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Tag: Sonia Khurana

  • Digitas India appoints Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior VP & head – tech services, Richa Chugh as VP – media

    Digitas India appoints Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior VP & head – tech services, Richa Chugh as VP – media

    Mumbai: Digitas India, the marketing & technology services brand from Publicis Groupe, has made key senior-level appointments at the agency. It has named Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior vice president and head of technology services, and Richa Chugh as vice president of media. The appointments are in line with Digitas India’s plans to strengthen its core product offerings in keeping with the increasing demand for digital technology services & media solutions from the marketplace. The duo will report to Digitas India COO Sonia Khurana.

    Mohammedullah (Shariq) comes with an experience of 22+ years in technology consulting and governance. He will lead all technology services mandates at the agency and will work closely with Sonia Khurana (COO) and Roopesh Pujari (CTO, Publicis Groupe) to bring in the best technology service offering for the clients.

    Richa has over 11 years of experience across various digital media, ranging from creative to social media, tech, and media planning. She joins Digitas India from Motivator, where she was digital head-west region.

    Welcoming Shariq and Richa to the agency, Sonia commented, “Given our focus on delivering remarkable digital experiences, Richa, with her rich background in media, and Shariq, with his varied experience in technology, bring valuable inputs to the team. It’s also their new, interesting perspectives that are going to be instrumental in further supporting Digitas’ continued performance and execution of our growth plans. We’re thrilled to have them on board!”

    Sharing his views on joining Digitas India, Shariq said, “I’m truly excited to join the talented team at Digitas India and work closely with the leadership. Digitas is already delivering large-scale, enterprise-level solutions for clients in customer experience, commerce, and marketing operations. With its tech-agnostic approach and strong technology services portfolio, I believe it’s the right time to be a part of this experienced team. My goal is to ensure that we develop and execute our long-term strategy in a way that best serves our customers and employees.”

    On joining Digitas India, Richa said, “Unlike TV and offline media, the interplay between creative, tech, SEO, and media planning forms a curious ecosystem and plays a pivotal role in efficient, effective, and holistic brand growth. The leadership at Digitas India understands this very well, and facilitates a complementary partnership between these verticals, which drove me to join them.”

    Shariq has previously been associated with companies like Isobar, Ogilvy, and Interface Communications. He has been instrumental in bringing in digital and tech transformation for some of the clients like HUL, Vodafone, Eicher Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Apple (IndiaiStore), Aviva India, Bira91, Panasonic, Max Bupa, Kia, Reebok, Adidas, Marks & Spencer, Emami, Nat Geo, Fox Life, American Standard etc.

    Over the course of her career, Richa has worked with brands including Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser, Coca-Cola, Bumble, Kia, Bajaj Consumer Care, and Tata Q, among others.

  • Digitas India bags digital communication mandate for Matter

    Digitas India bags digital communication mandate for Matter

    Mumbai: A vertically integrated product tech start-up, Ahmedabad-based Matter has appointed Digitas India as the agency for its digital communication mandate following a multi-agency and multi-phased pitch process. 

    Digitas will handle Matter’s digital marketing mandate, the scope for which will encompass communications, media, customer experience & digital assets and community engagement across its mobility and energy business verticals.

    The Matter e-motorcycle will be introduced in the second half of 2022. According to Matter, the yet-unnamed motorcycle will be the first electric two-wheeler in the country to have a battery pack with active liquid cooling. While there aren’t many specifics about this brand-new bike at this moment, it will be released in the third quarter of 2022.

    Commenting on the association with Digitas India, Matter COO & co-founder Arun Pratap Singh said, “At Matter, we are embarking on a journey to revolutionise electric mobility and energy storage space. Our innovative offerings will be represented through highly creative digital marketing and we’re glad to have partnered with Digitas, as they follow the philosophy of thinking new and leveraging the creative nuances to deliver highly compelling digital innovations, we are excited to start this journey with Digitas India by connecting with our customers creatively and helping them to transition to clean energy.”

    Welcoming Matter to its fold, Digitas India COO Sonia Khurana said, “It is our privilege to partner with Matter and to introduce the brand and product in the market. It is exciting to be a partner to the brand right from the incubation stage itself of the product. Our aim will be to stay true to our connected marketing philosophy and use the right mix of insight-driven creativity, technology, and media to drive brand love and adoption.” 

    Since its inception, Matter has invested extensively in technology development with the “Innovate in India” approach for the development of futuristic electric vehicle platforms and for energy storage applications.

  • Cholayil opts for ‘Power of One’ from Publicis Groupe

    Cholayil opts for ‘Power of One’ from Publicis Groupe

    MUMBAI: Building on the outstanding success of its creative partnership with Leo Burnett India, Cholayil has now extended its entire integrated communications mandate to more Publicis Groupe agencies. It has now brought on-board Starcom India as its media agency while Digitas India has been appointed to manage the digital communications mandate for the entire product portfolio under Cholayil.

    As part of the mandate, Starcom will manage strategy and media planning and buying across media platforms while Digitas will be providing a robust suite of digital marketing services for popular Cholayil brands such as Medimix, Cuticura, and Krishna Thulasi.

    Leo Burnett India had won the creative mandate for Cholayil’s flagship brands Medimix, Cuticura and Krishna Thulasi for their entire product portfolio as also future launches. The business was won after a multi-agency pitch and is being led by Leo Burnett India’s Mumbai office.

    Cholayil Pvt Ltd chairman and MD Pradeep Cholahil said, “Cholayil has strong equity and base in Ayurvedic and natural products and as we contemporize our offering further and reach out to newer segments, we needed a partner that leads in integrated communications play and leverages the power of data for engaging, personalised consumer experiences. Publicis Groupe with its ‘Power of One’ model and offering brings in new perspectives and future-facing capabilities. As we embark on our expansion plans, we look forward to benefiting from their experience and expertise.”

    Cholayil Pvt Ltd head of marketing Ashish Ohlyan said, “Cholayil and Leo Burnett associated last year and together we delivered great results. Medimix, our flagship brand has grown at a significant pace in a sluggish market on the back of new repositioning. We strongly feel that if there is a synergy in the approach of all key stakeholders then it will benefit the brand exponentially. We look forward to the new collaboration to deliver stronger performance of the brand.”

    Commenting on the new partnership and the Power of One offering on behalf of the Groupe, Leo Burnett, South Asia MD India and CSO Dheeraj Sinha said, “We have had a great relationship with Cholayil over the last year. I am hugely excited that this relationship is now turning into a full Power of One collaboration model with Digitas and Starcom coming on board along with Leo Burnett. We are confident that this will enable us to weave a seamless narrative for the brand across platforms to deliver on the business through a cross functional team. We are looking forward to creating some outstanding work for each of the Cholayil brands.”

    On winning the media business, Starcom India CEO Rathi Gangappa said, “This is a prestigious win for us. We were able to demonstrate strong media value for Cholayil and with our Human Experience proposition, we look forward to helping them unlock newer, more contemporary consumer connections. Starcom will help them exceed their marketing objectives and remains committed to their growth and success.”

    Adding further, Digitas India COO Sonia Khurana said, “The entire team at Digitas India is thrilled to partner with Cholayil. It's not everyday that one gets a chance to work with brands that have such a rich heritage. We are looking forward to providing digital solutions that will help Medimix, Cuticura and Krishna Thulasi connect with new age consumers to drive business growth.”

  • Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    Digitas India appoints Sonia Khurana as COO

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe-owned digital agency, Digitas India has announced the appointment of Sonia Khurana as chief operating officer. She joins the agency from Ogilvy India where she was senior vice-president and head of customer engagement. She will report to Digitas India CEO Amaresh Godbole.

    Commenting on her appointment, Godbole said, “Digitas India has been on the fast track for the last decade, and today we’re 450 plus experts partnering top-notch clients. To keep up with this growth trajectory, we need more leaders who are adept at solving business problems through modern marketing practices. Sonia is just that, a true T-shaped personality who has run digital businesses as well as capabilities. Further, she understands how to tackle the challenges of integration. It’s what we need to drive our next phase of growth as the premier connected marketing agency, and as a partner in Publicis Groupe’s Power of One Solutions."

    A marketing old hand with experience of over two decades in key roles across prominent agencies in the advertising industry, Khurana has been instrumental in shaping up business and strategy for the agencies and has handled clients across retail, hospitality, telecom, technology, automotive, travel & tourism, and more. Some of the clients include Aditya Birla Group, Vodafone, IBM, BMW, Microsoft, Nokia, and Diageo.

    Much of her professional life has been spent at Ogilvy India where she worked for almost a decade in its Bengaluru and Mumbai offices. While at Ogilvy, she was instrumental in setting up OgilvyOne (the digital unit of Ogilvy) in Bengaluru. She also conceptualised and created India's first retail social CRM program for Elle Fashionwear. Prior to Ogilvy, she was at Wunderman International as the India Lead for Nokia.

    On her new role Khurana said, “I'm very excited to be part of a young, energetic team whose focus is at the nexus of creativity, data, technology and media. My goal is to partner with the team to chart the agency's next chapter and make it the agency of choice for clients looking to take a leap in their digital journey. On my first day at work, I saw the Publicis Groupe's Power of One strategy in action. It made me realize that I haven't just joined the agency brand but that I am part of the enriching Groupe ecosystem committed to delivering truly integrated, client-focused solutions. Three weeks in and I can already see what makes this place so special."

  • OgilvyOne elevates Sonia Khurana to national head-customer engagement

    OgilvyOne elevates Sonia Khurana to national head-customer engagement

    MUMBAI: OgilvyOne has promoted Sonia Khurana as national head of customer engagement, Mumbai. Prior to this, she was heading OgilvyOne’s Bangalore office.

     

    While in Bangalore, Khurana was instrumental in growing the OgilvyOne business and building a team. Under her leadership, OgilvyOne acquired many new clients such as Dr. Reddy’s, SAP and Elle Fashionwear amongst others. 

     

    OgilvyOne Worldwide India president Vikram Menon said, “Our core promise to clients is to help them unlock the full value of customers, by turning big ideas and data insights into compelling personal experiences that help them win more customers, and make them more valuable. With her expertise and experience in CRM and Digital, Sonia is perfectly geared to deliver on this promise.”

     

    Khurana added, “I am very excited to be in this role. It’s also a great privilege to be able to work towards delivering on David Ogilvy’s famous promise, ‘We sell, or else.’ OgilvyOne has invested heavily in engagement planning tools and processes, technology infrastructure and data analytics capabilities. In addition, our understanding of digital allows us to expand our approach to acquiring and engaging customers beyond traditional CRM channels.”

     

    In her new role, Khurana will focus on building the CRM and loyalty capabilities of OgilvyOne across India. OgilvyOne has a Data Analytics Hub in Bangalore that works on both local and international clients. BMW India, Titan and Dr. Reddy’s are some of the CRM clients that OgilvyOne has on its roster.