Tag: MICA

Nestlé appoints Anisha Tandon as global content manager for Maggi

AMSTERDAM: Nestlé has named Anisha Tandon global content manager for Maggi, giving the FMCG veteran the mandate to scale storytelling for one of the world’s most recognisable food brands. Based in Vevey, Switzerland, Tandon takes on the role as part of a mission assignment after leading digital transformation for Maggi across Asia, Oceania and Africa.

Tandon, an MBA from Mica, cut her teeth at Hindustan Times and Naukri.com before moving through senior marketing roles at Flipkart and cult.fit. At Nestlé she has spent more than four years building the digital playbook for Maggi, consolidating content studios across 14 key markets, pushing martech integration, and experimenting with generative AI to sharpen consumer engagement.

She has been credited with driving efficiency in content production, building ecommerce depth, and crafting digital-first campaigns that marry cultural nuance with operational scale.

“My focus has always been consumer-first storytelling that delivers business results,” Tandon wrote in a LinkedIn post announcing her new role.

With experience spanning e-commerce growth, brand campaigns, content ecosystems and performance marketing, Tandon’s appointment signals Nestlé’s intent to double down on platform-native, insight-driven content for Maggi’s global growth.

September 10, 2025
Gautam Jain takes charge as lead of content development at Sony Sab

MUMBAI – Gautam Jain has been appointed lead, content development, at Sony SAB, part of Sony Pictures Networks India. A media and entertainment hand with more than 17 years in the trade, Jain has built his career across content strategy, marketing, consumer insights and business growth.

He has previously helmed consulting projects at Amenic Entertainment and spent over a decade at Ormax Media, where he rose to partner and business head of film. Earlier, he worked with Mirchi Movies on production, marketing and distribution.

Armed with a PGDM from Mica and an engineering degree from Walchand Institute of Technology, Jain is known for driving innovation and expansion—delivering a 25 per cent compound annual growth rate in revenue on past mandates.

At Sony SAB, he is expected to channel that experience into shaping new stories for the general entertainment channel.

August 16, 2025
Brijesh Magoo takes the reins as national programming head at Ishq FM

MUMBAI — Radio maven Brijesh Magoo is back in the national saddle. The award-winning content strategist and brand innovation specialist has been named national programming head at 104.8 Ishq FM, marking a sharp career pivot after a year steering the Mumbai unit as creative lead and programming head.

Magoo, a Mica postgraduate with over 18 years of experience across radio, TV and digital, is best known for crafting advertiser-funded IPs that blur the lines between storytelling and sales. From sharp copy to immersive campaigns, he’s built a reputation for fusing creativity with commercial impact.

Before his latest elevation, Magoo held a series of high-impact roles at Ishq FM, climbing from Mumbai programming head to national creative lead. Prior to that, he spent six years at Red FM, where he rose from executive producer to assistant programming head. His early stints at Media2win, 9X Media and Jack in the Box Worldwide further honed his blend of copywriting and brand thinking.

Expect the beats at Ishq to get bolder.

July 18, 2025
In Loving Memory of Bhaskar Das

MUMBAI: The media world mourns the loss of Bhaskar Das, or BD as he was known, a beloved and influential media professional, who passed away this morning at Breach Candy Hospital after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was gracefully advancing through his 72nd year. Despite the doctors’ grim prognosis and the family’s emotional struggle over the past weeks, Bhaskar’s indomitable spirit remained a source of inspiration for many until his final moments.

BD’s impressive career spanned over four decades, beginning as a management trainee in 1980 and culminating in senior leadership roles in some of the industry’s most prestigious organizations. His journey included transformative years at Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd (BCCL), where he played a pivotal role in propelling the company into a powerhouse, alongside his esteemed boss, mentor, and friend, Pradeep Guha, who predeceased him in 2021.

BD’s professional accolades are a testament to his extraordinary talent and dedication. His leadership as group CEO at Zee Media and later as group president & chief strategy officer at Republic TV left an indelible mark on the media landscape. He was known for spearheading dramatic revenue growth and transforming legacy companies into modern success stories. During his tenure at BCCL, he was responsible for an astounding escalation in advertising revenue from Rs 1,560 crore to Rs 4,200 crore, underscoring his unwavering commitment to excellence in media management.

Beyond his impressive resume, Bhaskar was a passionate mentor and educator, dedicating considerable time to the development of future leaders in marketing and media. He served as a professor at various esteemed institutions, including Mica and SPJIMR, imparting knowledge and inspiring students to think critically about the evolving landscape of media and marketing. His profound insight and ability to provoke thought earned him recognition as a sought-after speaker at industry forums and prestigious business schools worldwide.

Bhaskar’s warmth, charm, and infectious smile endeared him to everyone who had the privilege to know him. His profound wisdom and unique perspective on leadership—believing firmly in delivering outcomes rather than mere outputs—left a lasting influence on his teams and associates. Colleagues have described him as an “insight provocateur” and a loyal friend, someone who nurtured the potential in others while remaining a lifelong learner himself.

In the weeks leading to his passing, Bhaskar’s independent film maker wife Shomshuklla Das kept close friends informed of his health struggles, and his resilience during this difficult time highlighted the strength of his character. While his battle with cancer was immense, his hope and confidence in finding a way through remained a guiding light for family and friends.

Bhaskarda – as those who were close to him called him – had one thing to say among friends: “I still feel like the petrol of my life is not yet over. My mind does not know my age. Should I add years to my life or life to my years? I am very clear: I’d rather add life to my years.”

Bhaskarda, you lived your life well in a wholesome manner. Many would love to leave behind a legacy of innovation, mentorship, and an unwavering zest for life like you did. Your contributions to the media industry will be remembered, as will your remarkable ability to connect with those around you.

Rest in peace, Bhaskarda. You will be profoundly missed, and your smile and spirit will forever resonate in the hearts of those who knew and loved you.

You leave behind a legacy in the number of professionals who have thanked you on numerous occasions for guiding them through their careers.

(Pictures courtesy: Bhaskar Das’ Instagram)

January 15, 2025
Sneha Udyawar joins Marico as commercial marketing manager

MUMBAI: Media professional Sneha Udyawar with over eight years of experience in marketing and advertising, has joined Marico as commercial marketing manager. With expertise spanning media planning, contract negotiation, and market strategy, Sneha brings a wealth of knowledge to her new role at the leading consumer goods company.

“It was a warm welcome at Marico. With a fantastic onboarding process,” she said. .

She has worked in Zepto as a commercial manager for media & marketing where she managed contract negotiations and strategic briefings. She had stints at Mindshare,GroupM, Starcom and R K Swamy BBDO.
Sneha holds a master’s degree in entertainment, media, and advertising from the University of Mumbai, specialising in advertising, with a consistent academic record. She has also completed advanced certifications in digital marketing and brand communication from Mica.

In addition to her corporate roles, Sneha has volunteered with U&I Trust and has experience as a social media executive, emphasising her dedication to community engagement and digital outreach

January 14, 2025
MICA and WebEngage introduces new course ‘Tech Tonic’

Mumbai: With brands shifting their focus to retaining existing customers instead of acquiring new ones, retention marketing and consumer tech has climbed up the priority list for marketers and media managers. Taking the digital leap, MICA Ahmedabad has introduced a course titled ‘Tech Tonic – Consumer Tech and Campaign Management’ that will equip students with key principles of Consumer Technology, Retention Marketing, and Campaign Management.

To design and deliver this course, MICA’s Media Entertainment and Sports Management Specialisation (MESM) Area has partnered with WebEngage, a leading MarTech platform and Retention Consultancy suite that simplifies user engagement at scale. Industry veterans will lead the eight-session intensive program which aims to bridge the gap between traditional marketing theory and the practical application of data analytics in today’s competitive consumer tech landscape.

Speaking of the collaboration, MICA Dean Prof. Githa Heggde, said, “Today, data and technology is redefining consumer journeys and experiences. Hence, gaining a deeper understanding of the technologies that are reshaping and reconfiguring consumption experiences, costs and availability of data, analytics and business intelligence in media business becomes imperative. This collaboration with WebEngage acknowledges the growing need for academic programs that reflect the data-driven nature of modern marketing and will equip MESM area students with skills to tackle critical issues.”

Spanning over five weeks, this course will help students delve into challenges faced by massive media platforms in India’s highly competitive market. They will gain deep insights exploring how such platforms analyse customer data, tackle user engagement, communicate effectively across channels, and ultimately acquire users and retain them in this dynamic environment.

Delving into the course structure, MICA Prof. Santosh Patra and Prof. Anirudh Kalia, from the MESM area said, “Media, both as a vehicle and as businesses, have pivoted sharply from B2B to D2C under the waves of technology. This change makes it imperative for our media, entertainment and sports management specialisation students to learn data in all its nuances, building and managing consumer journeys and tools for engagement and retention. TechTonic – Consumer Tech & Campaign Mgmt is one such course that will equip them with both understanding and tools needed to navigate this better.”

“The course curriculum will expose students with in-depth key marketing principles like data-driven campaign planning, customer segmentation, personalisation and hyper-personalisation and retail media measurement”, they added.

WebEngage chief growth officer Ankur Gattani said, “This initiative aligns perfectly with WebEngage’s commitment to nurturing future-ready marketing, user engagement and retention professionals. There’s a great demand for talent in this space and I’m excited that MICA is giving the students a head-start into this subject – blending practical knowledge with their academic rigour.”

The course will have experts including Omnicom Media Group chief media officer Rabe T Iyer, Ankur Gattani, and Omnicom Media Group chief growth officer Anand Chakravarthy share their insights with our students.

July 25, 2024
The Advertising Club collaborates with MICA

Mumbai: The Advertising Club has announced a partnership with India’s leading marketing and communication management institute, MICA – The School of Ideas, for an online programme on Performance Marketing. Kickstarting in January 2024, the collaborative initiative is aimed towards empowering individuals with industry-relevant skills and knowledge through a specially curated leadership and management development module on Performance Marketing. The programme is designed to help experienced professionals as well as freshers develop contemporary need of the hour capabilities that employers are seeking in order to maintain their competitive advantage.

The 36 hours intense live online programme is curated in a workshop format by the industry and academic experts and will include a significant level of self-study. Designed for advertising and marketing professionals, creative specialists, digital marketing experts, and learning enthusiasts, the Performance Marketing programme will include live teaching sessions, self-learning, group-learning and will culminate with an evaluation which will include assessments, presentations and quizzes. Spanning 9 weeks, the programme will cover the basics and advanced technicalities of performance marketing, social media marketing, display advertising, email and affiliate marketing, SEO & SEM, targeting and audience segmentation, Generative AI, Machine Learning and much more, ensuring a holistic learning experience.

Speaking on the partnership with MICA, The Advertising Club president Rana Barua said, “The landscape of the MarTech industry is constantly evolving. With this programme, we aim to provide a platform for freshers and experienced professionals, and empower them to upskill their knowledge, thereby becoming industry ready. We believe this collaboration will foster learning, transform careers, inspire creativity, and ultimately elevate standards within our industry.”

MICA professor Mayank Kumar further said, “At MICA, we unravel the intricate layers of Performance Marketing, offering a panoramic view of its evolution and strategies. Join our experts as they decode the dynamic marketing landscape, empowering your prowess in this ever-evolving field.”

The Performance Marketing programme will commence in January 2024, starting with 2 live sessions each week conducted over Zoom. More details on the programme can be found on The Advertising Club website as well as the MICA website.

November 29, 2023
MICA collaborates with Ormax Media for the ‘Media Platforms Analytics’ course

Mumbai: Tapping India’s evolving content business, including India’s OTT growth story, MICA, Ahmedabad, India’s premier B-school for Strategic Marketing and Communications, has launched a specialised course titled ‘Media Platforms Analytics’, in partnership with media insights & analytics firm Ormax Media, who are pioneers in media research, analytics & forecasting in India.

The course will equip students with an understanding of various aspects of media analytics, audience engagement, and how to measure and analyse data to build a successful media platform. The course, conducted by media professionals at Ormax Media, will cover streaming, theatrical and television domains.

MICA president & director Dr Shailendra Raj Mehta said, “India’s media and entertainment industry has grown at an unprecedented rate. To remain ahead of the curve, we at MICA continuously engage with academic advisors and industry stakeholders to identify gaps and translate them into specialized courses. I am confident that this new course will equip our MEM area students with the right knowledge and skill sets to advance the industry’s growth”.

Around 50 second-year students from the Media and Entertainment Management (MEM) specialization will be exposed to a 360-degree approach to planning, applicable to multiple functions like content, marketing, revenue, distribution, engagement, and more, across the three domains mentioned above.

Ormax Media Founder & CEO Shailesh Kapoor said: “It has been our constant endeavour to create more awareness about the role and importance of data and analytics in the Indian Media and Entertainment industry. Our association with MICA is an important step in this direction. We hope to prepare students of this course for their entry into the industry by educating them on the practical application of analytics in the business. Ormax Media’s association with MICA has been a long-standing one, with several alumni being a part of our team. This association will further strengthen this relationship”.

MICA dean Dr Githa Heggde said, “Our pedagogical approach, which combines live industry projects, immersive experiences, and real-world case studies, ensures that MICAns gain the necessary exposure and skills. Our advisory board, comprising industry experts, plays a crucial role in shaping our curriculum to align with industry demands. Moreover, we value the feedback provided by our student mentors post-internships and industry immersions. While MICA’s forte remains in communication and marketing, our industry-driven courses are set to empower our students with robust data science and analytical capabilities.”

Delving deep, Media and Entertainment Management Area at MICA head Prof. Santosh Patra shared, “Analytics is core for any business in today’s modern data-rich world. Though analytics as a subject has always been part of our curriculum, there was a requirement for sectoral and advanced analytics in specialised courses like media, entertainment, and sports business. We realised that students needed to understand the consumer journey, consumption habits, and sectoral growth in these industries. We are glad to partner with Ormax Media to co-design, deliver, and evaluate the course.”

The course will be delivered through case studies, real-world examples, gamification and hands-on learning experiences and help the students look at various data sources and extract insights from large databases to arrive at a platform strategy.

October 17, 2023
upGrad announces its latest digital campaign for MICA Ahmedabad to aspire Indian youths

Mumbai: upGrad has launched a new campaign reflecting the well-established legacy and the key differentiators of its digital marketing programme from MICA Ahmedabad.

The narrative entails the legacy of the program, which is a well-accepted digital marketing course in the industry that provides 100+ digital marketing tools, the opportunity to run campaigns for real money, and access to MICA faculty.

The programme has 12,000+ learners over 50 batches in seven years, with 300+ recruiters from leading companies and a wide alumni network that is recognised by the industry as a benchmark in digital marketing.

Conceptualised by its in-house digital creative team, the campaign highlights how young potential aspirants, with a sheer ambition to fast forward their career, are all wanting to improvise in this digital era, while the campaign rightfully outlines how “Greatness can recognise Greatness.”

As part of its digital campaign, the two ad films beautifully capture the excellence of its program, which is widely accepted and holds industry recognition for helping professionals build their careers.

Speaking of the campaign, upGrad vice president & head of marketing Ankit Khirwal commented, “The career outcomes and the credibility the programme holds echoes for itself. It’s imperative in this era to hone the right skills needed to be future ready and we are glad that we are empowering the working professionals with the right skills, best pedagogy along with mentorship that will enable our learners to become future leaders of the industry.”

“Through this film, we have tried to bring out the legacy of our digital marketing programme from MICA Ahmedabad that is widely recognised in the industry,” he added.

upGrad associate director, head of creative and content marketing-India Shreyas Shevade added, “I’ve been on every side of the table at MICA except for one-behind the desk in their classrooms. I’ve been hired from there, taught there, and even applied to study there. So the idea for this campaign came from the many times I’ve seen a MICAn in an interview getting recognised for their degree. It’s amazing and a little envious that young and aspiring marketers today can add a great name like MICA to their CV just like that. And that’s what upGrad is all about-making great education easily and equally accessible to everyone with will and potential.”

September 8, 2022
82.5 Communications appoints Anirban Mozumdar as chief strategy officer

Mumbai: Ad agency 82.5 Communications on Tuesday appointed Anirban Mozumdar as chief strategy officer in Mumbai. He replaces Rishabha Nayyar, who is moving on from the agency to pursue his interest in academics.

Prior to this, Mozumdar was the CEO of Mumbai-based Chlorophyll brand and communications consultancy.

82.5 Communications chairman and CCO, Sumanto Chattopadhyay said, “His vast planning experience across categories and countries, his entrepreneurial ability and his understanding of behavioural science are just a few of the assets with which, I am sure, he will enrich our people and our brands.”

An alumnus of Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA), Mozumdar has over 24 years of brand building and strategy experience, across India and the South Asian region, in agencies like Leo Burnett, Publicis, DDB, Y&R and ITSA. He has worked extensively across the b2c, b2b and d2c sectors and on brands like P&G (Tide, Rejoice, Whisper), Nestle (Maggi, Nestea), Wrigley’s, Philips, Bajaj Auto, Indian Oil, Emami, Thums Up and Maruti Suzuki said the agency on Tuesday.

Co-chairman and CEO, Kapil Arora said, “Anirban has a love for the business that reflects in an almost immediate connection over stimulating conversations, passionate idea exchanges and loud laughs. We’re lucky to have a person of his pedigree and passion join us, to partner our clients and the 82.5 family, in our growth journey.”

Talking about his new role, Mozumdar said, “It’s thrilling to be in the thick of brand-building and advertising in these fast-changing times. With a team that makes creativity potent with passion and grit. I am looking forward to working with Sumanto, Kapil and the entire team at 82.5 Communications, to build business and value for a really exciting set of brands.”

June 1, 2021