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Tag: Appointment News

  • Havas Media Indonesia appoints Satyajit Sen as CEO

    Havas Media Indonesia appoints Satyajit Sen as CEO

    MUMBAI: Havas Group Indonesia has bolstered its leadership strength with the appointment of Satyajit Sen as Havas Media CEO. In his new role, Sen’s mandate will be to accelerate Havas Media Indonesia’s journey of transformation and exponential growth with a focus on collaboration, new business momentum, and building and leading future-ready teams. He will report to Havas Group, SEA, India and north Asia chairman and CEO Vishnu Mohan.

    A media and marketing professional with 29 years of experience across leading and challenger brands across verticals, Sen joins Havas Indonesia from Samsung India where led the media management function from 2014. While at Samsung, Satyajit is credited with consistently improving performance and effectiveness of ad spend in turbulent market conditions.  Prior to Samsung, Sen was the CEO of ZenithOptimedia Group India where he successfully grew the business, consolidated key accounts and built the performance marketing team from scratch.

    Mohan said, “Satyajit’s proven expertise in delivering value across the spectrum of media services encompassing digital, content and data coupled with extremely strong leadership skills will build on what we have already achieved in Indonesia, which has a strong portfolio of media clients like Indofood, Grab, and Godrej and take Havas Indonesia forward in its next phase of growth and expansion. His experience encompassing both brand and agency will be huge advantage in a critical market like Indonesia. I am delighted to welcome Satyajit to the Havas family and I am confident that he will propel Havas Indonesia in its next phase of evolution.”

    “This is an interesting opportunity in changing and challenging times. Havas has been a pioneer in integration with its Village model of organisational structure and this multi-dimensional approach to marketing and advertising is exactly what clients are looking for. I am extremely excited to be a part of Havas Group’s futuristic agency model and looking forward to working with the team to start a new chapter for Havas Media in Indonesia,” said Sen.

    Sen’s appointment is effective immediately and he is based out of Jakarta.

  • BharatPe appoints Ex-Walmart Labs’ Ankur Jain as chief product officer

    BharatPe appoints Ex-Walmart Labs’ Ankur Jain as chief product officer

    MUMBAI: BharatPe has strengthened its leadership team by appointing Ankur Jain as chief product officer. Ankur will be responsible for the complete product lifecycle and innovation at BharatPe. Jain is the fifth CXO at BharatPe and joins Vijay Agarwal (CTO), Nishit Sharma (chief revenue officer), Puneet Agarwal (chief risk officer), and Nishant Jain (chief business officer) in the core team.

    Heading product management and user experience across customer touch points, Jain will contribute to BharatPe’s aggressive plans to scale up its footprint to 10 million merchants this year. Jain, an alumnus of Stanford University has a rich experience of working in deep technology startups like Kosmix and Instalocate and the world’s largest company Walmart. He has developed large scale products which have been used by millions of people across the globe driving huge revenues for the organisations. He was part of the founding team to set up Walmart Labs office in India and has substantial experience of building cross-functional teams in business, technology and product verticals across the globe.

    BharatPe co-founder-CEO Ashneer Grover said, “We are at an interesting point in our growth phase that requires constant innovation and fast delivery of products for the rapidly evolving digital and financial needs of Indian shopkeepers. We are methodically getting the right people in the right positions to meet these requirements. Talent will be our biggest differentiator.”

    “I have a deep respect for the talent that has worked in the US – the vision with and scale at which professionals who have come back from the US operate is commendable. Ankur joining in a critical role will strengthen our core team, he has deep experience in accelerating revenue through new products and solutions, driving large-scale organisational change, and anticipating market dynamics to create new products and segments which will help us drive product innovation at a higher velocity,” Grover added.

    Prior to BharatPe, Jain was CEO and co-founder of Instalocate. The mission of Instalocate is to bring the fintech revolution to the travel industry through an AI-powered travel assistant and convert travel disruptions into instant money. Prior to Instalocate, he worked at Walmart Labs as senior director of product management where he developed artificial intelligence (AI) based products to help merchants in understanding the customer pulse, to decide which products to sell and to set the right price.

    Jain joined Walmart Labs as part of the acquisition of Kosmix by Walmart in 2011. He was the early employee of Kosmix and saw the full product life cycle from initial days to a successful acquisition. At Kosmix, he led the product and growth teams and scaled the user base to hundreds of millions of users. He has deep research experience at some of the prestigious labs in the world including MIT Media Lab, Stanford Technology Ventures, Ericsson Eurolab and Institute for Infocom Research.

  • Abbey Thomas to head marketing for Volkswagen India

    Abbey Thomas to head marketing for Volkswagen India

    MUMBAI: Volkswagen India recently appointed Abbey Thomas as its head of marketing. He will be taking over the responsibilities from Bishwajeet Samal, who will be moving to Germany for an international assignment with Volkswagen AG. Thomas will be reporting to Volkswagen Passenger Cars India director Steffen Knapp.

    He comes with an experience of over 25 years in the automotive industry and had previously worked with Audi India as head of planning (product & sales). 

    Knapp commented, “At Volkswagen, our philosophy is to nurture our in-house talent and create a growth journey for our employees within the Group. We are extremely delighted to have Abbey on-board with us, whose extensive experience will strengthen our brand salience across our stakeholders in the automotive ecosystem."

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  • ShortsTV appoints Pratik Bhivagaje as partnership and marketing manager for South Asia

    ShortsTV appoints Pratik Bhivagaje as partnership and marketing manager for South Asia

    MUMBAI: ShortsTV, the world’s first 24/7 channel dedicated to short films, has appointed Pratik Bhivagaje as partnership and marketing manager for South Asia. He will be driving growth for ShortsTV in the South Asia market by forging business partnerships & increasing distribution. He will also lead marketing efforts to establish ShortsTV as a key player in the short form content space. His previous stint was with Tata Sky as Content Manager.

    Welcoming Bhivagaje to ShortsTV, ShortsTV chief executive Carter Pilcher said “We’re thrilled to be joined by Pratik. He is an exceptional talent, a clever marketer with critical discernment in content marketing & acquisition. His experience is key as ShortsTV India is growing in leaps and bounds, and Pratik will ensure we are bringing the hottest new shorts to our audience across the subcontinent.”

    An IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Bhivagaje, has worked across the broadest spectrum of distribution deals, content acquisition, marketing, and new product development at Tata Sky. He has also worked as a consultant in PwC. Pratik will report into Tarun Sawhney President – Asia at ShortsTV HQ in London.

  • Deepak Gupta joins Bombay Shaving Company as chief business officer (offline) & head of operations

    Deepak Gupta joins Bombay Shaving Company as chief business officer (offline) & head of operations

    MUMBAI: Men’s skincare brand Bombay Shaving Company has further taken a leap to strengthen its brand presence across offline by on-boarding Deepak Gupta as its chief business officer (offline) and head of operations. Bombay Shaving Company has a presence in 8 cities across the country with over 3,000 stores. Deepak Gupta will lead the entire offline P&L comprising retail and institutional sales. Additionally, he will also lead supply chain and operations. Deepak’s understanding of the dynamic market environment and consumer behaviour will further support Bombay Shaving Company, an internet first brand on path to achieve Rs 100 crore revenue mark.

    Prior to this, Gupta was leading the regional business for Colgate-Palmolive where he gathered experience of working with the world’s most penetrated brand with 3.5+ billion daily active users. He also spent more than two years In China and witnessed the tremendous mushrooming of brands by heading sales operations and strategy for entire Mainland China which launched online and quickly scaled offline.

    Regarding the development, Deepak Gupta said, “Bombay Shaving Company is an inspiring brand which is both under-penetrated and under-served. There is a huge potential to innovate and build a new-age brand like ours in offline stores which are digitally targeted and leading to a tectonic shift from mass distribution /mass-media lead business models. I’m extremely excited to be part of this grooming revolution.”

    Bombay Shaving Company CEO & founder Shantanu Deshpande said, "We're thrilled to have someone of Deepak's calibre join Bombay Shaving Company to forefront the entire off-screen P&L. Being an internet first brand, its essential for us to rapidly develop an omnichannel approach to retail. With more than a decade experience, Deepak brings in distribution aspiration and a process ethos. We look forward to working with a leader like him to build and grow our brand together.”

    Bombay Shaving Company is bullish and will focus on offline expansion with its current footprint of 3,000 stores to 10,000 stores in the coming months. Bombay Shaving Company currently has more than 2.5 lakh customers and aims to become an Rs 100 crore brand in the next 12-15 months. The company has also designated Kartik Aaryan as their brand ambassador to endorse shave and facial grooming range.

    In December 2019, Bombay Shaving Company had raised Rs 45 crore in Series B led by Sixth Sense Venture Partners. Existing investor Colgate Palmolive Asia Pacific, a subsidiary of CPG giant Colgate-Palmolive had also participated in the round.

  • Piyush Prasad appointed as Hero Electric’s national business head for India

    Piyush Prasad appointed as Hero Electric’s national business head for India

    MUMBAI: One of the biggest electric vehicle brands in India, Hero Electric announced the appointment of Piyush Prasad as the national business head. Prasad will be responsible for the overall business growth, expanding product sales and will oversee the customer satisfaction program for Hero Electric.

    Prasad, with his diverse experience of over 20 years, has been credited for his significant contribution in the growth of the automobile industry in India. In his new role, he will be responsible for strategically leading Hero Electric’s business across Tier 1, 2, 3 and below markets as the brand aims to further spread awareness for electric vehicles in the region.

    Prasad will be responsible for the overall business growth, expanding product sales and will oversee the customer satisfaction program for Hero Electric, and play a strategic role in building the business.

     “I am thrilled to be a part of Hero Electric family, which is the leader in the electric two-wheeler space in India. Hero Electric has constantly led the electric mobility revolution in the country, and I look forward to contributing to the growth of the company and play a significant role in their vision of leading the future of mobility. “, said Hero Electric national business head Piyush Prasad.  

    Commenting on the appointment, Hero Electric CEO Sohinder Gill said, “We are delighted to have Piyush on-board, his vast experience and expertise in business & sales management among other verticals will certainly boost the brand awareness and will further strengthen Hero Electric’s position in India.”

    Prasad is an industry veteran and has previously worked with some of the most reputed global brands, such as Harley-Davidson, Renault, General Motors, Mahindra and Hyundai. In his roles at all the prior organizations he has successfully led his team in creating effective strategies in dealer management, training, planning, market activation, ensuring customer satisfaction and market intelligence.

  • Dentsu India strengthens creative team with new appointments

    Dentsu India strengthens creative team with new appointments

    MUMBAI: Dentsu India, the brand solutions agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has appointed Siddharth S as group creative director and Rigved Sarkar as associate creative director at their Bangalore and Mumbai offices, respectively.

    Siddharth’s last stint was with Leo Burnett Orchard, Bangalore, where he was senior creative director on brands like Amazon and Ola. He will report to Krishna Mani who recently joined Dentsu India as ECD – South.

    Before joining Dentsu India, Sarkar was creative controller at 82.5 Communications, Mumbai, where he worked on Tata Motors, RuPay, etc.

    Speaking about their roles, Dentsu India chief creative officer Malvika Mehra said, “We are nothing without our people. I’m happy that we have new talent like Siddharth and Rigved on board, who believe in the vision we have for the creative product at Dentsu India. Both are talented writers, with a pulse on the requirements of the new brand world we are experiencing today. I am really looking forward to us working together and creating some famous work for our clients across both geographies. ”

    On his appointment, Siddharth said, “In the business of creativity, one can't afford to get comfortable. The world outside is an ever evolving one. The mechanics of advertising are changing every day. I was seeking an exciting new challenge that would help me recalibrate my skill sets to the demands of start- ups and established brands. As they say, what you seek is seeking you. My meeting with Malvika was just that.”

    He added, "Malvika has a vision for Dentsu India. All we need to do is align with that vision. I feel Dentsu India has an exciting mix of talent and clients to become a force to reckon with. 2019 has been a year of unprecedented momentum at Dentsu India and there's a collective feeling here that this momentum will propel us into an even bigger league.”

    Talking about the new role, Sarkar said, “When Malvika told me of the vision that she had for Dentsu India, I was hooked immediately. We are entering an era that requires a whole new level of creative thinking, with brands old and new constantly looking for innovative and inspiring ways to reach out and engage with people. Dentsu India is doing just that and I’m excited to be a part of it. There are some amazing people here doing amazing stuff and I cannot wait to create more magic with them.”

  • Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe-owned digital agency, Digitas India has announced the appointment of Sonia Khurana as chief operating officer. She joins the agency from Ogilvy India where she was senior vice-president and head of customer engagement. She will report to Digitas India CEO Amaresh Godbole.

    Commenting on her appointment, Godbole said, “Digitas India has been on the fast track for the last decade, and today we’re 450 plus experts partnering top-notch clients. To keep up with this growth trajectory, we need more leaders who are adept at solving business problems through modern marketing practices. Sonia is just that, a true T-shaped personality who has run digital businesses as well as capabilities. Further, she understands how to tackle the challenges of integration. It’s what we need to drive our next phase of growth as the premier connected marketing agency, and as a partner in Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Solutions."

    A marketing old hand with experience of over two decades in key roles across prominent agencies in the advertising industry, Khurana has been instrumental in shaping up business and strategy for the agencies and has handled clients across retail, hospitality, telecom, technology, automotive, travel & tourism, and more. Some of the clients include Aditya Birla Group, Vodafone, IBM, BMW, Microsoft, Nokia, and Diageo.

    Much of her professional life has been spent at Ogilvy India where she worked for almost a decade in its Bengaluru and Mumbai offices. While at Ogilvy, she was instrumental in setting up OgilvyOne (the digital unit of Ogilvy) in Bengaluru. She also conceptualised and created India's first retail social CRM program for Elle Fashionwear. Prior to Ogilvy, she was at Wunderman International as the India Lead for Nokia.

    On her new role Khurana said, “I'm very excited to be part of a young, energetic team whose focus is at the nexus of creativity, data, technology and media. My goal is to partner with the team to chart the agency's next chapter and make it the agency of choice for clients looking to take a leap in their digital journey. On my first day at work, I saw the Publicis Groupe's Power of One strategy in action. It made me realize that I haven't just joined the agency brand but that I am part of the enriching Groupe ecosystem committed to delivering truly integrated, client-focused solutions. Three weeks in and I can already see what makes this place so special."

  • Dentsu India ropes in Asheesh Malhotra to head Mumbai division

    Dentsu India ropes in Asheesh Malhotra to head Mumbai division

    MUMBAI: As part of its strategic intent to bolster operations, Dentsu India has roped in Asheesh Malhotra to head its Mumbai office. He will report to Dentsu India CEO Simi Sabhaney.

    With over 20 years of experience across leading agencies including Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, Bates CHI Partners and Ogilvy, Asheesh has been instrumental in building brands such as Unilever, Mondelez , ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, Castrol, BP, and Toyota.

    His last stint was as executive director at PointNine Lintas, Mullen Lowe Lintas Group. He has also won accolades like the Effie’s, Kyoorius, and Spikes in India and the Asia Pacific region.

    On his appointment, Sabhaney said, “We are truly delighted to have Asheesh come on board to lead the Mumbai operations. His experience of having led omni channel functions makes him the perfect choice in line with our growth strategy and the changing media landscape.”

    Commenting on his new role, Malhotra said, “My focus will be on building new partnerships and growing our existing client relationships. I believe that the age of transformation (from traditional to digital or vice versa) is over. If you haven’t hopped on to that wagon yet, you best not. You cannot be running an agency with a siloed mindset. DAN, with its true One P&L structure, has integration at its core and it brings together the best of creative minds, media, data and technology to bring the best ideas and value to our clients. In today’s context, this is true integration and I am truly excited to be part of this journey.”

  • MakeMyTrip appoints Sunil Suresh as CMO

    MakeMyTrip appoints Sunil Suresh as CMO

    MUMBAI: Sunil Suresh has been appointed as the chief marketing officer for MakeMyTrip and Goibibo. In his role, Suresh will be responsible for driving the company’s marketing efforts, supporting the overall strategic objectives, overseeing all initiatives across the marketing funnel, including brand, social, performance and innovation marketing tracks.

    MakeMyTrip COO Vipul Prakash said, “We are excited to have Sunil on board our leadership team as he brings to the table 18-years of rich experience in marketing, delivering growth across technology, consumer goods and retail businesses. With a unique blend of expertise in multiple domains, deep understanding of consumer behaviour and how businesses can leverage the power of digital, we are confident that he will help propel MakeMyTrip’s next phase of growth.”

    MakeMyTrip India chief marketing officer Sunil Suresh commented, “I am delighted to join MakeMyTrip, one of the most iconic Online Indian brands of our time. The growth story of the company has been synonymous with the growth of travel industry in India. With ambitious plans lined up for its next phase of growth, I am looking forward to be a part of this exciting trip.”

    A graduate from IIT Roorkee, Suresh holds a PG diploma from IIM Lucknow. In his earlier stint, he was working as the chief marketing and strategy officer at Capillar Tech. Prior to that, he has woked with brands like Yum! Brands (Pizza Hut) and Unilever.