Tag: Vivekanand Kini

  • Assembly Global appoints Vivekanand Kini as regional director APAC

    Assembly Global appoints Vivekanand Kini as regional director APAC

    MUMBAI: From Yahoo to Hungama, from HP to Akzonobel and now, the Assembly hall. Vivekanand Kini has joined Assembly Global as regional director for client experience, a move that marks the next chapter in a 15-year-plus career spent shaping digital journeys for some of the world’s biggest brands.

    Kini, who steps into the role this September, brings 18 years of experience across digital marketing, e-commerce, and client strategy, including 8 plus years in leadership positions. Most recently, he was regional head of digital & e-commerce at Akzonobel (2022–2025), where he spearheaded digital growth across Asia. Before that, he helmed HP’s digital marketing for over six years (2016–2022), leading campaigns and customer experience initiatives out of Gurgaon.

    His career foundation was laid at agencies and media firms: Havas Media (2013–2016) as associate director for media, Saatchi & Saatchi (2012–2013) as senior manager for client servicing, and Yahoo (2011) where he drove online media spends in retail. He began his digital journey at Hungama (2010–2011), managing brand solutions for marquee clients such as 7UP, Bacardi, LG, and Maruti Suzuki.

    At Assembly Global, Kini will be tasked with deepening client relationships, scaling regional strategies, and ensuring Assembly’s philosophy of Showup, Makechange, and Winwell translates into measurable client success. His portfolio of skills spans Adobe experience manager, marketing mix modelling, conversion optimisation, growth marketing, customer insight, and media trends expertise Assembly hopes will fortify its client-first positioning in Asia.

    Kini described the new role as a “perfect fit” for his passion for partnership and impact: “Mobility, technology and customer behaviour are evolving rapidly. This is an opportunity to reimagine client experience at scale, powered by both empathy and innovation.”

    For Assembly, a company known for its digital-first, culture-driven marketing approach, Kini’s appointment comes as it doubles down on APAC expansion and builds on its strong momentum with global clients.

    Looks like Assembly has found its newest building block and Kini is ready to cement lasting partnerships.

  • Drivex shifts gears with Vivekanand Kini to steer tech-driven growth

    Drivex shifts gears with Vivekanand Kini to steer tech-driven growth

    MUMBAI: Drivex is revving up its digital engine, and at the helm of this acceleration is Vivekanand Kini, appointed as senior vice president for technology & product. With 18 plus years of experience in technology and product engineering, including 8 years in leadership roles, Kini joins as the pre-owned two-wheeler disruptor doubles down on its tech-first strategy.

    From cloud-native architectures and microservices to scaling B2B and B2C SaaS platforms, Kini’s career spans leadership roles at Acko, Ivy Mobility, Khoros, and Opentext, with earlier stints at Oracle. At Acko, he spearheaded transformational initiatives that reshaped engineering operations expertise now set to drive Drivex’s ambition of building a robust digital backbone for India’s fragmented pre-owned two-wheeler market.

    “Mobility is being reshaped through technology, and Drivex is at the forefront of this transformation,” said Kini, adding that his focus will be on building scalable platforms to deliver seamless customer journeys from discovery and financing to after-sales.

    Welcoming him aboard, Padma Shri Narain Karthikeyan director Drivex said: “Technology powers every touchpoint at Drivex from smarter vehicle evaluations and strict quality checks to complete transparency on every two-wheeler parameter. Vivekanand’s expertise in scaling platforms and leading high-performing teams will help us strengthen our digital backbone and redefine the pre-owned mobility category.”

    The timing is critical. Drivex is in rapid expansion mode, opening new stores across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, while also scaling Drivex Direct, its C2C platform that offers consumers greater choice and convenience. With ambitions of deeper market penetration, Kini’s appointment signals Drivex’s determination to transform customer experience through tech innovation.

    As the pre-owned two-wheeler space shifts into higher gear, Drivex is banking on Kini to keep its engine running smooth, fast, and future-ready.