ITV

Category: People

  • Havas appoints Joji Jacob as regional CCO for Southeast & North Asia

    Havas appoints Joji Jacob as regional CCO for Southeast & North Asia

    Mumbai: As a creative partner and co-founder at BLKJ Havas Singapore, Joji Jacob has been appointed regional chief creative officer for Southeast Asia and North Asia.  

    Joji will take on comprehensive responsibility for steering the creative direction and ensuring seamless integration into client engagements across the region. Through his role as Chair of Havas’ APAC and member of the Global Creative Council, he will work closely with the council to drive creativity across local offices and explore innovative storytelling approaches while maintaining meaningful connections.  

    Over the past 20 years, Joji has contributed significantly to renowned agencies in India and Singapore. In addition to co-founding BLKJ in 2016 and joining the Havas family in 2021, BLKJ Havas boasts an impressive client portfolio that includes the likes of Great Eastern, the Economic Development Board of Singapore, and JLL.

    The former group executive creative director Joji at DDB has a remarkable track record in the advertising industry. During his nine-year tenure, the agency received numerous accolades and became one of the most awarded in the industry. Joji himself has been recognised as Singapore’s Most Influential creative director and Southeast Asia’s creative person of the Year, consecutively for two years. He has also served as a prestigious juror for global and regional awards shows such as Cannes, D&AD, LIA, One Show, and Spikes Asia. Known for his innovative thinking and ability to create iconic campaigns, Joji is revered for his commitment to excellence and passion for his craft.

    Barua shared his opinions regarding the appointment, “As a network, our united focus is consistently directed towards delivering clients a meaningful experience through exceptional work, achieved by investing in the best talent. The region while culturally diverse shares the same purpose. Joji with his extensive experience and creative strength across the region, will enhance our overall creative output, and play a universal role in fostering positive momentum for all markets, building towards the goal of One Asia. This appointment underscores Havas’ commitment to cultivating top-tier creative leadership, driving the creative mandate and signifies a significant stride toward achieving our growth objectives in these dynamic markets.”  

    Joji Jacob expressed, “I’ve spent 20 years as a creative, with the last ten years spent leading a creative business. So, I step into this role not just with experience but also with a beginner’s mindset. Rana and I have been discussing the many plans and ambitions and my job is to help create the conditions that enable our people make the best work of their lives for our clients, and I find myself at the right place and at the right time. Havas is a place where the entrepreneurial spirit thrives, meaning it’s not set in its ways. We can respond to a rapidly changing marketplace with agility which I find exciting. And Rana’s energy is infectious, that’s one bug I’m happy to catch.”

  • Venkatachalam H appointed as Tata AIA’s CEO and MD

    Venkatachalam H appointed as Tata AIA’s CEO and MD

    Mumbai: Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Ltd, one of India’s fastest growing life insurance companies, has announced that its board has appointed Venkatachalam H as the new chief executive officer & managing director, subject to regulatory approval from IRDAI. Venkatachalam H. will take over from current chief executive officer & managing director, Naveen Tahilyani who moves to another role in the Tata Group and has been elevated as a non-executive director of Tata AIA Life Insurance Company Ltd.

    Venky as he is fondly known, has over 27 years’ experience spanning life insurance, asset management and custodial services. He has expertise in sales & distribution, strategy, business and process development and key account management. He joined Tata AIA in 2016 and was president and chief distribution officer in his previous role. Venky has also led several initiatives in areas such as marketing, strategy, analytics, and direct digital business.

    Naveen has been a visionary leader, spearheading the transformation of Tata AIA into a market-leading and digitally enabled multi-channel business. Tata AIA has consistently outperformed the market, with VONB increasing by three and a half times between 2018 and 2022. Under Naveen’s leadership, Tata AIA has risen to become number three company on retail-weighted new business premium and is ranked number one in retail sum assured among private sector life insurers. Tata AIA has been awarded the Kincentric Best Employer seven times in a row as well as certified as a Great Place to Work.

  • Flash.co appoints Amit Verma as chief product and technology officer

    Flash.co appoints Amit Verma as chief product and technology officer

    Mumbai: Flash.co, the fast-growing consumer app building a unique shopping experience for online shoppers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Amit Verma as its chief product and technology officer (CPTO). This move comes as Flash.co accelerates its growth in India and prepares for an expansion into global markets starting this year.

    Amit Verma is an alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and the former chief technology officer at Practo. He brings extensive leadership experience, having successfully led technology teams at Big Basket, Ola, Oracle, and Yahoo. His appointment at Flash.co is a significant step towards the company’s goal of transforming the shopping experience for the top 250 million shoppers worldwide.

    Since its launch in April 2023, Flash.co has rapidly built up a user base of 600,000 plus users, achieving an annual run rate of tracking over 12 million orders across 2200 plus brands. Backed by Blume Ventures and Global Founders Capital, the company has secured over $12.5 million in funding, positioning itself for a highly anticipated US launch in the coming months. The platform aims to revolutionize customer shopping experiences with features like seamless shopping tracking, AI-powered spam-free inbox, in-depth spending analytics, personalized lifestyle rewards and more.

    Speaking about joining Flash.co, Amit Verma, expressed his delight and added, “I am really excited to join the Flash.co team, drawn by the problem statements being solved & their global aspirations. My immediate focus would be to re-architect the existing systems for stability and scalability required for global expansion. I would focus on nurturing the culture of customer centricity, speed & innovation, creating next generation products for both customers and brands.”

    Flash.co CEO Ranjith Boyanapalli expressed his excitement about Amit’s appointment and said, “We are thrilled to welcome Amit as our CPTO. He will be integral to the company’s commitment to delivering exceptional global products in the coming days. Flash.co is eager to witness its next growth chapter under his leadership and acumen.”

  • Swati Bhattacharya quits FCB India

    Swati Bhattacharya quits FCB India

    Mumbai: Swati Bhattacharya, the creative chairperson at FCB India, is reported to have tendered her resignation.

    The source added that the announcement is expected to take place next week.

    Bhattacharya had transitioned to FCB from Dentsu Mama Lab in 2016, following a two-year tenure there.

    Prior to her time at Dentsu, she had an extensive 22-year career at JWT.

  • Welspun Living Ltd appoints Sunil Duggal as independent director

    Welspun Living Ltd appoints Sunil Duggal as independent director

    Mumbai: Welspun Living Ltd, a leading player in home textiles, flooring solutions, and advanced textiles, announces the appointment of Sunil Duggal as an independent director, effective from 31 January 2024.

    Duggal will serve his first term as an independent director for four years, ending on 30 January 2028. Duggal is an accomplished leader, with a Bachelor of Technology Hons (Electrical Engineering) from BITS, Pilani, and a postgraduate diploma in Business Management (marketing) from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta.

    His extensive experience, spanning decades, includes a remarkable 17-year tenure as CEO of Dabur India Ltd. He has also chaired and cochaired significant committees, such as Indo-Turkish JBC and FICCI Committee on Food Processing. Duggal has been recognized as FMCG CEO of the year thrice and was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 2019. His expertise will be invaluable to Welspun Living Ltd.

    Welspun Living CEO & MD Dipali Goenka, on the appointment of Sunil Duggal said, “I am delighted to welcome Sunil Duggal to Welspun’s Board of Directors. His extensive experience, particularly in steering Dabur’s success, aligns seamlessly with our commitment to elevating Welspun’s B2C journey. As we embark on this transformative phase, his consumer-centric perspective and experience in building strong consumer connections resonates perfectly with Welspun’s vision. His insights into consumer behavior and market dynamics will be instrumental as we continue to innovate and cater to the evolving needs of our audience. Together, we are poised to strengthen Welspun’s position in the market, combining our passion for quality with Sunil’s wealth of experience. I look forward to working with him.”

    Joining as an independent director with Welspun Living, Duggal added, “As an independent director, I am truly excited to contribute my experience and knowledge to Welspun Living’s diversified brand portfolio, fostering growth and ensuring success. The company’s unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability is truly inspiring, aligning seamlessly with my values. I am eager to embark on this exciting journey, working collaboratively to further elevate Welspun Living’s impact in the industry.”

  • Space World Group appoints Vodafone Idea’s M P Sunil Kumar as CEO of Constl

    Space World Group appoints Vodafone Idea’s M P Sunil Kumar as CEO of Constl

    Mumbai: Digital Infrastructure Solutions provider, Constl, a business unit of Space World Group has announced the appointment of M P Sunil Kumar as its chief executive officer. The appointment of Sunil Kumar marks a pivotal moment in Constl’s journey as it endeavours to be one of the largest digital connectivity infrastructure platforms of India with a capex outlay of $ 500 million.

    Welcoming M P Sunil Kumar on board Constl as the CEO, Space World Group founder & chairman, Ankit Goel, said, “Sunil Kumar is an accomplished telecom executive with a stellar track record of achieving market success in enterprise and consumer business. He brings with him a wealth of experience that will enable Constl achieve its objectives and make it a force to reckon with. Sunil Kumar will also play a key role in facilitating Constl realise its vision of providing innovative solutions that ensure a seamless digital experience for all its clients’ ‘.

    Recognised for C-suite relationship building, lasting strategic partnerships, keen understanding of technology and executing effective sales initiatives in regulated and complex telecom markets, M P Sunil Kumar is devoted to prioritising the needs of both customers and employees in decision-making, ensuring that their voices are heard and valued. He is committed to fostering a culture where customer experience and employee well-being are central to business strategies, leading to enhanced outcomes and sustained growth.

    Prior to joining Constl, M P Sunil Kumar was with Vodafone Idea Limited where he spent nearly a decade in various positions, including setting up the connectivity business in the organisation. In his last position, he was the consumer business cluster business head where he led Mumbai to be the top performing cluster in consumer business in FY 23, creating an environment of trust in the team enabling them to aspire to stretch beyond and deliver. He also had stints at Tata Communications Limited and Bharti Airtel Limited prior to Vodafone.

  • Sanjay Jaju appointed as the New I&B secretary

    Sanjay Jaju appointed as the New I&B secretary

    Mumbai : In the recent development, the information and broadcasting department announced its new secretary recently. Senior bureaucrat Sanjay Jaju has been appointed as new information and broadcasting secretary.

    A Jaju is a 1992 batch of IAS ( Indian Administrative Service) of the Telangana cadre. The appointment committee of the cabinet ( ACC) has approved Apurva Chandra as the health secretary as part of the reshuffle program on Saturday.

    Besides them, eight other senior officers have been appointed in different central government departments and anti corruption ombudsman Lokpal.

  • Jassper Shipping appoints Aniket Tamrakar as the VP of the projects division

    Jassper Shipping appoints Aniket Tamrakar as the VP of the projects division

    Mumbai: Jassper Shipping, a key player in the global shipping industry announced Aniket Tamrakar as the vice president of the projects division. In this pivotal role, Tamrakar will oversee Jassper Shipping’s growth and customer acquisition in steel, heavy engineering goods, and specialised over-dimensional heavy lift cargo industry for both import and export shipments.

    Bringing over 15 years of industry experience, Tamrakar is poised to drive significant enhancements within the projects division at Jassper Shipping. His extensive background includes successful contributions to transmission line projects, pallet plants, thermal power plants, and infrastructure initiatives. Notably, he efficiently managed the operations of 12 ships, each carrying project goods of approximately 10000 cubic meters, in less than a year.

    Jassper Shipping CEO Pushpank Kaushik, stated,” This strategic appointment aligns with our efforts to lay the groundwork for long-term international expansion,” with his unmatched knowledge, Tamrakar is well-positioned to enhance our services, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in the shipping sector.”

    In line with Jassper Shipping’s mission of “From India to the World”, Tamrakar’s inclusion promises a synergy of expertise and capabilities that will elevate the overall customer experience. The combined proficiency of Tamrakar and Jassper Shipping is expected to drive growth in both logistics and the company as a whole.

    Jassper Shipping stands out as one of Asia’s largest agency networks, boasting a robust network of over 500 owners and operators. With a team of highly skilled master mariners and industry experts, the company has established a reliable market presence in South East Asia, Africa, AG, Red Sea, and the far east. As India’s most well-connected NVOCC and liner agency, Jassper Shipping manages over 5000 TEUs across various locations in India.

  • Vinu Lal joins The Good Edge as director

    Vinu Lal joins The Good Edge as director

    Mumbai: Vinu Lal joins The Good Edge as director Vinu Lal, who has worked with several national titles in financial journalism, has been appointed as director for The Good Edge. As part of the agency’s expansion in the western region, Vinu will set up the company’s Pune office with a mandate to develop that region.

    A journalist-turned-entrepreneur, Vinu was most recently country head for New York-based IIICorp Inc. Since 2020, he has been on a sabbatical with random content assignments with London-based Capital.com and Hong Kong-based Insurance Asia News. As a Pearson scholar, Vinu was attached to the Companies Desk at Financial Times, London where he filed several news reports during an internship programme in 2008. With over two decades of experience, Vinu was earlier head of corporate Communications for ING Vysya Bank, where he managed both internal and external communications as well as CSR communications. During his stint, the bank had tied up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to light up select villages, prone to human-wildlife conflict, in the Gajapati district of Orissa using renewable energy solutions.

    Prior to ING, Vinu was senior assistant editor for Economic Times in Bangalore, responsible for corporate news with a primary focus on mergers and acquisitions. He has also handled business news for The Times of India and Indian Express in Mumbai. During his career, he had also served as Head of India Coverage for the London-based Financial Times Group’s news agency Mergermarket (now owned by ION Group) for around five years, primarily reporting on corporate strategies and mergers & acquisitions in the technology and infrastructure segments. Having begun his professional career in Mumbai, Vinu during his mid-career relocated to Bangalore where he mostly spent time on media-based business intelligence products and is also a familiar face among media in both these markets.

    Mumbai Press Club member since the late nineties, Vinu has been actively involved in several ad hoc projects initiated by the Club and continues to do so. Vinu has a Master’s in English from Gandhigram Rural Institute in Tamil Nadu and has done executive education from various institutes including the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore.  

     

  • Vir S Advani named chairman & MD of Blue Star

    Vir S Advani named chairman & MD of Blue Star

    Mumbai: The Board of Blue Star Ltd has unanimously approved the elevation of Vir S Advani as chairman & managing director with effect from 1 April 2024. He will succeed Shailesh Haribhakti, who will be completing two consecutive terms as an Independent Director and will be retiring from the Board on 31 March 2024.

    Shailesh Haribhakti joined the Board of Blue Star in 2005 as an independent director and was elevated to the position of Independent chairman in 2019. Under his exemplary leadership, the company grew significantly with all its businesses performing very well.

    Vir S Advani holds bachelor’s degrees in Systems Engineering and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He has also completed a comprehensive executive management program at the Harvard Business School. After a two-year working stint in a private equity firm in New York, Vir joined Blue Star Infotech Ltd in 2000 and later founded Blue Star Design & Engineering Ltd in 2003, designated as its chief executive officer. In 2007, he moved to Blue Star as vice president – corporate affairs. He was promoted to executive vice president in 2008; President of corporate affairs & special projects in 2009; Executive director in 2010. In 2016, Vir was appointed managing director of the company. He was, thereafter, elevated to the position of vice chairman, and re-designated vice chairman & managing director on 1 April 2019.

    Vir will succeed Shailesh Haribhakti as chairman and managing director with effect from 1 April 2024.

    Blue Star Ltd chairman Shailesh Haribhakti added, “Vir has been with the Blue Star group of companies for nearly 25 years. Having initially managed several independent assignments in associate companies, he joined Blue Star Ltd in 2007 and made valuable contributions in several senior staff and operational positions. India is a fast-growing market for air conditioning and refrigeration products, and Blue Star is well-positioned to consolidate its market leadership and accelerate its growth. Vir is leading from the front and is spearheading the company’s plans to grow faster than the market and improve its profitability through significant investments in R&D, Manufacturing, and expansion of its international footprint. There is no doubt that he is the most deserving and the Blue Star Board is unanimous in selecting him as my successor with effect from 1 April 2024. I am confident that under his able leadership, Blue Star will sustain its good performance and reach new heights as it marches towards its centennial.”