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Tag: RPG Group.

  • Zensar Technologies reshuffles senior management in Europe & Africa

    Zensar Technologies reshuffles senior management in Europe & Africa

    MUMBAI: RPG group information tech and AI services/solutions firm, Zensar Technoloiges, has appointed two senior executives to head its operations in Africa and Europe. Kaushik Chatterjee becomes senior vice-president and head of Africa, while Anshul Srivastav takes the role of senior vice-president and head of Europe. Both appointments take effect from 1 April. Srivastav hitherto had just the sales portfolio under his belt, while Chatterjee was the global delivery head BFSI, healthcare and life sciences.

    Chatterjee brings 26 years’ experience in IT services, spanning business applications and infrastructure. His expertise lies in banking, financial services, insurance, and healthcare. Before joining Zensar, he held leadership positions at Cognizant and Citibank. Chatterjee holds a bachelor’s degree in electronics and electrical engineering, and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

    Srivastav, who joined Zensar in 2015, has worked across Europe, Asia and America over his two-decade career. His previous role was at Infosys’s financial-services division. With experience in banking, insurance, consumer services and retail, he specialises in business transformation and domain consulting. Srivastav studied electronics and communication at the National Institute of Technology Jaipur before earning his management degree from the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad.

  • Sunaina Jairath joins RPG group as VP – group brand & communications

    Sunaina Jairath joins RPG group as VP – group brand & communications

    MUMBAI: Communications professional Sunaina Jairath has been appointed as vice president – group brand & communications at RPG Group. In her new role, she will oversee brand management, corporate communications, CSR, employer branding, and reputation management.

    Sunaina brings extensive experience to this role, with a career spanning over two decades across diverse industries, including corporate communications, policy advocacy, marketing strategies, and social impact campaigns. She has previously held senior positions at organizations such as Bencos Research Solutions, Cred, Aliaxis, and Dentsu Creative, where she contributed to building robust communication protocols, spearheading digital campaigns, and mentoring cross-functional teams.

    A graduate of Delhi University with a Postgraduate diploma in communication from Xavier Institute of Communication, Sunaina is known for her leadership, strategic acumen, and expertise in branding, stakeholder engagement, and market intelligence.

    A big Calvin & Hobbes fan, the first things she looks out for in any newspaper is the comic strip. of her favorite characters And of course she loves her cuppa – nothing like coffee to freshen her up.

    She expresses  her enthusiasm for the new assignment:  “Excited to join RPG Group and contribute to its legacy through impactful branding and communications strategies.

  • “Traditional media in India is also experiencing a steady growth”: Kevin Vaz

    “Traditional media in India is also experiencing a steady growth”: Kevin Vaz

    Mumbai: Viacom18 CEO- Broadcast entertainment Kevin Vaz reflected on the Media & Entertainment sector, both on a global scale and within the Indian context at FICCI frames 2024 event. He said, “In 2023, our industry witnessed a remarkable era of content creation, with over 200,000 hours of content produced annually. Indian content has transcended international boundaries, captivating audiences in more than 160 countries and topping streaming charts on global platforms. In 2023, Indian content bagged not one but two Oscars for the best song and the best documentary respectively. Indian music talent has bagged 3 Grammys recently. 2 Indians (Vir Das And Ekta Kapoor) won the prestigious International Emmy’s awards. This shift indicates a new era where local flavors and stories are embraced by audiences worldwide, showcasing the universal appeal of Indian stories and our storytelling.

    The integration of digital technologies in the Indian M&E industry is at a scale without parallel amongst the comity of nations. Driven by accessible and affordable internet, with Commercial 5G services rollout propelling the growth of India M&E, we must recognise the virtuous cycle of investments in creativity that drive the expansion of affordable internet in India. We can be proud of the fact that Indian companies, Indian creators, Indian producers, are at the forefront of the digital content revolution, be it in films, music or gaming.

    Platforms like JioCinema have revolutionized sports viewership in India, offering accessible and affordable access to live matches like the IPL. This goes to show the importance of internet accessibility in driving the growth of the M&E industry. Unlike other industries, M&E has caught the digital transformation wave early and stand ready to reap the benefits with supportive developments in the all-critical triad of infrastructure readiness, consumer market growth, and enabling public policies.

    The surge in digital media is forecasted to propel the M&E sector’s growth to a 10% annual rate, reaching INR 3 Trillion by 2026. Technological innovations have brought with it a paradigm shift in consumer preferences. Consumers now demand more personalised, interactive, and immersive content. This creates another facet to the growth of the entire digital media segment, including online curated content, digital advertising, online gaming, to name a few. Each of us need to reflect on how these preferences will change the way we think about the future of M&E, and the business models that are most suited to respond. To navigate the future, all of us at various intersections of the industry need to adopt innovative strategies and create engaging content across multiple platforms, leverage big data analytics, collaborate with global partners, and explore new revenue streams.

    Despite this digital boom, traditional media in India is also experiencing a steady growth, showcasing India’s diverse media consumption habits. While this might appear to be a paradox when viewed through a singular global lens, this is the truth of India – a market of AND, not OR.

    As we reflect on the journey of 2023, it becomes clear that it was a year marked by both challenges and triumphs. The first half was subdued, with modest growth rates across various segments of the industry. However, as raw material prices stabilized and marquee events like the ICC Cricket World Cup and Assembly Elections unfolded, we witnessed a significant uptick in the second half. And while the M&E industry is estimated to grow at 10% CAGR through the next few years led by digital, traditional mediums such as Television and print are also poised to grow.

    This growth underscores the enduring appeal of linear TV, particularly among established advertisers who value its unmatched brand-building capabilities at scale. It’s essential to acknowledge the continued significance of traditional media, including television, print, and outdoor advertising, in reaching diverse audience segments, especially in regional markets.

    The road ahead for the industry is brimming with possibilities and challenges alike. The integration of artificial intelligence promises to reshape the landscape of content creation, distribution, and consumption. Particularly generative AI, which is now an inexorable part of M&E supply chains. Advances in generative AI, while still relatively nascent, have produced an explosion of possibilities in the creative sector. It has ushered in a new dimension to the creative process, allowing the industry to explore uncharted territories of creativity and push the boundaries of productivity.

    As AI technologies continue to evolve, they offer unprecedented opportunities for personalized experiences and targeted advertising. However, this next-gen transformation also presents challenges such as data privacy concerns, reskilling and the need for ethical considerations – concerns that the industry and government together need to explore and address.

    Amidst these dynamics, the industry must also address the pressing need for stronger intellectual property rights protection to safeguard the integrity of our creative ecosystem. The proliferation of digital platforms and content creation tools has exponentially increased the avenues for creative expression, yet it has also heightened the risk of copyright infringement. Strengthening our IPR laws is essential to foster a conducive environment for innovation and creativity while ensuring fair compensation for content creators. The National Intellectual Rights (IPR) Policy, established in 2016, is due for review. This presents an occasion for all of us to engage on how we think about monetisation, commercialisation of content as well as the protections required for it, in a fast-evolving technological environment.

    The road ahead encompasses both opportunities and challenges in equal measure. As we navigate this complex landscape, as stakeholders of this vibrant sector, we must all remember that at the heart of it, our industry is about our consumers in a very human sense – their emotions, relationships, talents – their stories. All of us here today are simply facilitators – connecting stories to audiences and audiences to stories.

    As we begin FICCI Frames 2024, I look forward to the next three days filled with enlightening discussions, insightful sessions, and meaningful collaborations. Let us seize this opportunity to chart a course towards a future that embraces innovation, leverages technology, and upholds the timeless values of creativity and expression.

    Finally, I’d like to express my gratitude and admiration for Leena Jaisani and her team for putting FICCI Frames 2024 together. This is the 24th edition of India’s biggest media and entertainment symposium and it just keeps getting bigger and better. So kudos to the team for scaling this up consistently!” he concluded. 

  • RPG Group exemplifies innovation in communication with Gen AI-powered Campaigns

    RPG Group exemplifies innovation in communication with Gen AI-powered Campaigns

    Mumbai: RPG Group, one of India’s business conglomerates is making waves in the communication landscape with its transformative use of generative artificial intelligence. Through innovative campaigns RPG Group has reinforced its position in the evolving field of AI-driven communication by effectively engaging with its internal & external audiences on social media and beyond.

    Group’s ‘AI Versus AI’ campaign showcases company’s expertise in AI-generated content, whilst also creating a platform to talk about various brands under the RPG umbrella. Through this campaign, the participants were challenged to identify which of the presented images were generated by AI and which were original photographs. This interactive campaign sparked intrigue and encouraged engagement, as participants delved into the nuances of AI-generated imagery.

    Another campaign that attracted eyeballs was, ‘AI-wali Diwali’- a two-part video series produced using popular gen AI tool, Mid-journey. The video employed stunning visuals that capture the essence of the festival of lights featuring diverse individuals and homes, each celebrating the festival in their unique traditions and colors. The second video displays RPGians in their digital avatars celebrating Diwali. The videos were widely shared across social media platforms, generating significant engagement.

    RPG Group Head – brand & communications Shalini Singh said, “We at RPG Group believe in the transformative power of innovative communication. Our Gen AI-driven campaigns exemplify our commitment to pushing boundaries and reshaping the narrative. As we navigate the dynamic landscape of AI, we aim not only to engage but to inspire, demonstrating that technology, when harnessed creatively, can truly elevate the human experience.”

    In yet another campaign, the group took to social media showcasing a collection of AI-powered images that depicted various expressions of joy and contentment across age groups. This campaign is a deep dive into the multifaceted concept of happiness, in line with group’s brand promise – Hello Happiness. This campaign exhibited the emotional range of AI-generated content and its ability to evoke positive feelings.

    These campaigns resonating well with audiences. Cumulatively these campaigns have secured about 15 Lakh impression across social media platforms. These initiatives have generated positive engagement and helped build brand presence, solidifying RPG Group’s position as a pioneer in Gen AI communication.

    Shalini Singh said, “Our Gen AI-driven communication campaigns have not only achieved their objectives but have also propelled us to the forefront of this transformative technology. We have demonstrated the power of Gen AI to create engaging, innovative, and impactful communication that resonates with audiences and drives brand presence and purpose. As Gen AI continues to evolve, we remain committed to exploring its potential and leveraging it to shape the future of communication” 

  • RPG Group appoints Anant Goenka as vice chairman

    RPG Group appoints Anant Goenka as vice chairman

    Mumbai: RPG Group, one of India’s leading business conglomerates, announced the appointment of Anant Goenka to the position of vice chairman of the diversified group.

    In addition to his new role, Anant Goenka will continue to serve as the vice chairman of CEAT and Zensar Technologies. This move strengthens the leadership at the group headed by Harsh Goenka, ensuring stability and continuity in the long term for the group, which is acclaimed for its corporate governance and people friendly value system.

    RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka said, “Anant’s extensive experience, driving CEAT towards performance excellence over the past decade, will play a pivotal role in shaping the next wave of growth for the RPG Group. This era is defined by rapidly evolving technology and I believe Anant has the requisite skills and business instincts to herald change and make a difference in the way we adapt to technologies, markets and consumers.”

    A highly accomplished professional, Anant brings a wealth of experience to his new role. Prior to being the Vice Chairman of CEAT and Zensar technologies, Anant led CEAT as managing director & CEO through a highly transformative ten-year period.

    Under his leadership, the market capitalization of the company grew significantly by over 20 times.

    A graduate from the Wharton School and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Anant began his career in Unilever and RPG group company KEC International before joining CEAT. His leadership played a pivotal role in CEAT’s historic achievement of winning the prestigious deming grand prize making it the first tyre brand in the world to receive this coveted accolade of business excellence.

    Anant Goenka’s remarkable achievements have earned him recognition as “India’s Under 40 Business Leader” by CEO Forum in 2020, “GQ: 50 Most Influential Young Indians” in 2018, and “Next Generation Business Leader of the Year” by Forbes in 2017. He was also named among “India’s 40 under 40 Business Leaders” by the Economic Times-Spencer Stuart. He has also served as the chairman of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA).

    Speaking on the announcement, Anant Goenka said, “It is an honour and a responsibility that I will cherish and I hope to contribute towards the growth and competitiveness of our diverse businesses. Our fundamental value system, our governance standards and our quest for happiness will remain the guardrails within which we will continue to operate.” 

  • RPG group chairman Harsh Goenka supports Zee TV’s Punit Goenka

    RPG group chairman Harsh Goenka supports Zee TV’s Punit Goenka

    MUMBAI: The media has been full of cacophonic noise about the boardroom battle that is going on at Zee Entertainment Enterprises. Some investor groups have lauded the initiative by two of the company’s two main investors to reconstitute the board and oust CEO & managing director Punit Goenka (who represents the promoter family being Subhash Chandra’s son) for failing to professionalise the management and enhancing the shareholder value.

    Institutional Investor Advisory Services founder Anil Singhvi is quite vociferous that Zee is one of the best Indian media companies but needs to be in the hands of a good professional CEO. Speaking to moneycontrol.com he said that the promoter family should also be happy about this. “They have a four per cent stake and already their value has gone up with the share price rising 25-30 per cent on the announcement by the two institutional investors to hold an EGM to move out Goenka and the resignation of the two directors,” he pointed out.

    However, smaller shareholders voiced their confidence in Punit’s ability to get Zee back as a stellar performer during the company’s AGM on 14 September where he explained the initiatives that were underway under his leadership. Punit also reiterated that there were no hidden or shady related third party transactions under his charge as is being alleged.

    There are many in the industry who point out that Punit has definitely brought In professionalism into the company by bringing in executives at the leadership level from companies such as Hindustan Lever, Future, BCCI, and Aditya Birla group and built a good management team.

    Among them is corporate leader Harsh Goenka (chairman of the $3.80 billion RPG group and no relation to Punit). Harsh has come out in support of Punit.

    Late in the evening of 15 September Harsh tweeted: “I just can’t understand why would a large investor try to destabilise a good leader, a good management team, which has a track record to show. If valid reasons were given, it’s different. A dangerous trend! #Zee.”

     

     

    Most of his followers on Twitter seconded his view, while the naysayers said the promoter family had it coming.

    The coming days will decide whether the street and Zee’s investors will have the last word. Or the promoter family.

  • RPG Group’s new campaign speaks about happiness within & outside the organisation

    RPG Group’s new campaign speaks about happiness within & outside the organisation

    MUMBAI: RPG Group, one of India’s fastest growing conglomerates, has partnered with Dentsu Webchutney, the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, to launch a campaign featuring four films with its brand tagline ‘Hello Happiness’.

    The Harsh Goenka-led RPG Group has not only made happiness intrinsic to its vision but has also adopted it as the brand tagline and embarked on a journey to promote, share stories, nurture and encourage a culture of happiness, both within and outside the group.

    This new campaign executed by Dentsu Webchutney Mumbai took its cue from the group’s vision statement that harbours a bright square smiley, alongside values such as ‘Unleash Talent’, ‘Touch Lives’ and ‘Outperform’. Spread across six weeks, the campaign, driven largely via short films, illustrates how the group has brought happiness into the lives of diverse stakeholders.

    RPG Enterprises DGM of corporate brand and communications Manjira Sharma says, “At RPG, we believe that if we are able to bring any change into the lives of people, we have done justice to the group’s existence. And this change is only evident through people’s smiles; that is the bar we have set to measure our success. This is the reason we had to own the position of happiness.”

    “Happiness isn’t a thing, it is a place. And to reach this place, we need to lighten ourselves of the baggage that we all carry in our hearts. RPG is an ebullient place, where we encourage our employees to shed this baggage, be themselves, and contribute to the group’s vision. And we are boastfully gleeful about this,” adds Manjira.

    Dentsu Webchutney EVP and branch head Nishi Kant mentions, “Real happiness is very tangible and each RPG film brings this home for the viewer whether that be a child jumping around at an unexpected happiness, the tears streaming down a mother’s cheek at her daughter’s achievement, the boundless joy experienced by a grandfather in his grandchild’s company or the cheerful confidence of a happy employee. The term Hello Happiness means the active expression of Happiness and that is what the RPG Group stands for.”

    To portray these stories of happiness, the campaign referred to examples from within the RPG Group companies – KEC International and Seniority.in, its CSR Initiative Pehlay Akshar and its employee friendly policies.

    The Hello Happiness campaign marks the beginning of the group’s ‘Happiness’ legacy, with many additions and variations to come.

  • dittoTV to launch new youth centric web series ‘Strugglers’

    dittoTV to launch new youth centric web series ‘Strugglers’

    MUMBAI: Zee Digital Convergence Limited’s OTT platform dittoTV has a new feather added to its hat. Zee Digital-Original Content will release a web series titled Strugglers which will go on air from 22 March 2016. The youth centric series revolves around four young boys contemplating a common dream to make a mark in bollywood.

    With only lucky few getting an opportunity to get into the glamorous entertainment industry, the group decides on taking the ‘not so taken’ adventurous road by turning into making a porn movie.

    Catering to the younger mindsets, the 10 episodic series has been divided into two parts. With a long weekend right round the corner, the first four episodes will go on air on 22nd while the rest 6 episodes will entertain the viewers on 23rd.

    The story sheds light on four oddball characters played by Meherzaan Mazda, Errol Marks, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Ajay Jadhav. They share a common ambition of entering the film industry to which they fail. The group of boys decide on making a porn film in order to gain recognition which kick-starts a great mis-adventure taking them on a roller-coaster ride of sleepless nights, hilarious happenings, devastating heartbreaks and self-liberation.

    Speaking about the new series, DittoTV business head Archana Anand says, “The plot of the series is extremely funny and positive. This is a highly entertaining and youth centric offering and we are hoping to get the audience hooked to dittoTV via a continuous stream of such interesting and engaging series. We have placed it back-to-back so that the viewers can binge-watch the entire series on the coming long weekend”.

    Produced by RPG group, the series might also move to the other channels under ZDCL’s umbrella. The web series will launch simultaneously with its opening episode on Ditto TV and YouTube.

    The platform is focused on markets like the US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Asia Pacific and some parts of Africa and had recently launched advertiser based video on demand model Ozee.

    dittoTV also plans to carry non-Indian content shortly in the markets where it has been launched.

    With a presence in over 175 countries and a strong content base of over 1000 movies, 4000+ shows and 450+ TV shows, dittoTV has already obtained the largest base for OTT content consumed across the country.

  • dittoTV to launch new youth centric web series ‘Strugglers’

    dittoTV to launch new youth centric web series ‘Strugglers’

    MUMBAI: Zee Digital Convergence Limited’s OTT platform dittoTV has a new feather added to its hat. Zee Digital-Original Content will release a web series titled Strugglers which will go on air from 22 March 2016. The youth centric series revolves around four young boys contemplating a common dream to make a mark in bollywood.

    With only lucky few getting an opportunity to get into the glamorous entertainment industry, the group decides on taking the ‘not so taken’ adventurous road by turning into making a porn movie.

    Catering to the younger mindsets, the 10 episodic series has been divided into two parts. With a long weekend right round the corner, the first four episodes will go on air on 22nd while the rest 6 episodes will entertain the viewers on 23rd.

    The story sheds light on four oddball characters played by Meherzaan Mazda, Errol Marks, Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Ajay Jadhav. They share a common ambition of entering the film industry to which they fail. The group of boys decide on making a porn film in order to gain recognition which kick-starts a great mis-adventure taking them on a roller-coaster ride of sleepless nights, hilarious happenings, devastating heartbreaks and self-liberation.

    Speaking about the new series, DittoTV business head Archana Anand says, “The plot of the series is extremely funny and positive. This is a highly entertaining and youth centric offering and we are hoping to get the audience hooked to dittoTV via a continuous stream of such interesting and engaging series. We have placed it back-to-back so that the viewers can binge-watch the entire series on the coming long weekend”.

    Produced by RPG group, the series might also move to the other channels under ZDCL’s umbrella. The web series will launch simultaneously with its opening episode on Ditto TV and YouTube.

    The platform is focused on markets like the US, UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, Asia Pacific and some parts of Africa and had recently launched advertiser based video on demand model Ozee.

    dittoTV also plans to carry non-Indian content shortly in the markets where it has been launched.

    With a presence in over 175 countries and a strong content base of over 1000 movies, 4000+ shows and 450+ TV shows, dittoTV has already obtained the largest base for OTT content consumed across the country.