Category: People

Mumbai: Pooja Duggal has joined Zee Media Corporation Limited as Head Human Resources for ZMCL and its subsidiaries, based out of the Noida office.

Duggal has over 16 years of varied industry experience revolving around designing and execution of people strategies and solutions to help a business realise its overall objectives. Her last assignment was with HT Digital streams as head – HR for the digital business.

Prior to her tenure at HT Media, Duggal was the HR Head of Raychem RPG Pvt. Ltd. for almost five years. She has also worked at Jindal Steel in the past, where she held the position of Senior Manager, Global HR.

Duggal has an MBA in Human Resources and Finance from NMIMS, Mumbai and Bachelor of Information Systems (H) from GGS Indrasprastha, Delhi.

ZMCL CEO Abhay Ojha said “We are excited to have Pooja Duggal come on board with her expertise in the human resource domain. We look forward to collaboratively drive growth for the organization and take it to greater heights with each passing day.”

Speaking of joining Zee Media, Duggal said, “It is an incredible opportunity to make a lasting impact on the organization’s greatest asset—its people. I am thrilled to take on this role and work alongside a team of talented individuals to foster a culture of growth, collaboration, and employee development. Together, we aim to create a workforce that is empowered, engaged, and equipped to drive innovation and achieve exceptional results.”

Mumbai : GroupM along with MMA today has launched Modern Marketers Guide titled “Transform to Thrive”. With insights from industry leaders and practical advice for implementation, this compilation serves as a valuable resource for organizations striving to achieve transformational success.

Amidst these uncertain times, marketers also need to expand their focus on protecting their advertising spends from the rising threat of sophisticated fraud. A critical component in achieving this is ensuring safe inventory to engage the “right audience” with advertising campaigns. Brands must adopt a customer-centric advertising approach, prioritizing the protection and acknowledgement of their consumers’ interests.

The landscape of customization has extended beyond media, with innovative strategies such as QR scans on products to build “always on” engagement, exclusive product bundles for omnichannel, and leveraging the strength of online marketplaces for key occasions. Marketers are urged to embrace dynamic marketing strategies that cater to individual customer preferences and preferences for communication channels.

Furthermore, building flexible distribution networks that can quickly adapt to changing customer preferences is crucial. Organizations must pace up technological innovation to foster omnichannel growth and digitize supply chains, enabling real-time inventory management and delivery.

“A Marketer’s dashboard is spruced with business numbers, social numbers, service/outages, and innovation, all tied to delivering a superlative experience. This holistic approach ensures that marketing strategies are aligned with business goals, social engagement, service reliability, and innovation, all contributing to an exceptional customer experience. We embrace these trends and strive to provide innovative solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers”, said GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar.

MMA Global – India country head & board member Moneka Khurana said, “MMR’23 is a must-read for every marketer looking to thrive in the face of unprecedented change. It provides a roadmap for building a future-proof marketing organization, one that is agile, consumer-centric, and data-driven, and leverages relevant tools and technologies to power it. At the MMA, we believe that the future belongs to those who embrace 2023 as the year with change being front and centre and are willing to challenge the status quo. This report brings perspectives from 25+ experts from across the ecosystem offering the needed understanding. Grab the MMR – Modern Marketing Reckoner to start your Transform to Thrive journey.”

MMA India Board Chair & L’Oréal India chairman Amit Jain said, “The Modern Marketing Reckoner 2023 offers a rich perspective on future-proofing marketing and being agile in the current times. It also drives perspectives on the power of AI, data, tech, and new media to accelerate business growth. We at MMA strongly believe that digital maturity must be measured in the context of key growth drivers to measure success and progress year on year. As the Chairperson of MMA India and L’Oreal India, I am excited to see the influence and shift in mindset this report will have on the marketing community.”

Mumbai: Tilt Brand Solutions has elevated Adarsh Atal to the role of chief creative officer. Prior to this, he was executive creative director. The development is effective with immediate effect. 

A part of Quotient Ventures, Tilt Brand Solutions is a Mumbai-based Brand and Communications Consultancy. 

Quotient Ventures group CEO T Gangadhar said, “Atal has been a key contributor to our creative reputation and I am excited to see him embark on his new and elevated role. I am confident he will take our creative product to even greater heights – I wish him the very best on this quest”.  

Atal has been with Tilt Brand Solutions since 2019 and has played a pivotal role on some of the Tilt’s most popular work, notably on Dream11, Groww, Kenko, Licious, Livspace, Myntra, PhonePe, Shopsy and many others. 

He will continue to report to Quotient Ventures group chief creative officer Shriram Iyer. 

Commenting on this development, Iyer said, “Atal has consistently delivered engaging pieces of work on some of the biggest brands in the country. His commitment to problem solving and the diligence and rigour he backs it up with, make him a natural choice for leading the creative mandate at Tilt. His popularity amongst his peers and his willingness to roll up his sleeves make him the team player we need, to helm this responsibility.”

Speaking of his new role, Atal said, “The last four years at Tilt have been a massive learning experience for me. Not just on the creative front, but also on how imperative a great culture is to do great work. At Tilt, while we wear our work as a badge of honour, we also take a lot of pride in what goes on behind the scenes to create the work. I am looking forward to continue to do my bit towards getting this immensely talented bunch the growth, fame and joy that their great work deserves.”

Mumbai:– Raffles Udaipur is pleased to announce the appointment of Swati Sahoo as the new Head of Marketing. With over ten years of experience in the hospitality industry, Swati brings a wealth of expertise to her new role at Raffles Udaipur. She has previously worked with prestigious hotel chains such as Taj and Hilton Hotels, and her most recent position was serving as the director of marketing and communication at 1000 Island Hotels and Resorts. 

As head of Marketing, Swati will be overseeing the hotel’s marketing and communications efforts, aiming to elevate the hotel’s profile and establish a remarkable presence. Collaborating closely with the management team, she will play a vital role in formulating and executing strategies that enhance the hotel’s visibility. Swati will actively explore strategic partnerships and collaborations that align with Raffles Udaipur’s brand value. By forging alliances with like-minded organizations, she aims to create unique experiences for guests and enhance the hotel’s reputation among its competitors.

Throughout her years at the Taj and Hilton Hotels, Swati served as a spokesperson, fostering valuable connections with the media. She meticulously crafted and supervised strategic communication plans encompassing both print and digital media. With her proficiency in orchestrating integrated marketing campaigns within the city, she has demonstrated a knack for achieving impactful results. Additionally, Swati has adeptly prepared and overseen departmental budgets, ensuring effective financial management.

“We are excited to have Swati on board with us, at the first Raffles in India. Her dynamic personality coupled with her passion for marketing and hospitality will definitely prove to be an asset to us” said Raffles Udaipur general manager Rajesh Namby.

Mumbai: Elara Securities senior VP research analyst Karan Taurani said that the ongoing Zee-Sony merger can deliver a 55-60 per cent upside on valuation over the near to medium term.

He also added that an immediate 10-15 per cent rise could come on the basis of National Company Law Tribunal approval, with a further uplift expected due to synergies and business strategy execution.

Further he said that the second leg of the re-rating in terms of valuation multiple could come in post the merger, depending on what kind of strategy they announce.

Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, it is time to unwind with the latest Q&A edition of Indiantelevision.com’s Weekend Unwind—a series of informal chats that peek into the minds of business executives through a fun lens in an attempt to get to know the person behind the title a little better.

In this week’s session, we have Virtue Worldwide creative head Hayden Scott.

Scott boasts an impressive career spanning over 15 years in the advertising industry. With experience at renowned agencies such as Ogilvy, DDB, and Hakuhodo, as well as smaller and fiercely independent agencies like StrawberryFrog, Metal, and Famous, Hayden has established himself as a seasoned copywriter and creative leader.

Throughout his journey, Scott has accomplished remarkable feats, demonstrating his ability to revitalize well-established brands and champion important causes. He successfully reinvented Raymond, a 100-year-old Indian brand, and rewrote the taglines of iconic brands such as Nestle to support girl-child education. Hayden even invented a paintbrush specifically designed for disabled foot artists under DOMS Stationery. One of his notable endeavours involved using apples to defy a state-wide communication blackout with Radio Zindagi. More recently, he directed a music video for John Legend in collaboration with Johnnie Walker.

Scott’s exceptional work has been recognised with over 75 awards, including prestigious accolades from D&AD, One Show, Kyoorius, Cannes, Abbys, and Effies. His talent and dedication earned him a spot on the list of the top 40 people under the age of 40 in Marketing and Advertising in 2020, and he was also honoured with the Copywriter of the Year award.

Currently, Scott leads the creative team at Virtue India and the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on leveraging cultural insights to build brands in an era dominated by short attention spans. Outside of his professional endeavours, Hayden is passionate about mentoring aspiring talents. He frequently offers guidance at Miami Ad School and the National Institute of Design (NID). During his leisure time, Hayden enjoys sketching urban architecture and producing music as part of his bands Citizen Koi and Stella by Starlight.

So, without further ado, here it goes…

• Your mantra for life
Love many, trust few and always paddle your own canoe. 

• A book you are currently reading or plan to read
I am currently reading Stanley Tucci’s “Taste” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Cinema Speculation”.

• Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
Move more. 

• Your comfort food
I love food so it’s difficult to pinpoint one particular thing. But if I absolutely had to say it would be any Asian noodle dish (ramen, khoi soi, pho etc.). 

• A quote or philosophy that keeps you going when the chips are down
When the going gets tough, the tough reinvent.

• Your guilty pleasure
Spending far too much money on expensive meals and indulgent desserts. 

• The last time you tried something new
I try something new every week – from music to food to taking a different route back home. It keeps my mind sharp. 

• A life lesson you learned the hard way
All of us are better than one of us.

 • What gets you excited about life?
The prospect of travel to new destinations.

• What’s on top of your bucket list? 
To own a home in the countryside and be able to move there for good eventually.

• If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Don’t undervalue yourself.

• One thing you would most like to change about the world
Cancel culture. I feel it cheats people of the right to a second chance.

 • An activity that keeps you motivated and charged during tough times
Swimming and walking

• What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
Listening to music on vinyl.

• Your go-to stress buster
Songwriting, sudoku and sketching.

Mumbai: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI, www.iamai.in) announced today that based on the governing council election, Dream Sports co-founder, and CEO Harsh Jain has been elected the chairman of the association.  He replaces Google India vice president and country manager, Sanjay Gupta. MakeMyTrip co-founder & group CEO Rajesh Magow and Times Internet vice chairman Satyan Ganjwani have been elected the vice chairman and the Treasurer of the association replacing Shivnath Thukral and Harshil Mathur respectively. They would together form the association’s executive council along with the ex-officio member IAMAI president Dr Subho Ray. 

The new 24-member governing council and the new executive council of the IAMAI will take charge of the present councils at the upcoming annual general meeting. The IAMAI governing council election is held every two years.  Eighty-three members of the IAMAI contested the elections this year following the end of the two-year tenure of the previous council. 

Mumbai: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has dismissed the insolvency petition filed by IDBI against Zee Entertainment.

In December 2022, IDBI Bank had filed an insolvency plea against the media conglomerate for initiating a corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP).

The bank cited the debt service reserve agreement that it entered into with the company for the financial facility availed by Essel Group’s Siti Networks. IDBI Bank, Axis Finance, IndusInd Bank and many other creditors had approached the NCLT door against the Zee-Sony merger.

In April, Zee entered into talks with its creditors, including IDBI Bank, to repay its dues in tranches to expedite the broadcaster’s merger with Sony.