Category: MAM

Bhaskar Das: Industry legend passes on

MUMBAI: The doctors had given up on him. His family was counting down the days with dread. The well-loved media professional Bhaskar Das passed away this morning at Breach Candy hospital following a long battle with cancer. He was only 72. His boss, mentor and friend Pradeep Guha had passed on in 2021. Both had teamed up to transform Bennett Coleman & Co into the powerhouse it once was.

His wife had sent out a message around a fortnight ago, informing friends about the cancer that had spread through his body and ravaged it.

He had been out of hospital at least a couple of times in the past two years. Every one hoped that the cancer would be in remission. But it was not to be.

RIP, Bhaskar. You will be missed. As will your smlie.

January 15, 2025
Jackelyn Keller takes on chief marketing officer’s role at Comscore

MUMBAI: Jackelyn Keller has been appointed chief marketing officer of Comscore, effective January 2025. With a robust background in marketing and academia, Keller brings a wealth of experience to her new role.

Currently, she also serves as an adjunct professor of marketing at Fordham Gabelli School of Business and runs her own consultancy firm, Jackwell Partners. Just prior to her CMO appointment, she worked as a consultant for Launch and held the position of global head of product marketing at Quantcast.

Keller has held senior marketing roles at notable companies such as Samsung Ads and Dotdash Meredith, where she focused on revenue strategy and product marketing. Additionally, she has contributed her expertise as a board advisor for Lalumwe and Aderize.

Keller holds an MBA in communications and media management from Fordham and graduated summa cum laude with a BA in English communications from Yeshiva University. Her extensive career positions her to drive innovative marketing strategies at Comscore.

January 15, 2025
Pranav Joshi promoted to business director at Wavemaker

MUMBAI: Pranav Joshi, a seasoned media and marketing professional, has officially taken up the role of business director at Wavemaker. With over a decade of experience in the marketing and advertising sector, Joshi is poised to strengthen Wavemaker’s media strategies.

Previously, Joshi served as associate business director at Wavemaker, where he led the Volini portfolio for Sun Pharmaceuticals and showcased his expertise in both traditional and digital media planning. He has demonstrated a strong work ethic and a strategic mindset, underpinned by an MBA in Marketing from Chetana’s Institute of Management & Research.

Throughout his career, Joshi has held key positions at prominent firms such as Madison World and Mindshare, successfully managing campaigns for major brands including Godrej and Hindustan Unilever. His knack for utilising research data to inform strategic planning has earned him a reputation for driving significant business growth.

Joshi’s appointment comes at a time of rapid evolution in the media landscape, and he is expected to leverage his skills to navigate emerging trends and foster innovation at Wavemaker

January 15, 2025
Vishal Bali joins Thomson Reuters as MD Asia & emerging markets

MUMBAI: Vishal Bali has taken over as Thomson Reuters managing director of Asia & emerging markets, effective January 2025. His appointment was announced in December 2024.

Bali, who is based in Sydney, brings extensive leadership experience from his tenures at GfK and Nielsen, where he focused on data-driven strategies and customer-centric solutions across multiple Asia-Pacific markets.

Adrian Fognini, head of international at Thomson Reuters, announced that Bali will oversee growth strategies and business operations in Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. “Vishal’s impressive track record in driving long-term growth will help us deliver innovative solutions to our customers,” Fognini said.

Bali expressed enthusiasm about his new role, stating, “I am thrilled to join a team known for its innovative technology and world-class talent. Together, we will simplify complexity for our customers and drive impactful growth.”

This appointment follows the retirement of Jackie Rhodes, who led the Asia and emerging markets team for five years. Bali’s selection marks a significant step in Thomson Reuters’ commitment to strengthening its leadership team as it continues to adapt in a rapidly changing market.

January 14, 2025
Harsh Vora promoted to senior vice-president at PHD Media

MUMBAI: PHD Media has announced the promotion of Harsh Vora to senior vice-president. With 16 years of expertise in media planning, buying, strategy, and events across both ATL and BTL channels, Vora has been instrumental in driving growth and innovation within the industry.

Currently serving as the business lead for Skoda Automobiles at PHD, Vora previously held several key positions within the agency, including vice-president and assistant vice-president. Over his tenure, he has demonstrated his ability to implement successful media strategies and achieve significant business results.

Before joining PHD, Vora was the assistant general manager of marketing at Kalpataru and worked as senior manager of media planning & buying at Star TV Network, where he spearheaded media for popular shows on Star Plus. His strong analytical skills have also led to successful campaigns, such as the impactful Star Plus – Nayi Soch campaign, which significantly increased the channel’s viewership.

Vora’s career highlights also include working with Godrej at Madison Media group, where he managed the media strategies for major brands, achieving combined annual sales of Rs 3,000 crore. He started his career as a media planner at Lodestar Universal, contributing to high-profile launches like the Tata Nano.

January 14, 2025
Kedaara Capital signs Fortune 250 leader Chris Baker for tech investments advice

MUMBAI: Kedaara Capital is beefing up its circle of operating advisors. Following the announcement of Keki Mistry in the ring a week or so ago, it today disclosed that it had bought seasoned entrepreneur Chris Baker on board as an operating advisor working closely with its technology teams.

Chris has close to 30 years of experience as an entrepreneur and senior leader in Fortune 250 companies. He brings a wealth of expertise in growth technology services and tech-enabled businesses.

Most recently, Chris served as SoftServe CEO of where he achieved an impressive organic revenue growth of approximately 7x during his eight-year tenure from 2016 to 2023. His success can be attributed to his structured approach to growth and the development of scalable, modular teams.

An entrepreneur at heart, Chris founded MailCode, a high-tech mail processing solution company, which was later sold to Pitney Bowes. Following the acquisition, he led sales for Pitney Bowes’ $400 million document messaging technologies division and later became president of Group 1 Software, the company’s largest software acquisition at the time.

Throughout his career, Chris has been instrumental in scaling multiple businesses and holds several patents, reflecting his passion for technology and innovation. In his new role at Kedaara Capital, Chris will provide insights on current and future investments in the technology services sector.

Chris Baker’s extensive experience and proven track record of success position him as a valuable asset to Kedaara Capital as it continues to expand its leadership in technology investments.

January 14, 2025
Publicis Groupe fuses Leo Burnett & Publicis Worldwide to give birth to Leo

MUMBAI: Giant firms all over the world are collapsing into each others’ arms and forming even larger behemoths as the corporate world looks for scale. And even more scale.

Everyone expected something to give even in the advertising world with Omnicom announcing its intent to acquire the Interpublic group in December 20024. A spate of mergers and acquisitions was predicted to follow.

At least one has, hardly 15 days into 2025. And it’s coming from the Publicis Groupe which announced a bold initiative that merges two of its iconic networks into a powerful new entity called Leo, symbolising the strength of collaboration through the Power of One. This strategic union aims to address contemporary global brand challenges by delivering enhanced creativity, personalised content, and connected brand experiences.

Leo Burnett, famously known as the brand of Humankind, and Publicis Worldwide, recognized for driving transformation, will unite under the Leo banner. The redesigned Leo Burnett logo features an expansion that links the branding prowess of one of advertising’s most recognizable names with the roar of a lion, representing a formidable creative force comprising 15,000 professionals across 90 countries.

Together, Leo brings together the expertise of 8,000 creative minds from Leo Burnett and 7,000 from Publicis Worldwide, boasting an impressive track record with eight agencies of the year and over 400 major creative awards.

The new entity will be co-led by Marco Venturelli and Agathe Bousquet, who previously drove Publicis Conseil to win the Cannes Lions 2024 Agency of the Year. They, along with chief strategy officer Gareth Goodall, will oversee Leo’s global creative community and culture, ensuring that local teams leverage the Groupe’s data, technology, and media assets.

Publicis Groupe Canada CEO Andrew Bruce joins as chairman of Leo North America. The Leo constellation will operate alongside Publicis Groupe’s existing creative brands, including Saatchi & Saatchi, BBH, and Fallon, enhancing the group’s diverse creative roster.

Publicis Groupe chief strategy officer Carla Serrano emphasised: “Through Leo, we are doubling down on our strategy of strong creative brands connected to the industry’s only data, media, and tech ecosystem.” Agathe Bousquet added, “Leo’s global spirit will thrive at the local level, powered by premier data and technology to create tailored solutions for clients.”

Marco Venturelli remarkedd:“Creativity remains a messy human process, and Leo will foster a global community of creative and strategic talents dedicated to human-centered creation at scale.”

Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun concluded, “Leo embodies the belief that creative efficiency does not mean fewer brands. By uniting these creative communities, Leo will be more impactful and accessible than ever.”

With this launch, Publicis Groupe is set to redefine the landscape of advertising and creative services in the coming year. Once again predictions are that this is just one of the upheavals that’s going to hit the industry in 2025. Expectations are that a tsunami of selloffs, acquisitions and mergers are going to totally transform how the advertising landscape looks in the next 12 months. Stay tuned in.

January 14, 2025
ISGEC Heavy Engineering ropes in Deepika Abrol as corp comm head

MUMBAI: Deepika Abrol, a seasoned professional with 17 years of experience in corporate communications and public relations, has recently assumed the role of head of corporate communications at ISGEC Heavy Engineering. Abrol comes with a proven track record in strategic planning, media relations, and managing corporate reputation.

Her previous role was at GHCL, where she led comprehensive communication strategies, optimising corporate reputation and enhancing visibility through traditional and digital media. Abrol has a strong background in internal and external communications, having successfully managed communication for corporate social responsibility initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and brand strategy implementation.

Abrol holds a master’s degree in English from Delhi University and has held prominent positions at various companies, including GMR Group, Tata Teleservices, and Jindal Steel & Power. Her expertise spans across media relations, crisis management, strategic alliances, and event planning.

As she steps into her new role at ISGEC, Abrol aims to leverage her extensive experience to further enhance the company’s communication strategies and brand presence.

January 14, 2025
FPSB India appoints Amisha Sethi as senior vice president – policy & communication

MUMBAI: The Financial Planning Standards Board of India (FPSB India), the Indian subsidiary of FPSB. and the global certifying body for certified financial planner (CFP) professionals, has appointed Amisha Sethi as its senior vice president – policy & communication, effective 3 January 2025.

Amisha Sethi is a seasoned marketing leader with over 22 years of experience across telecom, mobile, technology, aviation, and AI industries. Known for her expertise in brand building, strategic communication, partner relations, and customer engagement, she has held pivotal leadership roles in global organisations.

FPSB India CEO Krishan Mishra said: “Amisha’s diverse experience, visionary approach, and proven expertise in strategic communication will undoubtedly help us drive impactful initiatives. Her leadership will strengthen our engagement with stakeholders and further our mission to elevate financial planning education in India.”

Hitherto she has had stints with Infilect as vice president of global marketing and customer relations; with Locus as vice president of global marketing; with Blackberry as director of Asoa-Pacific brand marketing ; with AirAsia s chief commercial officer, with Airtel as marketing manager, and with AI and deep learning start up Frrole as vice-president of marketing.

Said Amisha: “It is an honor to contribute to shaping the financial planning landscape in India. This opportunity allows me to blend my expertise in communication and strategy with FPSB India’s mission to enhance financial literacy and professional standards.”

Amisha is a multifaceted individual with accomplishments in acting, writing, and fitness. She was crowned Mrs. India Worldwide 2021 and has won multiple acting accolades, including a special jury mention as the best actor at the 14th Dada Saheb Phalke Awards.

She also starred in the OTT-released short film Dronacharya, earning critical acclaim. Amisha is the author of the bestseller It Doesn’t Hurt To Be Nice and has delivered inspiring TEDx talks on leading a balanced, multidimensional life.

An executive scholar in marketing and sales management from the Kellogg School of Management, Amisha also holds a post graduate diploma in management from Amity Business School and a science degree from Delhi University.

January 14, 2025
Rahul Sandil appointed vice president & general manager of global marketing & communications at MediaTek

MUMBAI: MediaTek has announced the appointment of Rahul Sandil as vice president and general manager of global marketing and communications. With over 30 years of extensive experience in marketing, communications, and business development, Rahul brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to the role. He is based in the US.

In his capacity as MediaTek’s chief Marcom executive, Rahul is responsible for overseeing the company’s global brand strategy, marketing innovation, strategic partnerships, and corporate communications, connecting cutting-edge technology with audiences around the world. His career is marked by a commitment to accelerating growth, launching industry-leading product lines, and executing impactful marketing campaigns.

Before joining MediaTek, Rahul held senior leadership roles at Micron Technology, Microsoft, Amazon, HTC, and other global organizations in the technology sector. As vice president of corporate Marketing at Micron, he was integral in shaping the company’s marketing strategy and brand development. Additionally, he has served as an advisor and mentor to various companies, leveraging his expertise in AI, emerging technologies, and advanced digital marketing to drive sustainable growth.

Rahul holds an MBA in marketing and international business from the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon, and a BA (Honors) in economics from St. Xavier’s College. He has also been actively involved in Aiesec, leading global initiatives to foster youth leadership and development.

As a passionate advocate for innovation and meaningful connections, Rahul is poised to propel MediaTek’s marketing and communications strategies to new heights, driving brand growth and transformative initiatives that resonate across industries.

January 14, 2025