Tag: appointment

  • QYOU Media appoints Raj Mishra as India Group CEO

    QYOU Media appoints Raj Mishra as India Group CEO

    Mumbai: QYOU Media Inc., operating in India and the United States has announced the appointment of digital leader and strategist, Raj Mishra, as Group CEO of QYOU Media’s India operations overseeing all business units, with immediate effect. Mishra will focus on increasing operational and financial synergies and strengths among the three primary business units as the company further pivots in India into digital distribution and direct-to-consumer initiatives.

    Raj Mishra was appointed to QYOU’s board of directors on 30 May 2023 and brings a strong track record of driving business growth and profitability in the mobile, media, and entertainment sectors. With over 13 years of experience and a background that includes senior management roles in building some of the most successful app businesses in Indian market history, Mishra specializes in go-to-market strategies, sales, marketing, business growth, and profit and loss management in India’s evolving social media landscape.

    Mishra’s career highlights include his instrumental role as the first employee at Musical.ly in India (now TikTok), leading it to over 60 million monthly active users. As the country head for both Musical.ly and later for TikTok following their acquisition, he fostered growth for ByteDance in India, established local teams, cultivated business partnerships, and nurtured the creator community. Under his leadership, Musical.ly became the most downloaded app on Android and iOS app stores. He subsequently oversaw the rebranding transition from Musical.ly to TikTok after its acquisition in 2017 wherein it became quickly established among the most downloaded apps in India with 610 million downloads in India alone in less than three years representing over a quarter of all global downloads. In 2019, he took on a new challenge within ByteDance where he was spearheading strategy for their newly launched suite of products, including the app Helo while closely working with the core global teams at ByteDance to help further strengthen their overall go-to-market strategy. Following that experience, Mishra joined Triller as the country GM and India head, laying the foundation for its expansion in India and the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently, Mishra was consulting for a number of digital and gaming companies including QYOU’s India business units, where he provides strategic and revenue generation strategies and tactics for growth.

    QYOU Media CEO and co-founder, Curt Marvis commented, “We are thrilled to have Raj on board to direct the next phase of growth for our businesses in India. Working with him as a consultant to QYOU India over the last several months, it became clear to me and the Board that his skill set and experience were directly applicable to our overall business objective to become a larger brand with more direct to consumer initiatives in India.  This includes our most recent launch of the new freemium version of Q GamesMela. In addition, Raj’s understanding and knowledge of how the creator economy works, as a result of his roles at both Musical.ly and TikTok are invaluable for us as we build a creator-centric brand and business.  His appointment to oversee our entire operation in India launches a very exciting new chapter in our history.”

    Speaking on the appointment, Raj Mishra added, “I joined the board of QYOU Media because I was excited about the size and scope of the opportunity for which they have already built the foundation. In working directly with the business since that time, I now know that the potential is even greater than I had first realized.  There is a tremendous amount of hard work, coordination and execution ahead and we have only scratched the surface of what is possible for QYOU. I have shared with Curt and the Board my thoughts on how I see the business unfolding and expanding in the coming years.  I can’t wait to get deeper into working with the executive management and employees at all the business units and to help QYOU raise the India business to a level of success we all know is possible.”

    QYOU Media business units in India include QYOU Media India which includes the broadcast and CTV channels, the influencer marketing business Chtrbox Technologies and Maxamtech Digital Ventures’ gaming  business.

  • Soch Apparels appoints Deepak Mahnot as the CMO

    Soch Apparels appoints Deepak Mahnot as the CMO

    Mumbai: Soch Apparels, the largest evening-occasion women’s ethnic wear brand, announces the appointment of Deepak Mahnot as its chief marketing officer (CMO). In his new capacity at Soch, Deepak will spearhead the brand marketing, CRM, visual merchandising, PR, and customer experience initiatives, firmly establishing Soch as a leader in the women’s ethnic wear segment in India.

    As a marketing veteran with over two decades of experience, Deepak has an impressive track record in elevating brands across diverse industries. He has played a pivotal role in bringing various path-breaking campaigns to life, some of which won top honors, including the Cannes and Effie. He is known for leveraging data analytics and insights to drive complex transformative projects and initiatives in all his previous roles in India and Dubai. Before joining Soch, Deepak served as the marketing director for Vision Express India Operations for over four years. Throughout his career, he held key leadership positions at notable organizations like Reliance Infocomm, The Mobile Store, VLCC, and Babyshop (Landmark Group, Dubai).

    “I am excited to be joining Soch at such a crucial period, as the brand gears for the next phase of exponential growth. Soch has built a fantastic legacy and is among the most loved brands, constantly evolving with the women in India today. I look forward to helping Soch take the next step forward.” shared Mahnot.

    Soch MD and CEO Vinay Chatlani said, “Deepak is a passionate marketer with diverse industry experience across various industries in retail, as well as a keen understanding of how to activate and drive the business with a strategic lens. We welcome Deepak to the Soch family, he will play a critical role in helping to shape the next chapter of Soch”

    With over 160 stores in over 60 cities across India, Soch continues to evolve and expand its presence in the ethnic wear market in India, as it has done in the past 17 years. Deepak’s leadership is anticipated to bring fresh perspectives and transformative strategies to implement initiatives that drive the growth that Soch aims to achieve in the coming years.

  • Kapture CX appoints Chandrakanth PS as AVP sales-Middle East

    Kapture CX appoints Chandrakanth PS as AVP sales-Middle East

    Mumbai: Kapture CX, the SaaS-based customer experience platform, has appointed Chandrakanth PS as AVP sales-Middle East.

    Chandrakanth brings with him an impressive wealth of experience, totaling an outstanding 10 years in international sales leadership. With over a decade of experience as an international sales leader, Chandrakanth has honed a formidable skill set that includes in-depth knowledge of local business norms, etiquette, and laws—a vital asset for navigating international markets effectively. Throughout his illustrious career, Chandrakanth has demonstrated his prowess in managing the entire sales cycle, utilizing tools such as SalesForce, and providing invaluable coaching and mentoring to sales teams. He has made remarkable strides in B2B sales, solution selling, and strategic account development. Chandrakanth has not only contributed significantly to SAAS sales but has also excelled in account management and portfolio expansion. His exceptional skills in business planning, reporting, and customer relationship management have earned him recognition as an award-winning sales professional.

    Commenting on his appointment, Kapture CX CEO and co-founder Sheshgiri Kamath said, “Vikas and I are excited to welcome Chandrakanth to the Kapture team. We’ve been growing well in the Middle east market and bringing Chandra on board will accelerate this journey significantly for us. He’s a rockstar and has built out some great relationships over the course of his career. His expertise building and accelerating new geography expansion is a step in the right direction as we look to scale our solutions globally. We truly believe Chandra can help us drive leadership market share amongst enterprises in customer experience across the Middle east market.”

    Chandrakanth holds an MBA in Finance & Marketing from Kaplan University in Singapore. Before joining the Kapture CX, Chandrakanth made significant contributions as the associate director of sales at Locus, where he played a pivotal role in achieving their goals.

    Commenting on the same, Chandrakanth PS, AVP sales-Middle East, said, “I am focussed in the Middle East region, including Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Kenya. The Middle East is a vibrant and dynamic business landscape, with a strong emphasis on delivering exceptional customer service.  Kapture CX’s track record of helping over 1000+ businesses globally, coupled with their proven ability to drive significant improvements in team productivity, overall customer satisfaction, and operational cost reduction, makes them an ideal partner for businesses in the Middle East seeking to elevate their customer experience.By joining forces with Kapture CX, I am confident that we can support businesses in the Middle East to establish a strong foothold in the market and deliver exceptional customer experiences.”

  • The Marcom Avenue appoints Nikhil Sharda as AVP – marketing

    The Marcom Avenue appoints Nikhil Sharda as AVP – marketing

    Mumbai: The Marcom Avenue, a leading integrated marketing agency, with its recently launched renewed 2.0 avatar, is thrilled to announce the appointment of Nikhil Sharda as assistant vice president as the first step in ushering change in the marketing landscape. With an impressive track record and deep expertise in operations and client management, Nikhil will play a pivotal role in further enhancing the company’s operational efficiency and driving its growth trajectory.

    Prior to joining The Marcom Avenue, Nikhil’s impressive career journey included holding the position of vice president at Media Mantra, executive vice president at Scroll Mantra, creative director at FrogIdeas and Digital Evangelist at AdGlobal360. During these roles, he skillfully crafted effective go-to-market strategies for a diverse range of renowned brands, such as Comviva, Beardo, OZiva, ViewSonic, VNL, Jim Beam, TerraPay, Twitter India Marketing, Rajasthan Tourism, Maruti Suzuki, NEXA, Bureau of Indian Standards, BSB Edge, Delhivery, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and the European Union and several others.

    “We extend a warm welcome to Nikhil Sharda as our newly appointed assistant vice president,” stated The Marcom Avenue director Divanshi Gupta. “Nikhil’s strong skills and dedication perfectly match our core values of excellence. As The Marcom Avenue embarks on international expansion, his seasoned experience will fuel operational efficiency and strategic branding. This strategic move echoes our overarching vision of becoming the ultimate marketing solution agency. Nikhil’s role is poised to shape impactful narratives, steering success for The Marcom Avenue clients. We extend our best wishes to him for his new role.”

    “I am excited to join the ranks of The Marcom Avenue, a company renowned for its avant-garde approach and unwavering dedication to client triumph,” commented Nikhil Sharda. “I eagerly anticipate collaborating closely with the adept teams here to elevate operational practices, fortify client relationships, and contribute to the continuous advancement of the company.”

    Nikhil is also a published author and an independent writer for various online journals. His reputation as a results-driven professional endowed with a discerning eye for operational excellence precedes him, and his appointment underscores The Marcom Avenue’s steadfast commitment to perpetual enhancement and delivering unparalleled value to its esteemed clientele.

  • Mandeep Singh takes helm as NDTV’s TV Network revenue head

    Mandeep Singh takes helm as NDTV’s TV Network revenue head

    Mumbai: Mandeep Singh, formerly vice president at Bennett Coleman, has assumed the role of revenue head for the TV Network at NDTV.

    With over two decades of executive experience in esteemed media companies like The Walt Disney Co, UTV, Zee, Times Television Network, and BCCL Response (Times of India Group), he brings a wealth of expertise.

    Additionally, he co-founded and led a D2C start-up focused on personal care. Prior to his tenure at BCCL, he served as country manager & COO at B4U Network, and held the position of executive director at The Walt Disney Company, spearheading the revenue function for 13 years.

  • Shubham Mukherjee appointed as Samsung India’s head corp comm

    Shubham Mukherjee appointed as Samsung India’s head corp comm

    Mumbai: Shubham Mukherjee, with a diverse career spanning journalism and corporate communications, has been appointed as the head of corporate communications and corporate citizenship/CSR at Samsung India.

    Before joining Samsung, Mukherjee held key positions at ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company Ltd and Bain & Company, accumulating valuable experience. His extensive journalistic background includes roles as the national business editor at The Times of India and a senior editor at Economic Times, totaling over 15 years in the field.

  • Singapore Tourism Board appoints Lim Kean Bon as area director, India, South Asia, and Africa

    Singapore Tourism Board appoints Lim Kean Bon as area director, India, South Asia, and Africa

    Mumbai: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced the appointment of Lim Kean Bon as area director, India, South Asia, and Africa on 1 September. He will succeed Raymond Lim as the India market lead based in New Delhi, leading STB’s promotion, and travel trade engagement activities in Northern and Eastern India to sustain and grow affinity for Singapore from leisure travelers. In addition, Kean Bon will be responsible for business development efforts to secure visitorship across India to Singapore in the cruise and meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) segments. He will also lead his team in engaging consumers in other regional markets like Bangladesh and South Africa.  

    Speaking on this appointment for Singapore Tourism Board (STB) regional director, India, Middle East, South Asia & Africa (IMESA) GB Srithar, said, “We extend a hearty welcome to Kean Bon as he joins our dynamic team. I believe Kean Bon’s leadership in driving experience development for a leisure precinct and his past tenure in the Singapore Exhibition & Convention Bureau (SECB) places him in good stead to take on this role in STB New Delhi, particularly in this pivotal moment of anchoring Singapore as the premier lifestyle and business destination for Indian travellers.”

    Kean Bon started his career in the Singapore public service as an urban planner in Singapore’s city planning authority. He joined the STB infrastructure planning and management division in 2015 to drive the planning of MICE infrastructure, and subsequently moved on to the SECB team in 2017, where he managed destination bids and account servicing activities for large-scale business meetings and conventions organised by global associations. Prior to taking on the STB New Delhi leadership role, Kean Bon led STB’s Lifestyle Precinct Development team from 2020 to 2023, where he set direction for various projects to sustain the appeal of Orchard Road, Singapore’s leading lifestyle precinct. “I am excited to join the STB IMESA team and look forward to building on the good work and strong partnerships forged by my predecessor Raymond”, Kean Bon said. “Together with my team in New Delhi, we will continue our efforts to promote Singapore and inspire the Indian audience with the sheer breadth of vibrant experiences the city has to offer for leisure and business travellers.”

  • Zoo Media appoints Satya Koniki as head of global delivery

    Zoo Media appoints Satya Koniki as head of global delivery

    Mumbai: Zoo Media, India’s largest independent digital agency network, is pleased to announce the appointment of Satya Koniki as the head of global delivery. Satya will be responsible for establishing global delivery centres (GDCs) that will leverage India’s finest talent and offshoring capabilities to serve independent agencies worldwide.

    Satya Koniki is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of multi-faceted industry experience and expertise in global operations. Previously, he held key positions in global companies such as HCL, Wunderman, and Hogarth in India and e-commerce startups like Chegg and A1Books in the USA. His efficiency in offshoring, fostering robust agency partnerships, managing high-profile clients, and navigating the complexities of digital marketing will add tangible business value to the Zoo Media team.

    Satya commented on his new role, “Setting up global delivery hubs is about identifying talent, building teams at scale, tailoring processes and adapting to changing market dynamics to deliver client solutions – with Zoo Media, most of these are covered, so I am excited to push forward”.

    Satya’s responsibilities will encompass various regions within the Zoo Media Network, with a critical focus on Zoo global delivery. The network already has a team based in the US aiming to centralise offshore services.

    Satya’s role involves overseeing seamless operations worldwide, beginning with  Indian centres and later expanding to different regions.  He is adept at creating customised delivery centres to meet client needs and requirements, “It’s about fostering flexibility and preparedness, ensuring that business operations can thrive regardless of external challenges, thereby delivering valuable services to clients,” he added.

    Satya will work closely with cross-functional teams across sales, HR, finance, and client servicing. He will be reporting directly to Zoo Media co-founder Suveer Bajaj.

    “Our Global Delivery Centres (GDCs) aim to create value for independent agencies worldwide by providing high-quality output through resource augmentation. Considering Satya’s expertise in building offshore centres of excellence, we look forward to him strengthening Zoo Media’s global positioning as a reliable partner,” said Zoo Media co-founder Suveer Bajaj.

    Satya’s previous work includes successfully establishing Microsoft ad-support centres in Costa Rica in 2022 and four WPP Hubs globally within a year for team Nokia in 2010. Before moving to India, he was instrumental in setting up the critical rental publisher infrastructure for Chegg Inc. He also played a pivotal role in establishing a pioneering independent book marketplace in 2004.

  • Ashwin Sheth Group appoints Bhavik Bhandari as CSMO

    Ashwin Sheth Group appoints Bhavik Bhandari as CSMO

    Mumbai: In a strategic move aimed at advancing its growth trajectory, Ashwin Sheth Group a leading real estate company proudly introduces Bhavik Bhandari as the newly appointed chief sales and marketing officer (CSMO).

    With a proven track record as a mentor and a leader, real estate enthusiast, and advocate for design-driven residential enhancements, Bhandari is set to spearhead the sales and marketing division. His wealth of experience encompasses several esteemed real estate firms, including Raheja Universal, Kanakia Spaces, Radius Developers, Kalpataru Limited, and Puravankara. Over his distinguished career trajectory of over 2 decades, he has demonstrated remarkable proficiency in sales, marketing, customer relationship management, operations, business development, and strategic planning.

    Commenting on the appointment, Ashwin Sheth Group chairman and MD Ashwin Sheth said “We are pleased to welcome Bhavik Bhandari to our team. His impressive track record in demanding positions is a great fit for our senior leadership team. His knowledge and extensive experience in sales, marketing, CRM and strategy, will greatly benefit our organization in achieving our growth objectives. Our goal is to expand and strengthen Ashwin Sheth Group’s presence, thereby further strengthening our brand value.”

    On joining Ashwin Sheth Group, Ashwin Sheth Group chief sales and marketing officer (CSMO) Bhavik Bhandari said “I am delighted to be a part of the Ashwin Sheth Group, a prestigious and established name in the real estate industry.   I am looking forward to assist the organization with thoughtful and creative marketing campaigns, developing better consumer relations and spearhead communications in helping the group reach new heights. With my prior experience in the sector, I am looking forward to being a catalyst to the hyper growth and expansion strategy on the horizon for Ashwin Sheth Group.”

    Adding on to the appointment, Ashwin Sheth Group chief human resources officer (CHRO) Prabhakar Azad said “We are pleased to welcome Mr. Bhavik Bhandari to our senior management team. His addition will further strengthen our leadership team to fulfil our aggressive growth & expansion plans. In the recent past, we have hired exceptional professionals at CXO levels to give a boost to our professional work culture”.

  • Abhijit Sethi appointed as Howden India’s COO

    Abhijit Sethi appointed as Howden India’s COO

    Mumbai: Howden, the global insurance intermediary, has appointed Abhijit Sethi as the chief operating officer of its India operations. In his new capacity, Sethi will lead strategic efforts, overseeing nationwide placements, streamlining business operations, enhancing processes, and nurturing insurer relationships to drive sustainable growth and innovation.

    Abhijit brings to the role his renowned dynamic leadership and strategic acumen, built over nearly two decades. Prior to joining Howden India, he played pivotal roles in crafting go-to-market strategies and structuring intricate placement programs at esteemed firms like Aon, Marsh Insurance Brokers, and Prudent Insurance Brokers.

    With its trading license granted in 2004, Howden India now employs over 300 professionals across offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Pune, and Hyderabad. As the sixth-largest broker in the country, it has established a strong reputation as a specialist commercial insurance broker, focusing on key areas like liability & specialty, agriculture, health & benefits, aviation, property & construction, and reinsurance. In 2022, Howden obtained approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) to increase its stake in Howden India to 100 per cent, underscoring the company’s dedication to cultivating a leading broking business in the nation. This commitment revolves around fostering enduring client partnerships, investing in talent, and advancing data and technology.