Category: People

Mumbai: Neil Patel Digital India (NPDI), a leading digital marketing agency, appoints Ajaz Mirza as its vice president – operations. In his new role, Mirza will be responsible for overall company operations. This strategic addition reflects Neil Patel Digital India’s commitment to enhancing its impact in Mumbai, and concurrently, the organisation aims to onboard over 350 new team members by the culmination of 2023.

Additionally, as part of its ongoing growth strategy, the company has significantly broadened its geographical footprint to encompass Mumbai. This expansion has entailed the recruitment of a substantial field force, encompassing several key leadership roles within the city. With a diverse clientele spanning various industries, Neil Patel Digital India presently serves an extensive roster of 100+ clients. Since its inception, NPDI has consistently demonstrated an impressive compound annual growth rate of approximately 40 per cent.

Boasting over a decade and three years of profound involvement in the digital marketing sector, Ajaz arrives armed with a wealth of experience in overseeing all-encompassing organizational functions. His adeptness stands poised to play a pivotal role in driving forward NPDI’s strategic initiative aimed at providing clients with cutting-edge and inventive solution offerings.

Speaking on the new appointments, Neil Patel Digital India, CEO Pradeep Kumar a.k.a Prady said, “I am truly pleased to welcome Ajaz to our team. His track record of remarkable achievements in his prior endeavors is a testament to his capabilities. Leveraging his extensive and well-established background in digital marketing, coupled with our foray into a new market, we are confident that his input will be instrumental in ensuring exceptional service delivery to our valued clients.”

“I am excited to become a part of the versatile team at Neil Patel Digital India, and I eagerly anticipate contributing to the realization of the company’s growth and profitability objectives. With exemplary leadership to inspire us, I aspire to propel NPDI into the next exciting chapter of growth,” said Mirza.

Previously, Mirza held pivotal positions at Merkle Sokrati (Dentsu) and SEOValley Solutions. In his most recent role, he successfully amplified Merkle’s organic media capability’s revenue twofold and augmented the team size by 50 per cent. His exceptional contributions have garnered recognition within esteemed industry circles, and one of his campaigns clinched the award for “Best Marketing through a Healthcare Website/Blog”.

Mumbai: Kunal Sawant has been appointed as the head of sales for martech in India at Punt Partners. He comes from SAS Institute Inc, a US-based data management and customer analytics firm, where he led sales for the BFSI vertical.

Previously, Kunal managed the BFSI and retail verticals at Resulticks, an India-based customer data platform company. He has also held positions at Tata Teleservices and Zenith Infotech.

Punt Partners is a startup led by Madhu Sudhan and Priyanka Agarwal dedicated to enhancing brand digital experiences through mar-tech solutions.

Mumbai: ace turtle, new India’s leading technology-native retail company has appointed Shivcharan P as the chief business officer – fashion. In his new role, Shivcharan will lead the strategy and business operations for the prestigious Lee, Wrangler, and to-be-launched Dockers brands in India. His vision and leadership will drive the growth of ace turtle’s fashion portfolio, scaling the business further, driving innovation and enhancing the shopping experience for consumers across the country.

Shivcharan brings with him a rich and diverse experience of 17 years across various leadership roles in FMCG, online food delivery and consumer internet industries. Throughout his illustrious career, he has demonstrated his expertise in leading and strategizing business operations in prominent companies.  

Commenting on the appointment of Shivcharan, ace turtle CEO Nitin Chhabra said, “We are thrilled to welcome Shivcharan to our leadership team. His business acumen and strong understanding of technology-driven businesses align perfectly with our goal to lead the retail industry’s evolution with technology. I am confident that under his guidance, our fashion portfolio will continue to thrive and exceed expectations.”

Prior to joining ace turtle, Shivcharan led strategy and business at Tata Digital. He was able to help Tata Digital set up their loyalty proposition and strategy along with prototyping a group wide loyalty program. He worked at Swiggy before that where he spearheaded various roles across business operations and headed the food marketplace business. He started his career at P&G India after MBA from IIM Calcutta. During his 12.5 years at P&G India, he worked across multiple categories and geographies, specialising in Babycare, Femcare, Haircare and Fabric Care.  

Embarking on his new role, Shivcharan said, “I am very excited to join ace turtle. I am inspired by the company’s goal to transform omnichannel retail on the back of integrated technology that connects the consumer understanding and signals all the way back into the supply chain. I look forward to partner with the talented teams at ace turtle and help deliver this vision.”

ace turtle is actively redefining the retail landscape through its Retail Nxt approach. In 2021, ace turtle acquired long-term licenses for iconic denim brands Lee and Wrangler in India and select South Asian markets. Leveraging its proprietary tech platforms and vertical commerce business model, ace turtle has grown the sales of Lee and Wrangler by over 100 per cent in FY2023 over FY2022. ace turtle has announced bringing Dockers to India and will launch the brand by the end of 2023. 

Mumbai:  VIP Industries Limited, Asia’s largest and the world’s second-largest luggage maker has elevated its chief financial officer, Neetu Kashiramka as the managing director designate, effective 15 August.

While Kashiramka will continue to perform the role of chief financial officer with the company, she will additionally take the responsibility of a managing director designate till 13 November.  Further, Kashiramka shall take over as the managing director and chief financial officer of the company with effect from 14 November, subject to shareholder’s approval.

 Kashiramka joined VIP Industries on 7 April 2020 as chief financial officer of the company and has been appointed as executive director and chief financial officer of the company w.e.f  8 May 2023. Kashiramka is a qualified chartered accountant having over 26 years of post-qualification experience. She brings more than two decades of experience in the corporate finance function across several organizations. Before joining the company, she was working as chief financial officer with Greaves Cotton Limited, a listed Company in the engineering sector.

Kashiramka started her career with Kewal Kiran & Company and thereafter moved to Jyothy Laboratories Limited. She had a long stint spanning over 17 years with Jyothy where she played a pivotal role and saw the company grow from Rs 20 Crores to Rs 1,800 Crores. During her career, she has handled ERP implementation, private equity, IPO, QIP, and fundraising through multiple instruments, mergers & acquisitions (M&A) long with core financial control, budgeting, and business partnering. She has also handled Investor relations for the last 16 years. Kashiramka was awarded CA Young Corporate Leader Award in 2008 by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India for her leadership to spearhead IPO at the age of 32. She is also a guest speaker/panelist in some of the professional forums to talk about new age finance function, the role of a chief financial officer in the current environment, Women empowerment, and so on.

Mumbai: Birla Brainiacs, a leading player in the education technology sector, has appointed Muddassar Nazar as their new chief executive officer. Nazar has a proven track record of strategic leadership and deep experience in the education technology and Health tech industry, he will spearhead the company’s continued expansion and commitment to delivering cutting-edge learning solutions.

Prior to becoming a part of Birla Brainiacs, he served as the chief operating officer at Clindecision, where he supervised crucial operations while the startup adeptly managed its way through the challenges posed by the pandemic. His professional journey also encompasses significant roles at organizations like Vedantu, Healthians, and a prior tenure at HSBC. With a fervent commitment to enlargement and advancement, he has been at the forefront of steering expansion strategies and empowering team members to realize their fullest capabilities.

Birla Brainiacs founder Nirvaan Birla says, “We are currently in a very exciting growth phase, one of our primary goals is to expand our presence in India and international. Onboarding leadership team players like Muddassar, who will play a significant role in strengthening Birla Brainiacs. He will work on expanding the business with new categories, verticals and geographies. We are sure he will deliver strategic industry insights and help the team to create impactful campaigns. In the coming few years, our vision is to advance the organization’s collective growth.” 

Nazar expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Characterizing this period in the education domain as captivating, I’m truly appreciative of the chance given to me by the senior leadership at Birla Brainiacs. I’m thrilled about the potential to make a meaningful contribution to an organization that’s swiftly becoming a frontrunner in its field. Our vision involves geographical expansion and diversifying our offerings, including the introduction of fresh categories, all while retaining our current leadership. My aim is to foster growth and play a pivotal role in establishing Birla Brianiacs as a significant player in the education sphere, ensuring students access the finest educational opportunities at an affordable expense.”

Birla Brainiacs has consistently demonstrated its commitment to shaping the future of education through its innovative platforms and partnerships. With the new CEO at the helm, the company is poised to accelerate its growth and make an even greater impact in the education technology landscape.

Mumbai: Pidilite Industries Ltd, a leading manufacturer of construction & specialty chemicals and art & craft products is pleased to announce the appointment of Manish Dubey as its chief marketing officer (CMO). 

Pidilite Industries managing director Bharat Puri said, “We are delighted to welcome Manish Dubey to the Pidilite family. His deep expertise in branding, digital marketing, and leadership will undoubtedly strengthen our marketing strategies and contribute to our continued success.”

In his prior role at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Manish held the position of chief of marketing & e-commerce. An alumnus of IIM Bangalore, Manish has also held senior marketing positions across other well-known companies like General Mills and Asian Paints.

Sharing his thoughts on this significant move, Pidilite Industries chief marketing officer Manish Dubey stated, “Pidilite’s focus on building iconic brands and solid customer connect keeps them at the industry forefront. I’m excited to join the company and use my experience to further drive impactful marketing and digital strategies.”

Mumbai: Shwetank Pandey, a 23-year-old from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, has been chosen as iQOO’s first ever chief gaming officer after a three-month long nationwide hunt. Shwetank was the last man standing amongst over 60,000 applicants, who applied to become one of India’s youngest chief gaming officers with iQOO, the high performance smartphone brand. Shwetank was appointed after an exhilarating selection process that spanned across criterions of gameplay, gaming knowledge, and personality & communication skills.

Shwetank is a police officer’s son from small town Kanpur. An avid gamer, Shwetank was always inclined toward gaming and esports. In a fascinating turn of events earlier in his career, he committed himself to a year-long job solely to save up for a new phone, for playing his favorite game, BGMI. Once he cleared all his EMIs, he fearlessly left the job, even when a promotion with thrice his current salary was offered to him. Not stopping there, he even walked away from his MBA studies, prioritising his passion above all else to choose gaming as a career.

Expressing his joy over becoming iQOO’s first ever chief gaming officer, Shwetank said, “I feel on top of the world right now. When I initially filled out the form, I was reluctant and hoped to be among the finalists. Little did I know that it would lead me this far and eventually result in becoming iQOO’s first ever CGO. The finalists I met in Mumbai were all good gamers and great individuals. I am grateful to be chosen amongst them and thankful to iQOO and the jury for providing aspiring gamers like me with such a big platform.”

Welcoming iQOO’s chief gaming officer, iQOO CEO Nipun Marya said, “This is an iconic moment in the Indian Smartphone industry and we are over the moon to have found the person who embodies our vision for this role. The DNA of iQOO is to bring in ‘I Quest On and On’ and Shwetank was never short of his peak performance across all rounds of the hunt. With him joining us, we intend to drive a more dynamic and fresher perspective to our products and initiatives for the younger gaming enthusiasts in the country. All of us at iQOO are excited to have him on board, and we are confident that he will excel in fulfilling the duties aligned for him.”

From competing in the gaming rounds, qualifying through the group discussions and finally clearing the audition round with Rannvijay Singha, Mythpat and Nipun as jury, Shwetank has overcome 60,000 talented Gen Z gamers entries across over 500 Indian cities to emerge triumphant. He will now be working closely with the leadership team at iQOO and will be assisting in sharing gaming insights to build a complete smartphone package for gamers. Not only that, he will also get an opportunity to collaborate with top gamers across India, all this while earning a remuneration of Rs 10 Lakhs.

In addition to the chief gaming officer role, iQOO has also appointed two zonal CGOs to the dynamic team. Aojesh Shrivastava from Delhi and Battu Nikhil Reddy (Shoutout YT), Hyderabad. They will be working directly with Shwetank, CGO, iQOO to align strategies, enhance community engagement, and ensure that the gaming experience for iQOO users continues to be exceptional. They will earn a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh each for their pivotal roles.

Aojesh Shrivastava, who hails from Delhi, has a deep understanding of the gaming landscape in the region. His experience and passion for gaming make him an ideal choice to foster connections and create enriching experiences for gamers within the capital city and its surroundings. Battu Nikhil Reddy, widely recognised as Shoutout YT in the gaming community, brings his extensive knowledge and influence to the role of zonal CGO for Hyderabad. With a strong online presence and an engaged audience, Nikhil will be instrumental in amplifying iQOO’s engagement and initiatives within the gaming community of Hyderabad.

The main objective behind the CGO role is to assure that iQOO is providing seamless and top-notch experiences to its valued consumers across all aspects. With a strong focus on user satisfaction, iQOO continues to look for innovative ways to enhance customer experiences. In the future, the brand is committed to introducing similar initiatives to engage with its users and to better understand their needs.

Mumbai: The Coca-Cola Company has appointed Alexander Valladares as StudioX lead. Making the announcement on LinkedIn, he said, “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as StudioX Lead at The Coca-Cola Company!”

Valladares was previously the chief marketing officer at Impresario Handmade Restaurants for over two years. In this capacity, he supervised various brand functions including PR, communications, content marketing, consumer marketing and engagement, and on-ground activations.

His previous role involved serving as the national marketing lead for Times of India’s metro supplements. In this capacity, he focused on creating content-based intellectual properties (IPs) and overseeing brand strategy for TOI’s Metro Supplements and Times Life.

Additionally, Valladares has past experience working with Viacom18 Media and FCB Ulka.

Mumbai: For the new channels project, Bharat Express has appointed renowned media professional Saurabh Sinha as an advisor and mentor. Sinha will act as a consultant & mentor for Bharat Express Media Group.

The duties assigned to Sinha are to create content and production strategies from concept to on-screen, bridging content, design, and technology together. He will be guiding and mentoring the team at Bharat Express in all aspects of operations, with particular emphasis on the development and launch of new channels.

Sinha, who has spent the past 25 years working with many top media houses around the world, has developed many properties across TV and digital platforms. He played a key role in the launch of Aaj Tak, Zee News, Star News, CNBC Awaaz, and Star Sports 1, 2, 3. He was also involved in launching the Pro Kabaddi League, the Indian Hockey League, the Indian Soccer League, and many other prestigious projects spreading across TV and the digital world.

Speaking on the appointment, Bharat Express CMD Upendrra Rai said, “Sinha is a media veteran who has helped create successful brands in the media and entertainment space. We are delighted to have you as our guide in this endeavour and help us become one of the top media brands in the country.”

Mumbai: Anand Murty and Pallavi Chakravarti, who held the positions of national strategy head and creative head west, respectively, at DDB Mudra, have moved on from the agency. When contacted, DDB Mudra confirmed the news and mentioned that both are currently serving their notice periods. Their next move is unknown.

Both Murty and Chakravarti joined DDB Mudra in 2021 from Taproot Dentsu.

Murty stepped in at DDB Mudra as head of strategy and was elevated to national head of strategy earlier this year. While at Taproot Dentsu, he held the designation of executive vice president and head of strategy for more than four and a half years.

He has also held the positions of vice president of planning and vice president and head of planning at the Dentsu network. In his previous roles, he has worked with Ogilvy and Reckitt Benckiser.

At Taproot Dentsu, Chakravarti was the executive creative director. She joined Taproot Dentsu in 2012. She has also worked with agencies like Grey Group, Wunderman Thompson, and Saatchi & Saatchi in her career.

For the record, the DDB Mudra Group is a marketing and creative services group in India and part of the DDB Worldwide Group. It offers capabilities from brand strategy, campaign design, experience design, digital strategy, content solutions, media planning and buying, analytics, and reporting to shopper marketing through agency brands such as DDB Mudra, 22feet Tribal Worldwide, Mudramax, Interbrand, Track and TracyLocke.