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Tag: Meta India

  • Whatsapp India’s Abhijit Bose and Meta India’s Rajiv Aggarwal step down

    Whatsapp India’s Abhijit Bose and Meta India’s Rajiv Aggarwal step down

    Mumbai: As part of the workforce churn that Meta is undergoing, Whatsapp India head Abhijit Bose and Meta India’s head of public policy Rajiv Aggarwal have called it a day. Noticeably, this piece of news comes close on the heels of the social media conglomerate dismissing 11,000 employees and also the move of Meta India chief Ajit Mohan to Snap.

    Furthermore, WhatsApp India’s director of public policy, Shivnath Thukral, has been appointed director of public policy for Meta India, which includes Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

    As per media reports, Meta India director of partnerships Manish Chopra said in a statement, “Thukral has been an integral part of our public policy team since 2017. In his new role, Thukral will define and lead important policy development initiatives across our apps – Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – in India. We remain committed to our users in India and will continue to contribute meaningfully to the regulatory process that will enable everyone to harness the full potential of India’s digital economy.” 

    Bose took up his role at WhatsApp India in 2019. Aggarwal joined Meta India in September 2021; prior to that, he was head of public policy for Uber in India & South Asia.

    Bose announced his exit on LinkedIn, “It has been a tough week for all of our team at WhatsApp as we had to say goodbye to many amazing teammates last week. Amidst all of this, I just shared some news with our WhatsApp and India teams. It has been planned for a while.”

     “After four amazing years at WhatsApp, I have taken the call to move on from Meta. After a small break, I plan to rejoin the entrepreneurial world,” he goes on.

    Whatsapp head Will Cathcart said in a statement, as per the media, “I want to thank Bose for his tremendous contributions as our first Head of WhatsApp in India. His entrepreneurial drive helped our team deliver new services that have benefited millions of people and businesses. There is so much more WhatsApp can do for India and we’re excited to continue helping advance India’s digital transformation.”

    “Aggarwal has decided to step down from his role at Meta to pursue another opportunity. Over the last year, he has played an important role in leading our policy-led initiatives in areas such as user safety, privacy, and scaling up programmes like Goal to drive digital inclusion in the country. He has also been leading proactive engagement with critical policy and regulatory stakeholders. We are grateful for his contributions and wish him the very best for the future,” said Chopra.

  • Kaumudi Mahajan joins Meta India as head of entertainment partnerships

    Kaumudi Mahajan joins Meta India as head of entertainment partnerships

    Mumbai: In a LinkedIn post, Kaumudi Mahajan announced that she has joined Meta India as head of entertainment partnerships. She also mentioned that last week was her final week at Disney Star, where she held the position of senior vice president of marketing and strategy for Marathi Network. She had spent 14 years with the latter.

    Mahajan says in the LinkedIn post, “When I joined Disney Star straight from campus, I was always amazed by the kind of impact it created on its consumers. Mine was one of the billion imaginations it inspired. It’s when I stepped in – I realised it was because of a passionate team who made it what it is.”

     

     

    “My last seven years at Star Pravah have taught me that with grit and grace, we can win the world. They say it takes a village, I say it takes one large family at Disney Star to see a dream and then chase it until it becomes reality,” she added.

    Talking about her new role at Meta India, Mahajan quips, “Equally, I am looking forward to my next challenge at one of the most innovative companies that helps people connect, build communities, and grow businesses. I am thrilled as I start this new chapter and excited for what the future holds!”

  • 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.

  • Meta India head Ajit Mohan calls it quits

    Meta India head Ajit Mohan calls it quits

    Mumbai: Meta India country leader Ajit Mohan has decided to move on. His resignation comes into immediate effect. Reports suggest that he is all set to join Snap, the social media company.

    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 chief executive officer of Star India’s (now Disney Star’s) video streaming service Hotstar for four years.

    As per reports, Meta vice president of global business group Nicola Mendelsohn said in a statement, “Mohan has decided to step down from his role at Meta to pursue another opportunity outside of the company.”

    “Over the last four years, he has played an important role in shaping and scaling our India operations so they can serve many millions of Indian businesses, partners and people. We remain deeply committed to India and have a strong leadership team in place to carry on all our work and partnerships. We are grateful for Mohan’s leadership and contribution and wish him the very best for the future.” he added.

  • WhatsApp’s privacy campaign ‘It’s coming home’ brings new TVC with star badminton player HS Prannoy

    WhatsApp’s privacy campaign ‘It’s coming home’ brings new TVC with star badminton player HS Prannoy

    Mumbai: On Friday, WhatsApp announced the launch of a new film under its privacy campaign in India. The campaign is focused on message privacy and WhatsApp’s interlocking layers of protection that come together to offer users more control and privacy over their conversations.

    Conceptualised by WhatsApp and directed by Jess Kohl, the second film under the campaign “It’s coming home” features Indian badminton player HS Prannoy, who created history by winning the Thomas Cup title in May this year.

    The film brilliantly depicts the value of privacy and how the team’s WhatsApp group, cleverly named “It’s coming home,” provided them with a secure, private setting where they could not only plan their strategy but also express their emotions in times of self-doubt.

    The film focuses on WhatsApp’s privacy features, such as end-to-end encrypted video calls, privacy settings like last seen, and hidden online presence, which guarantee users the privacy and security to share their most vulnerable moments and life-altering dreams, empowering them to live their dreams in private until they are ready to be shared with the rest of the world.

    The film comes after WhatsApp’s earlier-in-August launch of a global brand campaign that emphasised the messaging app’s built-in layers of privacy protections added over time and how various privacy features enable and empower people to have meaningful conversations in their most vulnerable moments.

    Embed Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCsz33JHUVk

    Speaking about the campaign, Meta India director of marketing Avinash Pant said, “WhatsApp’s mission is to connect the world privately and this campaign highlights the multiple ways we defend privacy so users can feel free and confident with their messages. Through this film, we want to celebrate our national champions who brought home the coveted Thomas Cup and demonstrate how WhatsApp provided them a safe space where they felt empowered to have private conversations even during vulnerable moments because they knew their messages were always protected and secure, no matter where they were. We want to show people the closeness that’s possible with WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection without compromising on the assurance of privacy and personal space to live your dreams in private until they’re ready to be shared with the world.”

    Commenting on the film, Prannoy said, “Being a part of the Thomas Cup squad was an honour, and I knew to win the title as a team, we had to communicate as a team and go through those moments of hardship, emotional vulnerability, and self-doubt together. WhatsApp was that safe space for us where we could have conversations, strategize and share our most private moments, thoughts and ambitions away from the public eye. Every time I looked at the WhatsApp group name “It’s coming home” it gave me the confidence and fervour to make my dreams a reality. In a country that loves cricket, my dream was to make people love badminton as much as I do and to inspire the next generation of players to believe in themselves and the sport.”

  • Uday Shankar & Punit Goenka to speak at APOS 2022

    Uday Shankar & Punit Goenka to speak at APOS 2022

    Mumbai: Former Disney Asia Pacific head Uday Shankar, who has now teamed up with James Murdoch for a JV Bodhi Tree Systems and who is also Marigold Park founder, director, and ZEEL manging director & CEO Punit Goenka, is among the speakers at APOS 2022, which will take place in-person in Singapore at the Capella from 27-29 September 2022. The event will also be streamed, keeping in mind the current COVID situation.

    Created and curated by Media Partners Asia, APOS positions itself as the ultimate destination for deals, partnerships, and thought leadership as industry leaders focus on sustainable growth and investment across content, connectivity, and commerce.

    The other speakers include Meta India VP & MD Ajit Mohan, JIO Platforms group CFO Saurabh Sancheti, Warner Bros. Discovery president, international Gerhard Zeiler, Paramount senior VP, Head of Office and Streaming, Asia Catherine Park, Candle Media co-CEO, founder Kevin Mayer, Prime Video VP, International Kelly Day, Sky NZ CEO Sophie Moloney and YouTube global head of media co partnerships Lori Conkling.

    The key themes are:

    Media Macros: The Long And Short View

    APOS takes the pulse of key APAC markets, providing an outlook on advertising and consumer spending across media with discussions on key drivers and challenges along with secular shifts.

    Streaming’s Sustainability

    2022 will help investors and industry stakeholders assess the scalability of streaming with a laser focus on the sustainability of customer growth, monetisation and the path to profitability. APOS brings global and local perspectives into sharper focus.

    Valuations And Investor Expectations

    TV remains profitable with low growth, while streaming is rapidly growing but unprofitable. What is the inflection point for streaming and the outlook for long-term cash generation? What are the various approaches toward valuations of pure-play streamers, companies in transition, and other proxies?

    Growth of Premium Asian Content

    Korean dramas and Japanese anime drive nearly 40 per cent of premium online video consumption across the region. Production values in Thailand, Indonesia, and other markets continue to improve as budgets increase and broadcasters recoup investments across TV and online. What is the future forecast? Will Korean dramas continue to dominate? Can Japanese anime and other genres grow share? What is the outlook for local dramas in the country and regionally?

    Metaverse Impact

    New applications are being pioneered to drive consumer experiences with growing use cases across gaming, movies, music, TV content, and social connectivity. What will be the impact on consumer engagement and the development of new media franchises?

    Battle for the Living Room

    The growth of smart TVs along with the proliferation of video services has driven demand for aggregation with an emphasis on customer simplicity, improved content search and discovery, and efficient payment. 2022 will see competition for the living room escalate amongst internet & technology giants and telcos & pay-TV operators. What does customer success look like in key markets and what compelling use cases are emerging?

    Scalability of Premium AVOD

    TV broadcasters and regional platforms are capitalising on CTV growth, local IP, and attractive demos to help shape the premium AVOD market in major Asia-Pacific markets. How are the dynamics playing out amongst key stakeholders and what will drive future growth?

    Expanding the Creator Economy

    What are the latest innovations and emerging technologies expanding the creator economy as platforms and advertisers look to next-gen content creators to reach new audiences and build engagement? How are key platforms investing in monetization engines and unique platform features to drive new revenue streams that sustain creator ecosystems internationally and in large local markets in APAC?

    Recalibration of Sports

    After pandemic-induced lockdowns in 2020-21, rights fees experienced a correction; is market demand returning to pre-Covid levels, and if so, which markets and franchises benefit and which lag? How are distribution dynamics and drivers changing with the growth of online video?

    Telco State of Nation

    Telco strategy and investor focus across key markets are being driven by 5G and mobile consolidation. What catalysts across consumer, enterprise, and other key verticals will drive value creation for telcos in 2022 and beyond?

    New Normal for Movies

    2022 box office is still relatively depressed in most markets. When will demand snap back and what role will streaming continue to play? How are exhibitors, studios, and production houses positioning themselves? How are investors reacting?

    Optimising Content and the Video Experience

    How are new technologies helping platforms optimise customer experiences across content and connectivity? What applications are helping companies thrive in a highly competitive video landscape with content personalisation, targeted advertising, and the overall consumer experience?

  • Meta launches 3D avatars for facebook, instagram & messenger users

    Meta launches 3D avatars for facebook, instagram & messenger users

    Mumbai: Meta has launched on Tuesday updated 3D Avatars in India for Facebook and Messenger. The new avatars will also be available on Instagram. The new avatars are expressive, customizable and diverse.  

    The new update adds Cochlear implants and over-the-ear hearing aids (for one or both ears) in a variety of colors, and on all platforms including VR. It also includes wheelchairs, which will appear in stickers on Facebook, in Messenger chats and in DMs on Instagram. Meta will continue to add more options over time based on feedback from the community.

    With this development, people in India can show up as their virtual self across apps via stickers, feed posts, facebook profile pictures, and more.

    To better reflect the billions of unique people on this planet, Meta is adding new facial shapes and assistive devices for people with disabilities. Meta is also improving the look of Avatars. Subtle adjustments have been made to certain facial shapes and skin shaders to make avatars more authentic.

    While speaking on the launch of new avatars, Meta India director and head partnerships Manish Chopra said, “Representations in the metaverse should reflect the diversity of the real world. Avatars are just the first step toward enabling everyone to express themselves in their unique ways. When you create your avatar you can choose the right facial features, body types, clothing styles, and more to create your virtual self. We offered more than one quintillion different combinations when we launched our updated avatars last year, and we’re continuing to add more options to give people even more ways to express themselves.”