Digital Agencies

Mirum CEOs Hareesh Tibrewala & Sanjay Mehta on digital solutions and modern CMOs

Published

7 years ago

July 31, 2019

MUMBAI: Mirum, the borderless agency from the WPP network is on a venture to transform the digital marketing scenario of India into an experience-led domain led by great technological interventions. Earlier known as Social Wavelength, before WPP acquired it in 2014, the agency, under the astute leadership of founders and joint CEOs Hareesh Tibrewala and Sanjay Mehta is going leaps and bounds to make the Indian marketing campaigns stand at par with the global models.

Tibrewala and Mehta, who make 40 per cent of the revenue from global clients, tell Indiantelevision.com that global clients are just a year ahead of us in terms of their requirements from the digital marketing agencies.

Hareesh Tibrewala elaborates, “The focus on digital in India is still as a marketing medium whereas our global clients are using it to build more customer experiences. They have moved from ‘digital marketing’ to see ‘digital as a solution provider’. What it means is that you are looking at the consumer through the lens of every brand touchpoint and seek where you can add value. Complete customer experience is the focus.”

Sanjay Mehta adds, “The difference this makes for us as an agency is that we are now looking at building full-fledged business solutions for the companies and not just one another creative campaign. We have a far more critical role to play. For example, the Mirum team in the US has created a product, which can retrofit in older cars to give them features like modern smart cars, for a telecom company.”

He continues, “When you are playing such a big role as an integral part of the client’s business, you get more respect. You work directly with the CEOs and not just the brand managers and that also changes the way we (as agency partners) feel about our own work. It is good to feel that we are contributing to a larger solution.”

Tibrewala and Mehta added that both the type of work and revenues from the western markets are better than what Indian clientele offers.

Tibrewala says, “The difference is because of a few reasons. One is that we get better margins from markets abroad than in India, as they pay in dollars. Also, there the project terms are longer. For example, if we are working on a technology project, it might go on for a year or maybe two. It again boils down to the fundamental difference of digital marketing and digital solution provider approach that the clients have towards the agencies. The engagement levels are better there.”

Mehta also shares similar views as he notes, “It is the whole rupee-dollar denomination difference that creates gaps in the revenue. Also, it depends on how much time you are taking in creating a digital asset. In the west, they are looking for that digital asset to move for several years. There the number of clients willing to invest in such digital properties are more and they invest more.”

However, Mehta notes that Indian clients will take just a little time to bridge this gap in creativity. “The Indian client is evolving. Earlier the gap was bigger, but Indians are just a year behind their western counterparts. With technology, the world has shrunk and now the Indian clients have more exposure to where the world is going. There are quick learning and faster adoption. The kind of input that digital is giving into their business is definitely becoming more critical. So, the kind of work now Indian clients are expecting is improving significantly. In the past 2-3 years, it has grown much faster than you would expect.”

Tibrewala adds, “The revenue gap, I feel, will bridge quickly. One of the reasons being global brands’ big investment in India. Plus there are certain sectors, for example, financial services, which are going completely digital-driven. Also, the Indian CMO is very literate now. They come with a lot of talent and understanding of the digital domain. Lots of companies, in fact, have created the chief digital officer profiles within the system.”

Concurrently, Mehta feels while the CMOs of today are younger and are more willing to invest in technologies and work with agencies in creating path-breaking all-round solution-providing campaigns than just creative campaigns, it is quite complicated for them to get the budget approval from the management.

He says, “If you may see five years back, there was little hesitation that Indian companies showed while adopting digital technologies. The reason was that people running marketing in these organisations saw digital as something that they did not know and they were apprehensive of taking the steps in this direction. Now, the CMOs are much younger and they know digital. With the workforce and clients becoming younger, the acceptance of digital technologies is much easier.”

Mehta further adds, “Having said that, we also have to look at the role of CMO from just being the head of marketing to someone who also has to report to the management board. There is still a little baggage that they feel while working with these boards in terms of how you get the budgets across.”

Citing the example of JW Marriott Hotels, which has worked tremendously well in utilising technology to create better customer experiences, Mehta says that an Indian CMO might also have the aspiration to do something on a similar scale but it comes at a higher price. “The aspiration is there, the interest is there but the budgets don’t flow at that pace. Large budgets are not easy to get sanctioned.”

He clears that getting marketing budgets into digital is no longer a problem as it was a few years back, but companies are still hesitant in using transformational level budgets. Some of the reasons, he mentions, behind this lag is the legacy thought process of the management boards and lack of good Indian examples.

“It is not as if we need thousands of crores for that. It is just a technology investment. So money is not the issue but belief and conviction are. If a CMO who was working with Rs 10-20 crore worth of budget asks for hundreds of crore suddenly, obviously, doubts will creep in,” Mehta points out.

Mehta says that change is surely happening since some early-adopter brands are creating path-breaking stuff. “It just requires two or three really good examples to happen in the industry and the rest will surely follow as they just can’t not do this. It is a matter of survival.”

Apart from this, the agency is now also trying to expand in the specialised verticals space, starting with the healthcare sector which has been somewhat laggard in adopting digital technology. But they can’t afford to not be present on digital now.

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Digital Agencies

GUEST COLUMN: Deepankar Das on the feedback problem slowing creative teams

Published

1 month ago

February 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

BENGALURU: For years, creative teams have learned to live with ambiguity. Vague comments, last-minute changes, feedback that arrives without context, clarity, or conviction. It became part of the job – something teams worked around rather than getting it solved.

But as we head into 2026, that tolerance is wearing thin.

Creative work today moves faster, scales wider, and involves more stakeholders than before. Teams are producing more content across more formats, often with distributed collaborators and tighter timelines. In this environment, guesswork is no longer a harmless inconvenience. It’s a cost – to time, to budgets, and to creative mindspace.

The real problem isn’t feedback, it’s how it’s given

Most creative professionals you see today will tell you they’re not against feedback. In fact, they rely on it. Good feedback sharpens ideas, strengthens execution, and pushes work forward. The problem is ‘unclear’ feedback. When someone says “this doesn’t feel right” without context, they aren’t just revising – they’re basically decoding. They’re guessing what the problem might be, trying different directions, and burning time in the process. Multiply that by a few stakeholders and a few rounds, and suddenly days disappear.

In 2026, when teams are expected to deliver faster without compromising quality, interpretation is a luxury most can’t afford.

Scale has changed rverything

Creative projects used to be smaller and simpler. A designer, a manager, maybe one client contact. Feedback loops were short, even if they weren’t perfect.

Today, the same project might involve internal marketing teams, agencies, freelancers, brand reviewers, and regional teams. Everyone has a say. Everyone leaves comments. And often, those comments don’t agree. More people reviewing work means alignment matters more than ever. Clear feedback isn’t just about being nice to creative teams, it’s about keeping projects moving when complexity increases.

Guesswork quietly wears teams down

One of the less talked-about impacts of unclear feedback is what it does to people.

When feedback is vague or contradictory, creatives second-guess their decisions. They hesitate. They overwork. They keep extra time buffers “just in case.” Over time, confidence drops. Ownership fades. Work becomes safer, not stronger. Creative energy gets spent on managing uncertainty instead of pushing ideas forward. And in an industry already grappling with burnout, unclear feedback adds unnecessary mental load.

Actionable feedback is a shared skill

Clear feedback doesn’t mean controlling creative decisions or dictating every detail. It means being specific enough that someone knows what to do next.

Actionable feedback answers three basic questions:

What exactly needs attention?
Why does it matter?
What outcome are we aiming for?
This applies whether you’re reviewing a video frame, a design layout, or a copy draft. The clearer the feedback, the fewer follow-ups it creates. In 2026, teams that treat feedback as a skill and not an afterthought, will move faster with less friction.

Tools shape behaviour (whether we admit it or not)

The way feedback is delivered is often dictated by the tools teams use. Comments buried in long email threads, messages split across chat apps, or notes detached from the actual work all contribute to confusion.

When feedback lives outside the work, context often gets lost. When it’s disconnected from versions and timelines, decisions get questioned. When it’s scattered, accountability disappears. More teams are starting to realise that feedback problems aren’t just communication issues, they’re workflow issues. How work moves between people matters just as much as the work itself.

From Opinions To Alignment
One of the biggest shifts happening in creative teams is a move away from purely opinion-driven feedback. Instead of “I like this” or “I don’t,” teams are asking better questions:

● Does this meet the brief?

● Does this solve the problem?

● Does this align with the goal?

This change reduces unnecessary back-and-forth and helps feedback feel less personal and more productive. It also makes decisions easier to explain and defend. As creative work becomes more strategic, feedback has to support that shift.

2026 Is About Fewer Loops, Not Faster Loops

There’s a misconception that speed means moving through feedback cycles faster. In reality, the most creative teams aren’t just accelerating loops, they’re reducing them. Clear, actionable feedback upfront leads to fewer revisions later. Clear approval stages prevent last-minute surprises. Clear decisions stop work from circling endlessly.

In 2026, efficiency won’t come from working harder or longer. It will come from designing workflows that respect creative time and attention.

Ending guesswork is a mindset change

Ultimately, ending creative guesswork isn’t just about better tools or processes. It’s about mindset. It’s about recognising that clarity is an act of respect – for the work, for the people doing it, for the time invested and for the mindspace used. It’s about moving from “figure it out” to “here’s what we’re aiming for.”

Creative teams that embrace this shift will find themselves not only delivering faster, but also enjoying the process more. And in an industry built on imagination, that might be the most valuable outcome of all.

Digital Agencies

Kunal Wanvari steps up as senior brand and digital marketing manager at Franklin Templeton India

Published

2 months ago

January 19, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Franklin Templeton India has elevated Kunal Wanvari to senior brand and digital marketing manager, signalling a continued push towards data-driven brand building and digital-first engagement in a crowded asset management market.

Wanvari has spent nearly eight years with Franklin Templeton India, steadily rising through the marketing ranks. Prior to this role, he served as marketing manager and assistant marketing manager, working across brand strategy, content, digital media and campaign execution from the firm’s Mumbai office.

Before joining Franklin Templeton, Wanvari built his digital credentials at WATConsult, where he handled brand strategy and account leadership roles, and earlier at Kush Infosystems, focusing on SEO and performance marketing. His career began in sales and marketing roles, giving him a ground-up understanding of commercial storytelling.

A computer engineer by training with deep digital marketing expertise, Wanvari’s elevation reflects Franklin Templeton’s bet on hybrid marketers—equal parts brand, data and digital—as competition for investor attention intensifies.

Digital Agencies

PSB Xchange appoints Ankush Aggarwal as CXO, Sahil Sikka as CBO and CFO

Published

2 months ago

January 2, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: PSB Xchange, India’s digital marketplace for financial solutions and a flagship platform of Veefin Solutions Limited, has reinforced its leadership team with two senior appointments as it prepares for its next phase of growth.

Ankush Aggarwal has been named chief experience officer, bringing with him more than 20 years of experience across corporate banking and the SME ecosystem. In his new role, he will focus on shaping simple, seamless and results-oriented experiences for banks, corporates and ecosystem partners. Aggarwal has previously held leadership roles at Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd Bank and SG Finserve, where he led initiatives across customer onboarding, credit processes, servicing operations and digital transformation.

Widely recognised for connecting technology, operations and business strategy, Aggarwal has consistently built scalable and compliant experience models. At PSB Xchange, his focus will be on strengthening platform thinking, governance and continuous improvement to enhance efficiency and customer outcomes.

Alongside him, Sahil Sikka joins PSB Xchange as chief business officer and chief financial officer. With over 15 years of experience in banking and financial services, Sikka has played a key role in building and scaling businesses. He was part of the founding leadership team at SG Finserve, where he helped create a listed NBFC, overseeing business strategy, capital planning, product development and governance. His work earned him the best CFO financial services award at the India CFO Awards 2024.

Earlier in his career, Sikka worked with HDFC Bank, Aditya Birla Finance and Kotak Mahindra Bank, driving growth across corporate banking and structured finance. In his dual role at PSB Xchange, he will focus on strengthening growth strategy, scaling operations sustainably and delivering long-term value through strong governance and collaboration.

Commenting on the appointments, PSB Xchange and Veefin Solutions Limited CEO Sorabh Dhawan, said the additions reflect the platform’s ambitions as it expands its engagement with banks and financial institutions. He added that Aggarwal’s experience-led approach and Sikka’s strategic and financial expertise will be central to driving sustainable growth and value creation in the years ahead.