delivering innovative and effective contextual advertising solutions tailored to the needs of clients in Indonesia and beyond.
     

  • Menaka Menon named president & managing partner, growth & strategy at DDB Mudra South

    Menaka Menon named president & managing partner, growth & strategy at DDB Mudra South

    Mumbai: DDB Mudra Group elevates Menaka Menon, current national strategy head, to take on the role of leading the south office. She will lead operations and strategic thinking for clients based out of the Bengaluru office. Ranji Cherian who successfully ran and scaled the south office for over 16 years will now lead client excellence at the group.

    DDB Mudra Group chief creative officer Rahul Mathew said, “We believe that everything we do is built on strong strategic pillars; be it our work or how we do our work. In her new role, Menaka will use her strategic background to add more value to our client’s business, while building a strong culture of creativity in the office. Over the last few years, some of our best work has come from our South office and I’m really excited to work with Menaka to push us to newer heights.”

    Commenting on her new role, Menaka Menon said, “I am super excited about this new role and look forward to further strengthening the South operation and building a strong, closely knit team, geared towards creating great work that has the power to move people.”

    With over 23 years of experience in business and strategy, she has experience across advertising, broadcast media and strategic consulting. Menaka has spent over 15 years in advertising with stints at agencies such as FCB, VML, and Leo Burnett.

  • Veteran journalist Palakunnathu Mathai passes away

    Veteran journalist Palakunnathu Mathai passes away

    Mumbai: It was on 12 Mary 2024 that Palakunnathu George Mathai (PGM) breathed his last at a hospital in Kottayam, Kerala. With that, another fabulous journalistic life was snuffed out. For all those unfamiliar with him, the soft-spoken yet tough-as-nails Mathai belonged to a school of scribes who are meticulous to the T; who prefer to work late into the night, but not let one error get through to the press or online.

    He was my boss for a while at BusinessWorld – whenever the editor Parthasarathi Swami (he also passed on a couple of years ago; a talent gone too soon and young) or later the venerable TN Ninan, decided to go on leave or were caught up with more important issues. I was the chief sub-editor and later, the assistant editor.

    And he was a special boss, always ready to take a second and third opinion from his colleagues and his juniors, but he would finally decide the way forward. His talent lay in copy editing, but he took up other challenges as well, like banging away at his keyboard for a cover story or a corporate feature.

    At times, he appeared muddled, holding on to the back of his near-bald pate, with one hand, while the other held a story printout which had devoured his attention, unclear about the grammar construct or some fact that was mentioned. He would then pick up the dictionary or thesaurus, browse through it until he found the right turn of phrase or got the right info from the reporter. Then a large grin would break out on his face and his tense shoulders would ease back a bit.

    There were times when we would imitate him, and burst into laughter amongst ourselves. He did not mind that.

    He was a kind soul, appearing concerned, and willing to go the extra mile even for colleagues on the desk.

    A man of varied experience, he worked for India Today, The Telegraph, Business Standard BusinessWorld and The Economic Times during various phases of his journalistic career. Mathai was ailing for the past few years with a weak kidney and had to undergo dialysis at regular intervals. Then he had to get himself stented in one of his legs as he had a blockage which made walking difficult. Finally, his gastric canal too ended up getting impacted with excessive bleeding.

    Mathai was only 78 when he passed on and he was laid to rest on 16 May.

    RIP PGM! You will be missed. 

    (The picture credit goes to Francis Souza who sketched Mathai’s portrait in 1976.)

  • Neville Shah exits Ogilvy after a decade

    Neville Shah exits Ogilvy after a decade

    Mumbai: Neville Shah, who has been serving as the senior executive creative director at Ogilvy for the past ten years, has decided to depart from the creative agency.

    Shah expressed that his decade-long tenure at Ogilvy has been a significant part of his professional journey, making his decision to leave a heartfelt one. He mentioned that he will miss working with his colleagues and team.

    Shah joined Ogilvy in July 2014. Before that, he worked as the national creative director at MTV India from October 2013 to July 2014. His earlier roles include executive creative director-APAC at Commonwealth from June 2012 to July 2013, creative director at Creativeland Asia from November 2011 to June 2012, and senior creative director at JWT from April 2011 to November 2011.

    Previously, Shah was the creative director at DDB Mudra from May 2010 to April 2011. He began his career as a copy supervisor at TBWA India in April 2005 and later became group head copy in January 2009.