ITV

Category: MAM

  • Goodera names Sumit Agarwal as chief financial officer to fuel global growth

    Goodera names Sumit Agarwal as chief financial officer to fuel global growth

    MUMBAI: Goodera has roped in Sumit Agarwal as its new chief financial officer, bolstering its leadership team as the employee volunteering platform prepares for its next phase of global expansion.

    A chartered accountant and all-India rank holder, Agarwal brings over two decades of experience across fintech, e-commerce, payments and technology. He most recently headed Tripmoney at Makemytrip–Goibibo, where he rolled out digital financial products. His earlier stints include cfo roles at Zovi.com and NGPAY (acquired by Flipkart), as well as leadership positions at Wipro technologies.

    At Goodera, he will oversee fundraising, investor relations, financial planning, M&A and strategic growth. “Goodera has built a global platform that powers volunteering while creating community impact. I am excited to shape its financial strategy for the next level of growth,” Agarwal noted.

     

  • Noise wins best of IFA as Indian wearables brand takes Berlin by storm

    Noise wins best of IFA as Indian wearables brand takes Berlin by storm

    MUMBAI: Noise, India’s leading connected lifestyle brand, has scored a global breakthrough at IFA Berlin 2025, one of the world’s largest consumer electronics showcases.

    The homegrown firm unveiled its latest line of smartwatches and wearables, designed to rival global leaders, and walked away with Techradar’s coveted “best of IFA” award, a recognition shared by few Indian brands on the international stage.

    “When a bootstrapped Indian company can stand shoulder to shoulder with global giants and be celebrated for innovation, it speaks volumes about the strength of Indian ingenuity,” said Noise, co-founder, Gaurav Khatri.

    Founded as a bootstrapped venture and now backed by Bose as its first strategic investor, Noise has built its reputation on design, innovation and affordability. Its R&D arm, Noise Labs, is credited with several industry-first patents, while the brand also pushes domestic manufacturing under ‘Make in India.’

    With leadership in India’s smartwatch market and now a global award under its belt, Noise is positioning itself not just as a national champion but as a serious contender in the global connected lifestyle ecosystem.
     

  • WGC recasts gold for Gen Z with ‘the moment is gold’ campaign

    WGC recasts gold for Gen Z with ‘the moment is gold’ campaign

    MUMBAI: The world gold council has launched a new campaign in India, aiming to reposition gold jewellery as part of daily life rather than an accessory reserved for weddings and festivals.

    Titled ‘The moment is gold’, the campaign targets Gen Z and Millennials, encouraging them to see gold as a reflection of modern lifestyles and as a symbol of small but meaningful moments.

    “Our campaign is about creating a new social currency for gold, one that resonates with younger generations,” said world gold council, head of marketing, Arti Saxena. “From a personal victory to a moment of connection, these ‘gold moments’ deserve to be celebrated with the enduring beauty of gold.”

    Backed by GJEPC India and created by BBDO India, the film follows a young man at a concert who spots his girlfriend in the crowd by recognising her jewellery, underscoring gold’s quiet presence in everyday experiences.

    “Gold has long been linked with life’s milestones,” said BBDO India, chairman and chief creative officer, Josy Paul. “This campaign reframes that tradition by celebrating the spontaneous, golden sparks of daily life.”

    The campaign will run across TV, digital, OTT, CTV, social media and print, with WPP Media as the media partner.

  • Sun King powers up new look as it expands global energy offerings

    Sun King powers up new look as it expands global energy offerings

    MUMBAI: Sun King has flipped the switch on a brighter future. The off-grid solar energy giant unveiled a refreshed logo and brand identity on 9 September, reflecting its evolution from a solar home systems pioneer into a global provider of diverse energy solutions.

    The new look arrives with an expanded product line that now spans high-capacity solar inverters, advanced electrical lighting, and its flagship home systems, aiming to bring reliable, affordable power to millions across Africa and Asia.

    To mark the change, Sun King has launched a digital-first campaign titled Switch to More!, highlighting the four benefits customers can expect: more savings, more peace of mind, more options, and more reliable power. An animated film tells the story of the refreshed logo and the company’s long-term mission of expanding energy access.

    “Our refreshed identity reflects our promise to deliver more affordable solar, more appliances that simplify life, and more power for the communities that depend on us,” said Sun King, co-founder, Anish Thakkar.

    With over 24 million households powered worldwide and more than 300,000 new systems installed monthly, Sun King’s new identity signals continuity as much as change: the same mission, but a wider beam.

  • Kunal Gaur takes the leap from JioStar to launch his own digital venture

    Kunal Gaur takes the leap from JioStar to launch his own digital venture

    MUMBAI: From streaming giants to star power, Kunal Gaur has played the numbers game across India’s biggest media houses – and now, he’s ready to bet on himself. The seasoned executive has stepped down from his role as Business Commercial Lead at JioStar to launch his own digital marketing enterprise.

    Armed with over 20 years of experience across media, entertainment, and finance, Gaur’s career reads like a who’s who of the industry. At Viacom18, he spent four years as Chief Commercial Officer, steering spends for channels like Colors, MTV, Sports18, Cineplex, and OTT platform JioCinema. Before that, he was Netflix India’s Director of Production Finance, working on 17 series, 14 films, and 20 development projects, from Sacred Games to Extraction.

    Nearly a decade at Star India and Hotstar saw him negotiating content deals, licensing formats, and even leading commercial talks for Star Sports’ sprawling 12-studio project. His early years at PwC sharpened the financial rigour that has since underpinned his media journey.

    At JioStar, Gaur oversaw commercials across Digital, Creator, Marketing, Talent, and Technology driving efficiencies and shaping strategic partnerships. Now, with his new venture, he’s blending that financial expertise with media know-how to build a future-focused digital marketing company designed for India’s evolving landscape.

    “Finance may have been my foundation, but creativity and innovation are my growth engines,” Gaur quipped while announcing his entrepreneurial leap.

    As the industry braces for another wave of digital disruption, all eyes will be on whether Gaur can turn his decades of boardroom wins into startup success.
     

  • Kotak banks on dentsu X for fresh media strategy across all platforms

    Kotak banks on dentsu X for fresh media strategy across all platforms

    MUMBAI: When Kotak Mahindra Group went shopping for a new media partner, Dentsu X India cashed in. After a tightly contested multi-agency pitch, the banking and financial services giant has handed over its integrated media mandate to Dentsu X, which will service the account from its Mumbai office.

    The win is no small deal Dentsu X will now drive the full-funnel media strategy for all of Kotak’s key businesses, including Kotak Mahindra Bank, Kotak Mutual Fund, Kotak Securities, and Kotak Life Insurance. The scope spans the big four channels television, print, radio, and digital branding ensuring the bank’s message cuts across audiences, platforms, and generations.

    Known for blending tech, culture, and data to reimagine customer experiences, Dentsu X promises to deliver “outcome-driven solutions” that accelerate Kotak’s marketing and business ambitions. With India’s banking sector doubling down on digital transformation, the collaboration aims to make finance not just accessible, but engaging for the country’s increasingly aspirational consumer base.

    Dentsu X India CEO Sujata Dwibedy, called the mandate a “strong testament” to the agency’s agility and integrated offering: “We are truly honoured to partner with a legacy brand like Kotak Mahindra Group. Our future-facing approach will help drive stronger visibility, engagement, and impact across platforms.”

    For Kotak, it’s more than just a media deal, it’s about banking on storytelling that resonates in an always-on, attention-fractured world.

  • TCS and CEA join forces to give robotics a ‘physical AI’ makeover

    TCS and CEA join forces to give robotics a ‘physical AI’ makeover

    MUMBAI: When brains meet brawn, the robots of tomorrow are born. Tata consultancy services (TCS) and french research giant CEA have struck a partnership to fast-track the rise of physical AI, a field that blends artificial intelligence with robotics to create machines that can see, sense, and interact with the real world.

    Announced on 9 September in Paris and Mumbai, the alliance promises to take AI out of the cloud and into the factory floor, warehouses, and even social spaces. From versatile robots that adapt to new tasks, to human-friendly cobots for safer shop floors, and assistive bots that provide personal support, the collaboration is setting out to make robots less science fiction and more industrial reality.

    “By connecting cutting-edge research with business needs, we can invent the intelligent systems of tomorrow,” said CEA-list, director, Alexandre Bounouh pointing to how physical AI could transform production chains and boost European competitiveness.

    The deal will see TCS bring its global scale and deep sector expertise together with CEA’s research muscle, including breakthroughs ranging from brain-controlled exoskeletons to AI for self-driving cars. Together, they plan to offer proof-of-concepts, training, and real-world deployments, with support anchored in the TCS pace port Paris innovation hub.

    TCS France, managing director, Rammohan Gourneni called the partnership a “key step” in helping industries embrace physical AI. “It combines the power of AI with the intelligence of physical systems, supporting our clients’ industrial transformation,” he said.

    For TCS, which has been in France since 1992 and works with 18 cac40 companies, the partnership underscores its long-term commitment to the French tech ecosystem. For CEA, it marks another leap in its leadership role on Europe’s robotics roadmap.

  • Saif turns up the cool as brand face of Thermocool’s appliance portfolio

    Saif turns up the cool as brand face of Thermocool’s appliance portfolio

    MUMBAI: Bollywood’s Nawab of charm is now king of cool. Saif Ali Khan has been signed on as the brand ambassador for Thermocool Home Appliances, stepping into the spotlight to endorse the company’s cooler division, which includes desert air coolers, room coolers, and portable units.

    The tie-up, spanning two years, will see Saif front high-profile activations, interactive digital campaigns, and a string of consumer promotions designed to give the trusted homegrown brand a stylish new edge just in time for India’s scorching summers.

    Calling the association a “strategic milestone,” Thermocool MD Rajeev Kumar Gupta said Khan represents the perfect blend of “utility and style,” aligning with Thermocool’s push for high-performance yet aspirational products.

    Adding to that, Thermocool director of operations Tushar Gupta highlighted that Saif’s versatility and credibility would cement Thermocool’s place as a preferred choice in a crowded market. Meanwhile Thermocool director of sales & marketing Tanuj Gupta, called him “the embodiment of style meeting substance,” noting his multi-generational appeal.

    For decades, Thermocool has enjoyed a special place in Indian households, trusted for innovation and reliability. Now, with Saif lending his star power, the brand aims to refresh its connect with younger, design-conscious buyers while continuing to deliver quality cooling solutions to millions across the country.

    The rollout will span media platforms nationwide, promising consumers not just effective cooling tech but also a dash of stardom with every campaign. After all, when it comes to beating the heat, Thermocool is banking on Saif to keep things effortlessly chilled.

  • Huella makes its ad move, ropes in Prabhvir Sahmey as strategy advisor

    Huella makes its ad move, ropes in Prabhvir Sahmey as strategy advisor

    MUMBAI: When an adtech player wants to make a statement, it brings in a strategist who’s seen the script unfold for decades. Huella, one of India’s fastest-growing independent adtech companies, has appointed Prabhvir Sahmey as strategic advisor, a move designed to sharpen its market narrative and fuel its next growth chapter. Sahmey isn’t new to the spotlight. With 25 years of experience across digital, media, and adtech, he has played pivotal roles in shaping India’s advertising ecosystem. His most recent stint was as senior director, ad sales at Samsung Ads, where he drove innovation in connected TV and programmatic solutions.

    For Huella, which is rapidly scaling from being a challenger brand to a market mover, Sahmey’s addition is about more than just marquee credentials. Based out of Delhi/NCR, he will guide the company’s efforts to strengthen its product portfolio, refine internal structures, and amplify its external presence.

    “Huella has always been about building something larger than a company, it’s an ecosystem where creativity, technology, and credibility meet,” said Huella co-founder & CEO Prrincey Roy. “Bringing Prabhvir on board is a deliberate step to ensure we scale this vision with discipline and ambition.”

    For his part, Sahmey called the appointment “an exciting opportunity to work with a transformational leadership team that’s building a future-ready adtech ecosystem.” He added that Huella’s clarity of vision makes it a fertile ground for meaningful impact.

    As the adtech sector in India prepares for a period of consolidation and innovation, Huella’s latest move signals that it wants to play in the big leagues not just chasing growth, but writing the next chapter of the country’s digital advertising playbook.

  • South India drives growth, contributes one-third of GDP: Chengappa

    South India drives growth, contributes one-third of GDP: Chengappa

    MUMBAI: South India is the nation’s true economic powerhouse, declared India Today, group editorial director, Raj Chengappa, as he opened the India today conclave south 2025 in Coimbatore.

    In his welcome address, Chengappa noted that though the six southern states account for just 20 per cent of India’s population, they contribute nearly one-third of the country’s GDP. He called this unmatched productivity proof of the region’s economic dynamism, underscoring its pivotal role in shaping India’s growth story.

    Chengappa urged a change in perspective: South India should no longer be viewed as “down south” but as “up south,” reflecting its leadership across development, technology, governance, and culture.

    The two-day conclave, held on September 8–9 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, brings together leading politicians, policy thinkers, entrepreneurs, cultural icons, and innovators. Under the theme ‘Ideas from the south, for the nation’, sessions will explore transformative forces shaping the region, from disruptive technologies and governance models to emerging economic opportunities and cultural identities.

    Over the years, the south conclave has become a premier platform for dialogue, sparking debates on governance, entrepreneurship, and technology. Building on this legacy, the 2025 edition aims to showcase how ideas from the south are increasingly aligned with national aspirations and how the region’s contributions are steering India’s socio-economic future.