ITV

Tag: APAC

  • Natasha Dave rises at Netflix, taking APAC talent reins

    Natasha Dave rises at Netflix, taking APAC talent reins

    MUMBAI: In a move that highlights Netflix’s commitment to empowering its talent across the Asia-Pacific region, Natasha Dave has been named the talent management lead for APAC. Dave, a seasoned HR leader with over 18 years of experience in talent management, strategic HR partnership, and organisational development, transitions to her new role after two and a half years with Netflix, where she previously served as HR business partner for India.

    Describing her journey at Netflix as a transformative experience, Dave credits the streaming giant’s culture and values for shaping her professional growth. Before Netflix, she led talent initiatives at GroupM India and Mindshare, managing chaos with a method to the madness and driving people-centric strategies. Her extensive career also includes leadership roles at Housing.com, Altisource, Intelenet Global Services, HSBC Securities, and Computer Sciences Corp.

    As she steps into her new role, Dave is set to steer Netflix’s APAC talent management strategy, ensuring that the region’s talent thrives in a dynamic, high-performance culture

  • Snap Inc names Ajit Mohan chief business officer; reports strong Q4 growth

    Snap Inc names Ajit Mohan chief business officer; reports strong Q4 growth

    MUMBAI:  Snap Inc has promoted Ajit Mohan to chief business officer, according to its Q4 2024 investor letter released on 4 February 2025. Mohan, who joined the company over two years ago as president of APAC, successfully expanded Snap’s business and presence across the region.

    In his new role, Mohan will oversee the company’s global advertising operations, lead its revenue product teams, and drive alignment with partners to accelerate growth. He will be based in New York.

    The investor letter highlighted Snap Inc’s continued focus on expanding its community, diversifying revenue, and advancing augmented reality (AR) technology.

    Key financial highlights include:
    * Daily active users (DAUs): 453 million, up 39 million year-on-year.
    * Q4 revenue: $1.56 billion, a 14 per cent  year-on-year increase, driven by direct-response (DR) advertising and Snapchat+ subscriptions.
    * Profitability: $276 million adjusted EBITDA and $182 million in free cash flow.
    * Net income: $9 million.

    For 2024, Snap Inc reported $5.36 billion in revenue, marking a 16 per cent  annual increase. Direct response advertising revenue also rose by 16 per cent . Snapchat+ subscriber numbers doubled from 7 million to 14 million, contributing to a 131 per cent rise in subscription revenue, which now exceeds an annualised run rate of $500 million.

    Snap achieved $509 million in adjusted EBITDA for the year, its fifth consecutive year of positive results, along with $219 million in free cash flow.

    Mohan’s appointment signals Snap’s intent to strengthen its global advertising strategy and build on its ongoing financial momentum.

  • Bharath Kumar takes over as APAC president of AV solutions company Kramer

    Bharath Kumar takes over as APAC president of AV solutions company Kramer

    MUMBAI: Audiovisual experiences company Kramer has announced a significant leadership transition in its Asia-Pacific (APAC) region. Effective 15 January  2025, Bharath Kumar has taken  over as president, Kramer APAC, succeeding Marc A. Remond, who has stepped down from his position.

    Headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a global presence, Kramer’s audiovisual experts are pioneering the future of engagement technology. From AVSM solutions to cloud-based communication and collaboration technologies, Kramer aims to create more engaging, inclusive, and connected environments.

    Bharath Kumar, a veteran with 19 years at the company, is well-equipped for this pivotal role, having played a key part in the company’s growth and market presence. His contributions include establishing Kramer India, managing global accounts, and serving as the APAC vice-president sales.

    Kumar is recognised as a respected leader in the audiovisual industry, with deep knowledge of the company’s business and strong regional relationships that promise continuity and a solid foundation for future expansion.

    Marc A. Remond has made notable contributions during his tenure, including the establishment of Kramer’s new regional headquarters in the APAC region and the cultivation of strong market partnerships. The company  extended its heartfelt gratitude to Marc for his leadership and wished him success in his future endeavours.

    Kramer CEO Gilad Yron expressed confidence in the leadership transition: “As we look ahead, I am confident that Bharath’s extensive experience, industry leadership, and strategic vision will further elevate Kramer’s presence and impact in this critical region. At the same time, we are grateful to Marc for his leadership and the strong foundation he has built for Kramer’s success in APAC.”

  • Truecaller appoints Hemant Arora as vice-president of global ad sales

    Truecaller appoints Hemant Arora as vice-president of global ad sales

    MUMBAI:  Global communications platform  Truecaller  has announced the appointment of Hemant Arora as the new vice-president of global ad sales business. This strategic move aims to bolster Truecaller’s advertising division, which represents the company’s largest revenue stream, while refining its global ad sales strategy.

    With over 25 years of industry experience, Arora has a proven track record of driving revenue growth and managing global operations for some of the world’s most recognized media and technology companies. His previous roles include serving as head of global accounts for Europe, APAC, and the METAP regions at TikTok, where he demonstrated his ability to foster relationships with key stakeholders and manage complexities in fast-paced environments.

    “Truecaller is uniquely positioned at the intersection of technology, trust, and communications,” Arora stated upon his appointment. “I am excited to join a talented team and look forward to driving impactful growth while deepening our partnerships globally.” 

    His extensive experience includes establishing revenue growth business units, which will be crucial as Truecaller seeks to expand its advertising portfolio and integrate innovative solutions.

    Truecaller  CEO  Rishit Jhunjhunwala, emphasised the importance of Arora’s appointment, noting his extensive background in building scalable revenue models and navigating global markets. “Hemant’s leadership will further strengthen our vision to revolutionize how brands connect with consumers and maximize the potential of our platform,” Jhunjhunwala commented.

    Truecaller serves over 425 million active users worldwide, making it one of the most widely used communication platforms. The company’s growth has been bolstered by its ability to identify and block nearly 46 billion unwanted calls in 2023 alone, showcasing its effectiveness in improving user experience.

  • Prasidha Menon elevated to APAC brand, product, communications head at Airbnb

    Prasidha Menon elevated to APAC brand, product, communications head at Airbnb

    MUMBAI: Her’s has been a 20 year  plus journey. Prasidha Menon began her career as a graduate trainee with HRD Coonsultants In Kolkata. She quietly worked there for a little over two years. Little did she imagine at that stage she would be leading brand, product communications for the Asia Pacific regions for one of the top global home sharing brand  platforms– Airbnb.

    Prasidha accepted her promotion from her position as regional head of communications for Airbnb for India & south east Asia  gleefully.  

    Said she: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to step into this regional leadership position at a time when Asia Pacific is uniquely positioned to drive Airbnb’s growth and expansion globally, and I am excited to play an integral role in this journey.”

    Prior to Airbnb, Prasidha had a year log stay at Optum as director & head, brand, marketing & communications. Oyo Hotels was another stop for a couple of years vice-president & global head of communications, which was preceded by a short stint at Uber India where her last appointment was as head of communications -India and south Asia. 

    Her first exposure to communications was at Positive Communications for a year, which was followed by editorial jobs at two firms where she honed her writing and subbing skills. She then moved into Genesis Burson -Marsteller, following which she spent four years at Edelman in India, and in the Bay area.

     

  • India shifts to a new socio-economic classification system ISEC, women education is one of the key definers of social capital

    India shifts to a new socio-economic classification system ISEC, women education is one of the key definers of social capital

    Mumbai: India’s sole and autonomous market research industry body, Market Research Society of India (MRSI) announces the adoption and implementation of its latest Socio-economic Classification System, ‘ISEC’. The current Socio-economic Classification (SEC) being followed in India is based on ownership of consumer durables and vehicles. The growth in GDP and income, penetration of consumer durables, and ownership of vehicles has witnessed a significant increase, leading to the current socio-economic classification becoming less discriminatory and more volatile. The need to redefine the key variables led to the formation of a more stable, and more robust construct, ‘ISEC.’ Among the various industry stakeholders on track to adopt ISEC are The Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), research users of various organisations such as ITC, Hindustan Unilever Limited, Marico, Dabur India, etc., research agencies including Kantar, IPSOS, as well as key media agencies.

    On rolling out the new socio-economic classification system, Market Research Society of India director general Mitali Chowhan said, “Socio-economic classification is the base of any targeted consumer understanding. At MRSI we recognise the need for an evolved SEC structure and ISEC is a system that is highly relevant. ISEC was developed by the industry, for the industry and unlike any previous classification system, it considers women’s education as a key definer of social capital, an attribute that is highly pertinent in current day. As an industry body, we are deeply invested in our stakeholders and the launch of ISEC is in line with our commitment to help our industry grow and evolve.”

    Socio-economic classification enables brands and agencies to understand their target audience’s behaviour and profiles and set price points. Updates to the current socio-economic classification is critical given the changing landscape of Indian households. ISEC addresses this with classification using household education and occupation profiles.

    In line with the roll-out of ISEC, MRSI organized a panel discussion that reaffirmed the importance of an evolved Socio-economic classification system to target consumers. Reinforcing ⁠their thoughts were senior industry leaders Amit Adarkar, CEO of IPSOS India, ⁠Jasmine Sachdeva, Managing Partner of Wavemaker India, ⁠Muralidhar Salvateeswaran, Chief Operations Office, Insights APAC at Kantar, ⁠Rajiv Dubey, Head of Media at Dabur India, ⁠Vivek Malhotra, Group CMO of India Today Group and Vinay Virwani, Head – Consumer Insights at Dabur India. The panel that was moderated by MRSI’s General Secretary, Shuvadip Banerjee, Chief Digital Marketing Officer of ITC Ltd. discussed the increased need for a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour, media targeting, and challenges the industry is faced with given the existing NCCS construct.

    Stressing on the need for a robust SEC system, IPSOS India CEO Amit Adarkar said, “Socio-economic classifications are the starting point of any planning or decision-making, impacting almost all industries. Following a SEC system that is relevant, evolved and representative is hence critical. NCCS was introduced at the time when digitisation was gaining momentum and women representation in household decisions was marginal. Our country has evolved greatly since then and it is essential that we follow a SEC that is equally evolved.”

    Concurring with Adarkar, Worldpanel Division managing director South Asia K Ramakrisnan Kantar said, “The challenges that companies are faced with these days are innumerable with the current SEC system adding to these challenges in terms of targeting and understanding behaviours. ISEC is a robust system that works well in both urban and rural India. It has more distinctiveness, a better distribution and it gives us the confidence that its structure will benefit brands and their decisions.”

    Unlike NCCS that only factored the education of the chief earner and the presence of certain consumer durable items in the household, MRSI’s ISEC takes on a more advanced approach by including the occupation of chief earner, education of highest educated male adult as well as education of highest educated female adult. Created by a team of seasoned experts and professionals from across the research and insights industry using National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), the Worldpanel division, Kantar, Indian Readership Survey (IRS), and referencing data from VTION,  ICUBETM, among others.

    Speaking on the new SEC, Sunil Kataria, chief executive Officer – Raymond Lifestyle – India & International, and chairman of The Indian Society of Advertisers said, “The development and progress of our economy is at a rapid pace. At such a pace it is even more important for us as advertisers and spenders to understand our consumers and their behaviour. ISEC is representative, relevant and robust. It gives us a holistic view of our audience segment and how they are equipped to make decisions. We welcome this new socio-economic classification and will continue to work with MRSI to further strengthen this system as and when required.”

    ISEC makes way for improved distribution and sharper and refined targeting. It is considerably more stable than NCCS, hence omitting the need for frequent updates.  ISEC’s discriminating quality is visible with each of the class/tier behaving differently, thus being more relevant as the economy develops with improvements in standards of living, increased asset ownership, infrastructure development and government interventions. Moreover, social capital in India can be defined by the education of the female and this parameter helped improve ‘discrimination’.

    Speaking on the implementation, IPG Mediabrands India CEO Shashi Sinha, further added, “A better and deeper understanding of consumer cohorts is always appreciated. It equips brands the opportunity to identify and target consumers in a sharper manner and opens up avenues for sharper communications. ISEC is highly discriminatory which is also crucial in current times. The implementation was long due and we are certain that this will help the industry considerably going forward.”

    “Following a socio-economic classification system that is representative of the population ensures that the industry is marching forward with efficiency. It ensures that the money spent is being spent correctly and more effectively. ISEC gives us that confidence and we are certain that this is a step forward in the direction of economic growth and development.” added India Today group CMO Vivek Malhotra.

    Representative of India’s social-economic strata, ISEC works equally well for urban and rural, is straightforward and quick and is not intrusive to administer.  A classification system spanning 1 to 12 tiers, ISEC is an open-source system and is available for all industry stakeholders

    SEC systems are used by all research companies, advertisers, and measurement bodies to target households. 

  • VML announces new market leadership team for Asia Pacific

    VML announces new market leadership team for Asia Pacific

    Mumbai: Global brand, customer experience and commerce agency VML has announced its new in-market leadership team across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

    Uniting more than 5000 employees across 25 offices in 13 markets in APAC, the new structure has been designed to provide best-in-class support for VML’s clients across the region, featuring market leaders with robust local knowledge and deep expertise spanning customer experience, brand experience and commerce.

    The announcement comes as WPP creative agencies Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R unify to create VML – the world’s most advanced and largest creative company.

    VML works with a diverse range of blue-chip client partners across various industries in APAC, including Ford, The Coca Cola Company, HSBC, Unilever, Nestle, GSK, Zespri and more.

    Under the leadership of newly appointed VML APAC Co-CEOs Audrey Kuah and Yi-Chung Tay and with its regional principal offices in Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, and Sydney, the restructure sees the appointment of the following market leaders (by region) from 1 January, 2024

    ANZ

    In Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Tom Tearle, VMLY&R ANZ CEO is appointed to the role of CEO, VML ANZ. Gavin Bain, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Australia moves to the role of VML chief consulting officer, ANZ and Managing Director, Perth, Australia.

    Southeast Asia

    Singapore: Nimesh Desai, Wunderman Thompson CEO for Singapore, has been appointed as VML CEO, Singapore. Rhys Taylor, VMLY&R managing director, Singapore, takes on the role of VML Chief Client Officer, Singapore, focused on ensuring the new VML is providing the full suite of capabilities to its clients.

    Indonesia: Samir Gupte, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Indonesia, has been appointed CEO, VML Indonesia.

    Malaysia: Kenni Loh, CEO, VMLY&R Malaysia, has been appointed CEO, VML Malaysia.

    Philippines: Golda Roldan, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Philippines, has been appointed CEO, VML Philippines.

    Thailand: Parattajariya Jalayanteja, CEO Wunderman Thompson, Thailand has been appointed CEO, VML Thailand.

    Vietnam: Ha Nguyen, VMLY&R CEO, Vietnam, has been appointed CEO, VML Vietnam.

    East Asia

    In China, Kevin Zhu, VMLY&R China CEO, has been appointed CEO VML, China, and Carter Chow Wunderman Thompson CEO for Greater China, steps into the role of President, VML China.

    Hong Kong: Maggie Wong, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Hong Kong, has been appointed CEO, VML Hong Kong.

    Japan: Ichiro Ota, CEO, VML & Ogilvy Japan remains in his position; while Akira Suzuki, CEO, Wunderman Thompson Japan, moves into the role of COO, VML Japan.

    Taiwan: Even Teng, CEO, Wunderman Thompson, Taiwan has been appointed CEO, VML, Taiwan.

    South Asia

    India:  India is a key market for VML and we are taking the time to ensure that our teams are led by the most capable leaders for our employees and clients. We will announce India’s leadership in Q1 2024.

    Commenting on development, VML APAC Co-CEO Audrey Kuah said: “We are thrilled to introduce our new APAC leadership team, who represent the cream-of-the-crop across two of the most awarded creative agencies in the region. As we unify our storied agencies, there is an exciting opportunity to redefine the possibilities of creativity and set the stage for more innovative and effective work.”

    “At VML we are dedicated to creating connected brands which matter to the consumer and drive growth for our client partners. Working closely with our leaders across our APAC network, we are well positioned to provide the best possible solutions to our clients’ most pressing business problems via an integrated suite of capabilities which are unsurpassed in the region, VML APAC Co-CEO,” Yi-Chung Tay added.

  • Affle’s programmatic platform Jampp releases iOS SKAdNetwork 4.0 Guide

    Affle’s programmatic platform Jampp releases iOS SKAdNetwork 4.0 Guide

    Mumbai: Jampp, a leading programmatic mobile marketing company that helps mobile app  advertisers acquire and re-engage their users has recently launched an iOS SKAdNetwork 4.0 Guide to  help APAC App Marketers scale their business on Apple devices. This latest guide aims to empower  advertisers across APAC markets with valuable insights and strategies to fully leverage SKAdNetwork  4.0 for driving privacy-centric app growth for their Apple iOS apps.

    According to the industry average, in India, only 36 per cent of users allow advertisers to track their IDFA  data, which suggests that marketers who choose not to test SKAdNetwork are potentially failing to  reach over 60 per cent of their iOS users. Conversely, ambitious advertisers investing in SKAN campaigns are  already seeing positive results, securing full coverage of their iOS audience and achieving enhanced  campaign performance.

    Over the past years, Apple devices have been expanding their presence in APAC, the leading  smartphone market in the world. This year, India notably joined China and Japan securing their  position within Apple’s top 5 iPhone markets. Given the top-tier nature of iOS devices and premium  users, their direct contribution to in-app transactions and revenue surpasses their device market  share across various markets. However, effective advertising on iOS has become a challenge for App  Marketers after the introduction of Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework in 2021.  This privacy-focused initiative limits user data tracking for mobile marketing, which brings difficulties  in serving personalized ads, as well as accurately understanding campaign ROI.

    In the context of ATT, Apple released SKAdNetwork, an attribution solution for users who opt out of  being tracked by advertisers and Jampp’s latest guide will help advertisers navigate SKAdNetwork  4.0 and come up with the best solution to measure and optimize the impact of their iOS campaigns.  

    The guide covers a full overview of how Apple’s ATT is impacting app growth strategies across the  digital industry and the opportunities SKAdNetwork provides. It also features detailed insights from  expert voices in the industry, such as Affle’s Anuj Kumar, M&C Saatchi Performance’s Roshat Adnani, MicroAd’s Yuki Kubota, and BIGO LIVE’s Jane Zhi.

    Jampp, which was acquired by global technology company Affle in 2021 offers a programmatic mobile  advertising platform used by leading app marketers to acquire new users and drive repeat usage and  transactions with existing users. The company’s deep focus on leveraging unique contextual and  behavioural signals to deliver in-app engagements has helped it drive incremental growth for top  marketers in North America, LATAM, APAC and many other markets. 

  • Ajit Mohan takes over Snap’s APAC operations

    Ajit Mohan takes over Snap’s APAC operations

    Mumbai: As reported by Indiantelevision.com on 3 November, Meta India country leader Ajit Mohan had quit and was reportedly set to join Snap. In a LinkedIn post, Mohan has confirmed joining the APAC team of Snap.

    His LinkedIn post reads, “After almost 4 years leading Meta (Facebook) in India, I am stepping down from my role. I am grateful to the company for the amazing opportunity to lead its efforts in one of its most important countries and I am absolutely proud of the work the team and I have done to create impact for people, creators and businesses around the country. “

    He goes on, “When I took on this role, my objective was to build a team and a company that would be a valuable ally to India and play a useful role in fuelling its economic and social transformation. This is exactly what we have managed to do in the last four years.”

    He confirms, “Am also excited to share that I am going to lead the Asia Pacific region for Snap and be a part of the company’s executive team. Can’t wait to get started!”

    Mohan had joined Meta (the erstwhile Facebook) as the managing director for the India market in January 2019. He was preceded by Umang Bedi who quit in October 2017.

    Prior to Meta, Mohan was CEO of Star India’s (now Disney Star’s) video streaming service Hotstar for four years.

  • Ipsos appoints new APAC CEO and chief client officer

    Ipsos appoints new APAC CEO and chief client officer

    Mumbai: Ipsos, one of the world’s largest research companies, has announced the appointment of long-time Ipsos global executive Hamish Munro as its new APAC CEO, and current South-East Asia CEO, Suresh Ramalingam, as its new chief client officer for the APAC region. Both appointments are effective immediately.

    Munro moves into his new remit after three years as Ipsos’ global head of interactive services. Since joining the company in 2013, Munro has also had stints as CEO of Australia and New Zealand (2013– 2015), CEO of South-East Asia (2016 – 2017) and CEO of APAC operations (2017 – 2019).

    Having worked and lived across Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Munro is set to bring broad international operational and research management experience to his new role, along with more than two decades of diverse market research and leadership.

    Munro will replace current Ipsos APEC CEO, Christophe Cambournac, who will move into a global role with the business.

    Ramalingam moves into his new role after four years as CEO for Ipsos’ South-East Asian markets. Prior to joining Ipsos, Ramalingam spent more than 20 years at Nielsen, working across its emerging markets in various leadership roles and the most recent one as managing director of consumer insights across LATAM, EMEA and South-East Asia, based in Dubai.

    In his new remit, Ramalingam will lead the client organization for Ipsos’ APAC region and will be based in Kuala Lumpur.

    Ipsos CEO Ben Page said Munro and Ramalingam were set to bring a wealth of industry experience and corporate knowledge to their new roles.

    “Munro has been an integral part of the global Ipsos team since 2013, sharing his 25-plus years’ experience in market research, marketing, communications and account management roles,” Page said.

    “Munro is an exceptional leader, with proven experience in managing large teams and complex businesses in competitive markets. He is well-known in the industry and across the business for his collaborative and decisive management style, with a focus on professional development. Munro is also committed to building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and will be an asset to our broad client base across the APEC region,” he added.

    “Ramalingam has already shown his ability to grow and manage client relationships across South-East Asia, delivering on our long-term growth plans for the region. In his new role, I’m confident that his client and people focused leadership style coupled with his extensive research and management experience will help in leading the client organization successfully in our APAC region.”

    Commenting on his new role, Munro said, “I am excited to collaborate with my colleagues across Asia Pacific and continue to build on our strong client partnerships, building and strengthening our talent and deploying many of our new services to help our clients grow.”

    Ramalingam said, “As the home of researchers, we have an amazing suite of research solutions and services led by experienced teams. Our strong client organization teams help drive engagement with our key clients in Asia Pacific collaborating across our services to provide the best possible research outcomes catering to their business needs. I am very excited to continue to focus on building client relationships across Asia Pacific.”