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Tag: Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd

  • Kondur climbs to director Times Experiences

    Kondur climbs to director Times Experiences

    MUMBAI: Sundar Kondur has announced his move to Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. (The Times of India), taking on the role of director – Times Experiences. This appointment marks a significant shift for Kondur, a seasoned sales professional, into the realm of experiential events, where he promises to weave “logic of numbers with magic of ideas,”.

    Kondur’s ascent within the Times group is notable. He previously held senior positions, including senior vice president and regional head – south, where he consistently delivered strong sales performance. 

    Before his tenure at the Times group, Kondur held a vice president – advertising sales role at Kasturi & Sons, Ltd., where he was responsible for national sales at The Hindu. There, he is credited with achieving record revenue growth and recruiting a substantial number of new advertisers, contributing to the company’s turnaround.

    His earlier stint at the Times group included a long tenure as vice president and response head, where he oversaw advertising sales for various publications, including Vijay Karnataka and Bangalore Mirror. He also served as publisher and general manager at Mid Day, launching the Bangalore edition and driving significant revenue growth.

  • Sanjeev Kulkarni appointed as VP & national sales head at Pudhari Publications

    Sanjeev Kulkarni appointed as VP & national sales head at Pudhari Publications

    MUMBAI: Sanjeev Kulkarni has been appointed as vice president & national head – sales & marketing at Pudhari Publications Pvt. Ltd. In his new role, he will spearhead sales and marketing efforts across print, television, FM, and outdoor media, focusing on expanding market presence and driving business growth.

    Kulkarni, with over 25 years of experience, previously at VRL Media served as vice president – sales, marketing & business development, publisher of Karnataka’s Vijayavani. During his 11-year tenure, he led advertising sales and brand marketing for Vijayavani, Dighvijay 24×7 News Channel, and Vijayavani.net.

    Prior to VRL, at Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. (The Times of India Group) as general manager – west head, overseeing revenue generation across Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh. His expertise in market expansion, innovative advertising strategies, and brand building has significantly contributed to his success in the media sector.

    Kulkarni’s journey in media sales began at VPL Printers & Publishers, where he played a pivotal role in advertising revenue growth for nearly eight years. Recognised as a team builder and market strategist, he has consistently delivered impactful client solutions, boosting revenue and market share for prominent publications.  
     

  • Vidhu Aul joins Responsible AI UK as partnerships manager

    Vidhu Aul joins Responsible AI UK as partnerships manager

    MUMBAI:  Vidhu Aul has been appointed partnerships manager at Responsible AI UK, where she will contribute to advancing ethical AI development, evaluation, and governance through strategic research-led initiatives.

    Aul brings over 15 years of diverse experience spanning communications, partnerships, community outreach, content creation, sustainability, and stakeholder engagement. Her impressive career journey includes roles at leading organisations such as Watatawa, NVPC, Edelman, BBC, and Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. (The Times of India).

    During her five-year tenure at the BBC, she played a pivotal role in driving media partnerships and outreach initiatives for the dynamic South Asian market. She also led a global presenter publicity and brand positioning project during a secondment to BBC’s London headquarters, enhancing the broadcaster’s visibility in India.

    Aul’s independent consulting work further includes collaborations with Ogilvy Singapore, United Way Mumbai, CNN Create, and FSG. Her contributions extend to volunteer work with Futerra, UN Women Singapore, and the Singapore Tourism Board.

    Beyond communications, Aul has explored the transformative potential of AI for small and medium enterprises, focusing on enhancing product development and profitability. Her passion for digital innovation aligns with her recent certification in applied generative AI for digital transformation from MIT and SEO/SEM strategies from the London Business School.

    A passionate traveller, Aul has authored travel features for CNN, The Straits Times, Conde Nast Traveler, India Today, and other prestigious publications across Asia.

    Aul holds a double major in psychology and anthropology from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, along with a postgraduate diploma in social communication media. She is currently pursuing a part-time master’s degree in digital culture and society at King’s College London, set to conclude in 2026.

    Her appointment at Responsible AI UK marks a significant step as the organisation strengthens its mission to harness AI for ethical and responsible solutions.

  • Bikash Kundu transitions to JioStar as head of agency partnerships

    Bikash Kundu transitions to JioStar as head of agency partnerships

    MUMBAI: Bikash Kundu has moved on to JioStar as the  head of agency partnership, effective January 2025, from Viacom18 Media, following its merger with Star India. 

    Kundu held senior leadership positions at Viacom18 Media, where he spent 17 years. Most recently, he served as the senior vice president & head of revenue (regional entertainment), overseeing revenue operations for 14 regional channels across six languages. He also previously led sales and syndication for Viacom18’s kids cluster.

    With over 23 years of diverse experience in the media and entertainment industry, Kundu has  a wealth of expertise across broadcasting, digital, print, and advertising domains.

    Kundu’s extensive career spans reputed organisations such as Sahara One Media, UTV-Disney, Satyam Infoway, India.com, and Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. His professional journey has covered various stages of business growth, including startups, steady-state enterprises, hyper-growth phases, and mergers and acquisitions.

    Known for his strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability, Kundu is highly regarded as a leader who builds and mentors high-performance teams. His innovative approach and unwavering commitment to integrity have defined his career trajectory.

    Kundu is a postgraduate in marketing management from the Times School of Marketing and holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Delhi University.

  • Aabha Sachdev joins Times of India Metro Supplements as brand head

    Aabha Sachdev joins Times of India Metro Supplements as brand head

    Mumbai: Moving on from the position of the head of corporate marketing at Sony Pictures Networks India, Aabha Sachdev has announced that she has joined Times of India Metro Supplements as brand head.

    The announcement was made through her LinkedIn post that said: “Looking forward to working and learning from great industry stalwarts in this institution called ‘Times of India’.”

    She brings over 21 years of in-depth experience in the media industry. She is a marketing leader who specializes in developing and executing marketing, PR, and brand association strategies for television and Bollywood film business. She did her MBA in marketing from the University of Pune and a certificate in digital marketing from Columbia Business School.

    At SPNI, she successfully launched and promoted several popular shows and movies and is passionate about creating engaging and innovative campaigns that connect with the audience and drive business growth. Her earlier stints include Disney UTV Studios, and Disney Star.

  • Jigsaw Brand Consultants shortlisted for Transform Asia Awards 2023

    Jigsaw Brand Consultants shortlisted for Transform Asia Awards 2023

    Mumbai: Strategic branding consultancy, Jigsaw Brand Consultants, founded by academician turned consultant Rutu Mody Kamdar, has been shortlisted for its remarkable work with Bennett Coleman Pvt Ltd and Mankind Pharma at The Transform Awards Asia 2023.

    Regarded as the only awards program globally that recognises best practices in corporate, product, and global brand development work, this year’s shortlist represents an exciting depth and breadth of transformative rebranding and brand development projects.

    Jigsaw Brand Consultants, a leading player in the world of brand strategy and design, is delighted to be a part of the esteemed nomination list, which includes the likes of Siegel+Gale, Design Bridge and Partners, YLAB, MetaDesign China Ltd, among several others from the Asia Region.

    With its holistic and integrative approach, Jigsaw has worked extensively with Bennett Coleman Pvt Ltd and Mankind Pharma and has been shortlisted in the following categories for the work done with them in the past year:

    Best development of a new brand within an existing brand portfolio: PregaHope & PregaHappy (Mankind Pharma).

    Best brand architecture solution: Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd for Times Professional Learning.

    Jigsaw founder Rutu Mody Kamdar said, “It is a true honor to be acknowledged by this year’s Transform judges. At Jigsaw, we take on every challenge that comes our way—digging deep into the brand’s requirements, researching and discovering real insights to provide relevant strategic direction, and finally ensuring the correct brand positioning and identity. We are involved from start to finish through the brand’s journey. It is indeed a proud moment for us to be recognized on a global platform for our work alongside big industry players and other brands.”

    Jigsaw is one of the first consultancies in the country to successfully integrate the disciplines of research, strategic brand planning, and design into an integrated practice. Their clients also include the likes of Unilever, Godrej, Tata Consumer, Reliance Retail, J&J, Welspun, Marico, Rustomjee, among several others.

    The Transform Asia Awards ceremony will once again take place in Shanghai and will be hosted on 20 November at W Shanghai – The Bund. Every entry into this year’s Transform Awards has been scrupulously examined by its panel of expert judges. The 2023 batch of judges, who were asked to focus particularly on a project’s creativity, innovation, strategic excellence, and implementation, hailed from a wide variety of organizations, including The Coca-Cola Company, Google, and Intel India.

  • Lemma ropes in Puneet Biyani as company president

    Lemma ropes in Puneet Biyani as company president

    Mumbai: Lemma, an independent supply-side platform for digital out-of-home, announced the appointment of Puneet Biyani as company president. He will take on his new role immediately and be a key contributor to enhancing Lemma’s global footprint.

    Biyani joins Lemma with over two decades of experience in business operations, finance, international marketing, and strategy. His most recent stint was with Times OOH, a subsidiary of Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.

    As president, Biyani will work closely with the board and the leadership team across APAC and other regions to craft the company’s business growth vision and expansion strategy into global markets. He will also oversee finance, business planning, process automation, fundraising, & business operations for Lemma across all markets.

    Having spent the larger part of his career with The Times of India Group, Biyani has extensive out-of-home advertising experience. He held the position of chief financial officer for Times Innovative Media Ltd. (Times OOH) while also leading their Mauritius business.

    Biyani has worked with global organisations like Price Waterhouse and Goldman Sachs. On the academic front, he is a gold-medal-winning chartered accountant and Harvard Business School alumnus.

    Lemma has become the go-to platform for enabling programmatic buying of out-of-home (OOH) media by a wide range of clients, including top digital media agencies, advertising giants, and major brands around the world today.

    On joining Lemma, Biyani said, “I am really excited to be part of this amazing team. Lemma has been a pioneer in the digital advertising segment. I look forward to working closely with the team on the exciting journey ahead. The space is bound to expand rapidly, and on the technology front, Lemma is well positioned to lead and shape the development.”

    “Having Biyani onboard as company president at Lemma will inject a new level of energy and innovative thinking to help accelerate the company’s growth and attain our vision of transforming DOOH into mainstream digital as we enter a new phase of scaling business,” said Lemma founder & CEO Gulab Patil.

    Patil adds, “His expertise aligns perfectly with our business expansion plan as we continue to strengthen our technology and team globally and enhance our programmatic DOOH presence.”

    Biyani will be based out of Lemma’s Delhi office and will serve as the liaison between all teams and markets from the capital city.

  • CRED founder Kunal Shah joins the board of Pine Labs

    CRED founder Kunal Shah joins the board of Pine Labs

    Mumbai: Merchant commerce platform Pine Labs on Tuesday announced the appointment of CRED founder Kunal Shah to the company’s board.

    “Kunal joins a marquee set of investors, advisors, and other visionary board members who are all committed to take Pine Labs to newer heights. Kunal’s deep understanding of the consumer business will be invaluable to us as we explore new opportunities and step into our next phase of growth,” said Pine Labs CEO, B Amrish Rau.

    Shah is an entrepreneur and an investor. He has nearly 100 investments across financial services, consumer, and technology. “An ardent believer in the role of financial well-being in driving progress, Kunal actively promotes and participates in financial literacy, wealth-creation, and female workforce participation initiatives in India and around the world,” the company said in a statement.

    Shah has been an advisor to the board of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd (Times of India), the chairman of the Internet and Mobile Association of India, and an advisor to Sequoia Capital India. Before CRED, Kunal founded Freecharge.

    “The pandemic has catalysed behaviour change among consumers, merchants, and institutions that will drive the fintech sector,” Kunal Shah stated. “Shaping this transformation for the benefit of all stakeholders is a collective responsibility. Pine Labs is a player in digital payments adoption and joining its board is an opportunity to contribute to the ecosystem.” 

  • Hector Kenneth Kumar joins Times Now as managing editor

    Hector Kenneth Kumar joins Times Now as managing editor

    MUMBAI: In the changing dynamics at Times Now, there has been a re-framing of sorts. After the much-talked departure of prime time host and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, the channel roped in former senior editor Rahul Shivshankar as the chief editor.

    Now, in a recent development, NewsX managing editor Hector Kenneth Kumar has joined Times Now as managing editor. Kumar is an engineering graduate from MIT Manipal University, who worked briefly as an engineer before venturing into the mainstream media. He was a member of the core team of Times Now’s launch. His contributions took the editorial function of the channel to new heights as he is skilled in aligning business goals with the news strategy of the organisation.

    Times Now MD and CEO MK Anand confirmed the development to indiantelevision.com. Kumar who joined Times Now in mid-December, was earlier with NewsX for a short stint from September 2016.

    This would be Shivshankar’s and Kumar’s second stints with the network after six years and three months, respectively. Rahul had earlier worked as the senior editor of Times Now and the executive editor of Headlines Today (TV Today Network).

    On the other front, Arnab has made the much-awaited announcement of his next venture, named ‘Republic’.

    According to people familiar with parleys leading up to his resignation, Arnab left Times Now following differences with its owners, the Jains – Sameer, Vineet and Raj – of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. On his plans, Arnab had said, “Independent media is going to thrive, the game has just begun.”

    With newsmen from NewsX hopping onto Times Now, it would be interesting to see how the former deals with the changing times. Times Now for its part has been slightly ahead of competition in the recent past and it all began with Arnab leading the charge with his firebrand version of heated TV debates.

  • Hector Kenneth Kumar joins Times Now as managing editor

    Hector Kenneth Kumar joins Times Now as managing editor

    MUMBAI: In the changing dynamics at Times Now, there has been a re-framing of sorts. After the much-talked departure of prime time host and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, the channel roped in former senior editor Rahul Shivshankar as the chief editor.

    Now, in a recent development, NewsX managing editor Hector Kenneth Kumar has joined Times Now as managing editor. Kumar is an engineering graduate from MIT Manipal University, who worked briefly as an engineer before venturing into the mainstream media. He was a member of the core team of Times Now’s launch. His contributions took the editorial function of the channel to new heights as he is skilled in aligning business goals with the news strategy of the organisation.

    Times Now MD and CEO MK Anand confirmed the development to indiantelevision.com. Kumar who joined Times Now in mid-December, was earlier with NewsX for a short stint from September 2016.

    This would be Shivshankar’s and Kumar’s second stints with the network after six years and three months, respectively. Rahul had earlier worked as the senior editor of Times Now and the executive editor of Headlines Today (TV Today Network).

    On the other front, Arnab has made the much-awaited announcement of his next venture, named ‘Republic’.

    According to people familiar with parleys leading up to his resignation, Arnab left Times Now following differences with its owners, the Jains – Sameer, Vineet and Raj – of Bennett Coleman & Co Ltd. On his plans, Arnab had said, “Independent media is going to thrive, the game has just begun.”

    With newsmen from NewsX hopping onto Times Now, it would be interesting to see how the former deals with the changing times. Times Now for its part has been slightly ahead of competition in the recent past and it all began with Arnab leading the charge with his firebrand version of heated TV debates.