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Tag: Kunal Kishore

  • Communications veteran moves to realise Value 360’s growth ambitions

    Communications veteran moves to realise Value 360’s growth ambitions

    NEW DELHI: Abhishek Dikshit, a communications specialist with over 20 years of experience crafting narratives for global brands, has joined Value 360 as vice-president. The appointment signals the PR firm’s intent to accelerate its evolution from challenger to trusted partner in India’s competitive communications landscape.

    Dikshit arrives from Kaizzen, where he spent four years as associate vice-president leading campaigns for healthcare, IT, energy and infrastructure clients. His portfolio included high-profile mandates for CMRI Hospital, Cairn Energy, FabIndia and BM Birla, among others.

    The new hire brings particular expertise in crisis management—a skill that earned his previous firm PR Professionals two golds. His crisis communication blueprint helped clients navigate reputational challenges whilst maintaining stakeholder trust.

    Before his agency stint,  Dikshit spent over four years at Amway India, where he led corporate communications across north India. His CSR initiatives there earned him the company’s regional trophy for three consecutive years and a spot representing India at Amway’s global CSR summit in Michigan in 2013.

    His career spans blue-chip clients including Google, Intel, Volkswagen, Canon and TataSky. At 20:20 Media, he orchestrated regional campaigns across 10 states, amplifying brand visibility for technology and automotive brands in tier-one and emerging markets.

    The appointment comes as Value 360 seeks to capitalise on India’s growing demand for strategic communications. The firm, led by Kunal Kishore, Gaurav Patra and Manisha Chaudhary, has built its reputation on what it calls a “will do” culture—emphasising execution over promises.

    Dikshit holds a postgraduate diploma in mass communication from Jaipuria Institute of Management and is certified in digital marketing. His approach combines traditional storytelling with data-driven strategy, tailored for diverse audience ecosystems across traditional, digital and owned media platforms.

    “In a world full of noise, the power of communication lies in crafting clarity that connects,” Dikshit said, outlining his philosophy as he settles into his new role.

  • Value 360 goes public with a plot twist

    Value 360 goes public with a plot twist

    MUMBAI: Just before it hits the stock market, Value 360 Communications has dropped a blockbuster announcement. The 18-year-old PR and brand-building firm is joining forces with filmmaker and AI trailblazer Vivek Anchalia to launch a generative AI-powered creative studio — a bold move meant to future-proof its business as it eyes an IPO on the SME Exchange.

    The upcoming studio blends the art of storytelling with the speed of generative tech, promising personalised, high-volume content for brands across platforms — and with a lot less fuss. It’s Value 360’s way of telling the market (and its future shareholders) that it’s not just keeping up with change, it’s helping write the next chapter.

    Vivek Anchalia, the man behind India’s first AI-generated feature film Naisha and co-writer of Netflix’s Rajma Chawal, will lead the creative direction of the studio. Anchalia, who also helms the AI-first content company Amazing Indian Stories, called AI “a force multiplier for creativity” that can help brands scale content without killing the soul of storytelling.

    “This new AI-powered creative studio reflects Value 360’s larger vision to not just participate, but actively lead the evolution of communications, marketing, and storytelling,” said Value 360 Communications Ltd group CEO & co-founder Kunal Kishore. “As we enter the public markets, we want to demonstrate to our investors, clients, and partners that our growth strategy is rooted in innovation, agility, and anticipating what modern brands will demand over the next decade.”

    The studio will sit within Value 360’s growing ecosystem, complementing its PR, influencer, media, and digital services with on-demand, AI-generated creative muscle — perfect for brands racing against the content clock.

    “AI is not a threat to creativity, it’s a force multiplier,” said Anchalia. “Together, we are building a model that enables brands to scale quality content like never before, while preserving creative integrity. This is the future of storytelling, and I’m excited to build this vision alongside Value 360.”

    The announcement lands just weeks before Value 360 is expected to file its Draft Red Herring Prospectus, kicking off the countdown to its IPO. The company, now transitioning from a scrappy startup to a listed firm, is banking on innovation-led growth — and it’s betting big on AI to lead the charge.

    Because if content is still king, AI might just be the new crown.

  • Value 360 locks in Keshav Shanbhag as CFO for upcoming public listing

    Value 360 locks in Keshav Shanbhag as CFO for upcoming public listing

    MUMBAI: A company on the brink of a public listing needs a steady hand at the financial wheel enter Keshav Shanbhag, Value 360 Communications’ newly appointed as CFO. The firm prepares to make history as the first publicly listed PR company in the country, Shanbhag’s arrival signals a strategic push towards financial strength and investor confidence.

    The timing couldn’t be more significant. Value 360 Communications recently closed Its pre-IPO investment round, attracting heavyweight investors including film star Huma Qureshi and is set to file its Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) for its SME IPO. In this high-stakes moment, Shanbhag will oversee financial strategy, investor relations, and corporate governance, ensuring a smooth ascent to the stock market.

    With over 17 years of experience, Shanbhag isn’t new to the high-pressure world of IPOs, mergers, and turnarounds. He’s played pivotal roles at MCX, IN10 Media, and Dentsu Aegis Network, financial strategies that drove business transformations. His work at MCX, in particular, made waves when he spearheaded the company’s IPO, bagging the title of best mid-cap equity deal in the APAC region and earning himself the coveted most valuable player award.

    Value 360 Communications group CEO & co-founder Kunal Kishore said, “Bringing Keshav on board as CFO marks a strategic advancement in our journey. His proven expertise in managing IPOs, M&A transactions, and driving business transformation perfectly complements our ambitious five-year growth strategy. We are confident his management will be instrumental in creating substantial value for our stakeholders as we work toward scaling our operations exponentially as we complete 20 years of operations in 2027.”

    Shanbhag himself is no stranger to high-stakes financial management. Speaking about his new role, he remarked, “I’m honoured to join Value 360 Communications at such a transformative juncture in its corporate journey. The opportunity to steer the company’s financial strategy as it prepares for its public listing represents a unique challenge. I look forward to leveraging my experience in capital markets and investor relations to advance Value 360 Communications’ position as the market pioneer in integrated communications, while delivering exceptional value to our clients, stakeholders, and future shareholders.”

    Value 360 Communications isn’t just preparing for an IPO it’s gearing up for exponential growth. The company’s five-year roadmap focuses on expanding operations, investing in technology, enhancing capacity, and pursuing strategic acquisitions. Its impressive client roster already features Tata Motors, Pernod Ricard, Kia Motors, Skoda, Fedex, Digi Yatra, Poco, Zupee, Mondelez, Audi India, and Easemytrip, among others.

    With Shanbhag at the financial helm, the company is set to break barriers, redefine communications, and make waves on the stock market.

  • Value 360 Communications appoints Archana Hindocha to lead Bangalore

    Value 360 Communications appoints Archana Hindocha to lead Bangalore

    MUMBAI: What’s the secret to turning a good PR firm into a great one? Leadership.

    As part of its ambitious growth strategy for 2025, Value 360 Communications has named Archana Hindocha as the head of its Bangalore operations. This bold move signals the first step in the company’s plans to achieve hypergrowth, geographic expansion, and a deeper dive into new industry capabilities.

    With a stellar career spanning over 20 years, Hindocha is no stranger to steering big brands towards communication success. Her impressive resume includes leading strategies for titans like Wipro Technologies, Bharti AXA General Insurance, Bosch, Dell, and AWS. Whether it’s corporate communications, PR, or marketing strategy, Archana’s track record speaks volumes.

    Her mission at Value 360? To anchor and amplify the firm’s presence in South India, a region rich with opportunities but fiercely competitive. Armed with a deep understanding of business development and marketing, Hindocha is well-positioned to take the Bangalore office to new heights.

    Commenting on this key appointment, Value 360 Communications group CEO & co-founder & joint CEO, Kunal Kishore stated, “Value 360 Communications is at a critical inflection point as we prepare to unlock our next phase of accelerated growth. The year 2025 will witness our hypergrowth strategy in action, with a sharp focus on geographical expansion, industry diversification, and capability building. Archana’s appointment is a strategic step in this journey, and we are confident that her experience and leadership will drive our Bangalore operations to new heights.”

    But what does Hindocha think of this challenge? She’s thrilled to take the reins.
    “I am thrilled to join Value 360 Communications at such a transformative time in the company’s journey. The firm’s vision, client-centric approach, and innovative strategies resonate deeply with my professional values. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to the company’s ambitious growth plans and deliver impactful communication solutions for our clients in South India,” she said.

    With a client roster boasting big names like Kia India, Tata Motors, Pernod Ricard, Audi India, Mondelez, and EaseMyTrip, Value 360 isn’t just playing to win—they’re redefining the game. The company plans to expand its footprint across key regions while boosting its capabilities in emerging industry verticals.

    In an industry where adaptability and vision are everything, strong leadership isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the difference between staying relevant and becoming indispensable. Will Value 360’s bold strategy set a new benchmark for PR and communications in India? Only time will tell, but the pieces are certainly in place.

  • PRCAI introduces an industry-first story telling convention

    PRCAI introduces an industry-first story telling convention

    The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) will host the inaugural edition of PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India on 4 September 2024 at The Leela, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi, inviting 20 key opinion leaders, 100 plus C-suite leaders and top communicators to co-create the new narrative of the nation, as India marches towards the centennial independence celebrations in 2047. The convention underscores the critical importance of compelling narratives for inspiring change, fostering innovation, and contributing to the country’s growth.

    The public relations industry is witnessing continued growth and upward trajectory, estimated at Rs 2500 crores in FY 2023, registering double digit growth year-on-year and employing more than 14,000 people in the organized sector. The industry is gaining increased recognition by CEO and C-Suite community. According to SPRINT 2023, the private sector, startup economy, and unicorns are fuelling PR industry’s growth, the C-suite is increasingly recognizing PR and communications as a driving function rather than just an enabler. Eight out of 10 respondents said that India Inc. leadership is working closely with their corporate communications team to devise strategies for brand communication, while 80 per cent of corporate communications head report directly to the CEOs.

    “PRana 2024 is a movement aimed at harnessing the power of aspirational narratives to drive our nation’s progress with two significant stakeholders –  business leaders and reputation custodians. I am certain that the insights shared amongst these stakeholders will not only shape the future of public relations in India but will also contribute to the global discourse on reputation management and storytelling.” said PRCAI CEO Deeptie Sethi.

    “From our ancient epics to modern narratives of innovation, India has always been the land of storytelling. As we approach India@100, there could be no better way for the PR industry to celebrate our rich heritage and aspirational future. PRana 2024 is more than just an initiative; it’s a celebration of storytelling, our thriving tradition on a global stage. Well-crafted narratives can inspire change, transform mindsets, and drive meaningful change, and this is the power of strategic communication that we will harness through PRana 2024. As our industry continues to grow and gain strategic importance across sectors, we look forward to crafting compelling narratives that will resonate with our global ambitions,” said PRCAI VP Kunal Kishore.

    Inspired by the global trend of shorter speeches which are gaining popularity reflects how people consume information in today’s fast-paced world, the convention introduced a brand-new speech format called ‘300Wise’, where speakers will deliver concise, high-impact visionary speeches in five minutes. Influential key opinion leaders will share their vision for India@100 at the public relations convention themed PRana 2024: Shaping the Story of India centred around how powerful ideas can positively impact four pivotal pillars of reputation centred around Leadership and Vision, Emotional Quotient, Country Economics and Social Elevation. Business leaders including Nadir Godrej, Chairman & MD of Godrej Industries, Ritesh Agarwal, CEO & Founder of OYO Rooms, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, MD & CEO of the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE), Bhairavi Jani, Chairperson of SCA Group of Companies; Captain Indraani Singh, Founder of Literacy India; Chhavi Rajawat, First MBA Sarpanch, Devdutt Pattanaik, Author, Guneet Monga, Academy Award-Winning Filmmaker, Kapil Sibal, Lawyer & Politician, Vineet Nayar, Founder of Sampark Foundation, Licypriya Kangujam, Climate Activist, Manish Sharma, Chairman of Panasonic Life Solutions India and South Asia; and Supriya Paul, Co-Founder and CEO of Josh Talks amongst others. Each track will be facilitated by notable guests from the media to help co-curate the India narrative.

    During the story convention, PRCAI will unveil a whitepaper ‘IndiaKiAshaa’ sharing India’s hopes and aspirations. The whitepaper will outline what India can achieve in the next five years which will positively impact it’s brand reputation. The insights shared are culled from over 185,000 responses from 40,000 plus unique citizens located in 394 districts of India. The research is focused on key areas such as sustainability, geopolitical influence, infrastructure, healthcare, ease of living in cities, growth and prosperity, quality education, skilling, technology and innovation and communications, giving a perspective of evolving national narrative of India’s progress and its future trajectory. 

  • EaseMyTrip partners with Value 360 Communications; gives away its PR-related activities

    EaseMyTrip partners with Value 360 Communications; gives away its PR-related activities

    Mumbai: The leading travel tech company EaseMyTrip has entrusted the New Delhi-based PR firm Value 360 Communications as their public and media relations partner.  

    The agency will be responsible for strategic planning and meticulous management of all PR-related activities for EaseMyTrip.

    From FY’20 till FY’22, EaseMyTrip grew its profit at 78 per cent CAGR thus reflecting its impeccable track record of achieving sustainable growth in the travel sector. Consequently growing via word of mouth, the company undertook several technology-led innovations to increase its operational efficiency. Furthermore, EaseMyTrip achieved another milestone by joining the elite club of India’s first hundred unicorns while remaining bootstrapped and consistently profitable.

    The company remained profitable even during the pandemic times, highlighting the resilience of its highly efficient cost infrastructure and business model. After establishing a key foothold in the air ticket industry, EaseMyTrip started focusing on expanding its non-air verticals. The company strategically gained inorganic growth by acquiring innovative companies across diverse travel segments and evolving into a complete travel ecosystem.

    Speaking on the association, EaseMyTrip CEO and co-founder Nishant Pitti said, “Over the past 14 years, EaseMyTrip has taken pride in being a customer-centric company and has focused on efficiently catering to the rising needs of customers and offering a wide range of value-added services, a practice that has remained unhampered during the course of the pandemic as well. We are excited to have Value 360 Communications as our PR firm and confident to achieve new heights with their set of expertise in the field of PR. Together, we aim at creating focused and robust PR campaigns that will help in developing consumer-centric and engaging communications.”

    Excited about the partnership, Value 360 Communications founder and director Kunal Kishore said, “We are pleased to begin our alliance with EaseMyTrip for the mandate of Public Relations. EaseMyTrip is a self-made company which completely bootstrapped itself till IPO. They are the pioneers in the online travel industry and are directed to become the only trusted travel company backed with technology. We intend to collaborate for some amazing work together and creating campaigns that are resourceful, innovative, and stimulating and support them to achieve their communication objectives.’’

  • Value 360 communications to manage the PR mandate for Sony LIV

    Value 360 communications to manage the PR mandate for Sony LIV

    MUMBAI: Sony LIV, the online entertainment destination, owned and operated by Multi Screen Media (MSM), has appointed Value 360 Communications as its official PR agency in India. Sony LIV is the latest addition to the list of industry leaders for whom the leading PR firm offers communications strategy and messaging services.

    Sony Pictures Television (SPT) backs Multi Screen Media Private Limited, which is one of India’s leading television network. It comprises of Sony Entertainment Television (SET), one of India’s leading Hindi general entertainment television channels; MAX, India’s premium Hindi movies and special events channel; SAB, a family comedy entertainment channel; PIX, the English movie channel; MIX a refreshing Hindi music channel, SIX, India’s Premier Sports Entertainment Channel and Sony LIV, the digital channel. Multi-Screen Media’s channels are available across the Globe and influence over 400 million viewers in the Indian sub-continent, and the South Asian Diaspora worldwide.

    Value 360 Communications founder director Kunal Kishore commented, “We are extremely pleased to be the partner of choice for a marquee brand like Sony LIV, an ahead-of-the-curve player in the digital entertainment space. Our key objective would be to establish thought leadership, carve a distinctive niche for the brand in the Video-On-Demand market in India and create top of mind recall amongst their target set of consumers. At Value 360, we have a team of expert consultants working in diverse areas of public relations, from traditional media to new media. We hope to successfully align this expertise into the work that we do for Sony LIV”

    Commenting on the new development, Sony Entertainment Network executive VP – New Media, Business Development and Digital/Syndication Nitesh Kripalani said, “Digital entertainment industry is on a high-growth trajectory and we are focused to establish Sony LIV as the most innovative Video On Demand Service provider that offers world class viewing experience to its users all across the world. Our motive is to fortify our position in the Indian market with a well entrenched consumer connect strategy. We chose Value 360 Communications as our preferred partner owing to the agency’s extensive experience and expertise in managing digital businesses.”