Prasar Bharati's OTT launch date pushed to October 3: Exclusive

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EXCLUSIVE: Now ONDC to boost Real Money Gaming industry

Nazara Technologies raises Rs 900 crore in strategic fundraise, boosts stake in Absolute Sports

Yum! Brands appoints Rohan Pewekar as MD, Pizza Hut Indian Subcontinent

Samir Kumar takes helm as Amazon India's new country manager

Representational image via Unsplash

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AVGC sector applauds govt nod for NCoE, projects $26 billion growth by 2030

Eyes wide open: The complex dance of meritocracy and diversity in corporate India

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Piyush Pandey

Exclusive: Major leadership rejig at Nestle India; Rajat Jain to get significant role within group

Meghalaya becomes first Indian state to sponsor an esports team

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Big salary gaps in Indian communications: Freshers start low, women hit glass ceiling

Infosys, ITC, Titan, Biocon: Industry leaders join Storyboard18’s Share The Spotlight movement

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

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In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

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Storyboard18 x The English Nut: How to pronounce these 10 brand names

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

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In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Amazon's Samir Kumar will now take over the reins of the e-commerce giant's Indian operation. Kumar has been appointed as Amazon India's Country Manager, following the resignation of Manish Tiwary. Kumar will continue overseeing the consumer businesses of the retail giant across the Middle East, South Africa, and Turkey. 

Kumar joined Amazon in 1999 and was part of the core team that launched Amazon.in in 2013.  Kumar is an engineering graduate from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela. He got his master's degree from Utah State University in 1995.

Ami Agarwal, Amazon’s Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets, announced the leadership transition. Amazon.in leadership team—Saurabh Srivastava (Categories), Harsh Goyal (Everyday Essentials), Amit Nanda (Marketplace), and Aastha Jain (Growth Initiatives)—will now report to Samir. Additionally, Kishore Thota (Emerging Markets Shopping Experience) will report directly to Amit Nanda.
 
Kumar will work closely with Manish Tiwary during the transition period. Tiwary, who has been with Amazon India for eight-and-a-half years, announced his decision to leave in early August. 

Kumar will assume his new role on October 1, 2024.

Snap Inc on Wednesday launched fifth generation of spectacles, and 'Snap OS'. According to CEO Evan Spiegel, the spectacles will work seamlessly on mobile devices via the 'Spectacles' application.

The Snap spectacles, powered by Snap OS, are packed into AR glasses that weigh less than half the weight of a typical VR headset at only 226 grams. They are equipped with four cameras and enable hand tracking.

On the other hand, the Snap OS has been designed and built from the ground up and leverages its proprietary technology,  Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCoS) micro-projectors, and waveguides, creating vivid, sharp images both indoors or outdoors - even in direct sunlight.  The Optical Engine delivers a 46-degree diagonal field of view with a 37 pixel per degree similar to a 100-inch display just 10 feet away, according to Snap.

The other features of the spectacles include its dual system-on-a-chip architecture.

With two Snapdragon processors from Qualcomm, this infrastructure splits the compute workload across the two processors. The spectacles work alongside titanium chambers to improve heat dissipation. 

Spectacles deliver up to 45 minutes of continuous standalone runtime. The company has partnered with OpenAI, "to give developers access to powerful multimodal large language models".


The CEO said that spectacles will be available from today onwards as part of the Spectacles Developer Program.


According to Snap Inc., more than 375,000 AR creators, developers, and teams from nearly every country in the world have built over 4 million lenses. In just the last year, Snapchatters have engaged with Lenses made by our AR community more than 4.5 trillion times.

On creators, the company said the posting has more than tripled over the past year.

"Creators have garnered trillions of views on the Snaps in their Stories, and now, more than 500 million people watch Spotlight videos. Every day, there are nearly 15 billion interactions between creators and their fans on Snapchat,"Snap Inc said. 

Snap Partner Summit 2024: Snap Inc launches new AR glasses spectacles

Entrepreneur Mayank Bidawatka, the co-founder of India's defunct microblogging platform Koo, has started a new venture called 'Billion Hearts Software Technologies'.

Bidawatka informed in a LinkedIn post by writing, "I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Founder at Billion Hearts Software Technologies!".


According to Bidawatka, the Billion Hearts will build digital products. He wrote on LinkedIn, "Billion Hearts as a name represents the dreams of many. And hopefully the usage of billions of users around the world for whom this startup will build beautiful digital products".


Bidawatka will launch the startup in a few months as per his LinkedIn post.


<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/digital/a-product-customers-never-wanted-the-rise-and-fall-of-koo-36220.htm">A product customers never wanted?: The rise and fall of Koo</a>


In a previous post, he said that his upcoming venture has secured funding from several founder friends who have established big consumer tech startups in the country. He added, "We are busy talking to some known VCs for seed funding".


Koo, similar to the X platform, was shut down this year due to unsuccessful talks on mergers with several companies and high maintenance costs. 


Backed by Tiger Global, Koo was founded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by Bidawatka and Aprameya Radhakrishna. It was last valued at $274 million.

Before founding Koo, Bidawatka had also started companies like Goodbox and The Media Ant.

Koo co-founder Mayank Bidawatka starts new venture 'Billion Hearts Software'

Jennifer Dulski, the Founder and CEO of Rising Team and a prominent lecturer at Stanford Graduate School of Business, has shared insights into her unconventional career journey, emphasizing how taking strategic demotions plays a pivotal role in her success.

Dulski began her career in 1999 with Yahoo, accepting a marketing position that offered significantly less compensation that other opportunities she had at the time. "Most of my peers didn't understand that choice at the time, but I was excited about getting started in tech," Dulski told Business Insider. Her passion for technology and business outweighed the financial considerations, setting the stage for her future achievements.

Her career has been marked by a series of bold decisions, including her willingness to take a demotion. When Dulski chose to transition into a general management role at Yahoo, she took a step down from her marketing position. "People looked at me and said, 'what are you doing?' But I knew I wanted to try to run a business," she recalled. This move, though seemingly counterintuitive, proved to be a strategic one. "It set my career on a different path. I ended up being promoted. And in around 18 months, they gave me six businesses to run."

Dulski's journey continued with a stint at Dealmap, a startup she joined after leaving her senior executive role at Yahoo. The startup was later acquired by Google, where she continued her career before making another unexpected move to become president and CEO of Change.org. Her path eventually led her to Facebook, where she managed groups and communities. 

After 25 years in leadership roles across major tech companies, Dulski launched Rising Team in 2020. Reflecting on her career, she noted, "I've taken what I consider the unexpected or less obvious career option at many points along the road. In 2020 I started my own company, which feels like the culmination of my career."

Ex-senior employee of Yahoo, Google, and Facebook reflects on career decisions

Radhika Gupta, the CEO and Managing Director of Edelweiss Mutual Funds, has shared the surprising reason behind her decision to forgo luxury cars, even though she can easily afford them. 

Speaking on a recent podcast, Gupta revealed that her reluctance to own an expensive car stems from her belief that such vehicles are depreciating assets.

Gupta, who currently drives an Innova, explained that her perspective on luxury items has evolved significantly over the years. "I can't get myself to buy a luxury car. I can afford it, but I can't buy it," Gupta said. "Every time I tell myself 'I'm going to get a bonus, I'll buy myself a fancy car,' I think a car is a depreciating asset. I don't drive, and if I drive it out of home, 30 percent of the value will be gone."

Reflecting on her journey from a middle-class upbringing to becoming one of India's youngest CEOs, Gupta admitted that she once felt insecure about not owning designer items. However, her outlook has changed dramatically. "Eighteen years ago, when I graduated from college and people would say 'Oh! You don't have a fancy handbag?' I would feel insecure about it. Now, it someone says: 'Why are you driving an Innova?' I'm at a point where I can say, 'My place, my life'. I think it's because I don't have anything to prove [to anyone]."

Gupta's net worth is estimated to be around 41 crore, according to reports. Despite her considerable wealth, her approach to spending and investments remain grounded in practicality rather than luxury.

Edelweiss leader Radhika Gupta opens up about choosing practicality over luxury cars

China's Lenovo Group revenue rose to $15.4 billion, for the three months ending in June. Lenovo was among the first to unveil AI PCs, when it launched two models in May 2024. The company projects 10% of Lenovo’s shipped PCs will be AI PCs by year-end and the number is expected to rise to 50-60% by 2026. 

With AI and GenAI technologies proliferating, the layers of complexity for marketing practitioners increase. Emily Ketchen, global Chief Marketing Officer and VP of Lenovo’s Intelligent Devices Group (IDG) and International Markets, unravels the global media and marketing trends that are disrupting how brands and businesses engage with consumers. These trends and complex media times are also making the CMO's job a lot harder but exciting as well. 

Ketchen discusses media disruptions, the advance of AI, evolving role of the marketer and the power of leaning in, with Delshad Irani on Media Dialogues With Storyboard18.

WATCH 

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Curators of Attention: How tech marketers navigate a new media world

"Veracity and politics of the allegations aside, we may be witnessing the side effects of what happens when the worlds of government and the private sector collide."

Sudhir Sitapati, Managing Director and CEO of Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), offered his perspective on the complex dynamics between the Indian government and the private sector, using the recent controversy surrounding Madhabi Puri Buch, SEBI Chairperson, as a launchpad for a broader discussion. Sitapati took to LinkedIn to share his views.

The controversy centers on allegations that Buch's husband, Dhaval Buch, received significant sums of money for consulting work with high-profile companies, which some have implied and alleged could have been quid pro quos for favours extended by SEBI.

Sitapati, however, was quick to defend Dhaval Buch's integrity, having worked with him for over two decades at Hindustan Unilever. "In a company known for its integrity, his reputation for integrity stood out," Sitapati stated, affirming Dhaval's professional standing and demand in the corporate world post-retirement.

Beyond the specific allegations, Sitapati highlighted the inherent tensions between the government and the private sector, especially when professionals transition between the two worlds. "In the West, especially the US, it's very common for folks from the private sector to move into government jobs, and vice versa," Sitapati pointed out. 

Sitapati shared a personal anecdote to underscore the vast differences in remuneration between the sectors. Recalling his early career days, he noted that as a young management trainee, his salary surpassed that of his uncle, a Cabinet Secretary, illustrating the stark contrast in financial rewards.

<iframe src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7240943790713171968" height="1313" width="504" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Embedded post"></iframe>

He also addressed the differing ethical frameworks that govern these sectors. In the private sector, the guiding principle is often "trust and declare," where professionals disclose potential conflicts of interest and proceed under transparency. In contrast, the government sector operates with a stricter adherence to rules, where even the hint of private sector engagement can raise eyebrows. 

Sitapati's broader concern is that India's talent pool from the corporate world could remain untapped if biases and misunderstandings persist. "Given the cusp of change India is at, there's a lot of talent in the private sector that the government could use," he observed, warning that unless these differences in context and culture are respected, professionals from the corporate world may be deterred from taking up government roles. 

The post ends with a reflective note, underscoring the importance bridging this divide. For India to truly benefit from its corporate expertise, a shift in mindset is essential. Otherwise, as Sitapati cautions, "We could have a situation where no senior person would ever consider a government job. That would be a real pity."

GCPL boss Sudhir Sitapati on Dhaval Buch and what happens when govt and pvt sector worlds "collide"

Paytm founder and Chairman Vijay Shekhar Sharma on Thursday spoke about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will revolutionize the fintech industry. Sharma, during the 24th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Paytm's parent firm One97 Communications Ltd, said, "Companies and businesses that will start adopting AI at a very early stage will become successful," and added, "GenAI will have a profound impact on every industry across the country".

The Paytm chairman also mentioned, "Just like India has taken the lead in the financial technology, the same way it will do it in the AI space. Paytm will lead the industry with AI capability".

Talking about Japan's PayPay, Sharma said Paytm has adopted AI in Japan, supporting risk management and fraud detection.

"Our risk management and fraud detection systems not only enhance our payment solutions in India but also support one of the largest mobile payment companies in Japan (PayPay), where we are also a potential shareholder. There is strong demand and high expectations for us to continue advancing our AI-powered risk management solutions," Sharma added.

	
<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/paytm-money-appoints-venkatesh-srinivasan-as-non-executive-independent-director-40670.htm">Paytm Money appoints Venkatesh Srinivasan as Non-Executive Independent Director</a>

He said that the company's goal right now is to harness AI in the fintech space.

"Our goal is to harness these technologies to improve our core business operations and drive down expenses," Sharma said.

Notably, the company laid off more than 1,000 employees from its operations, sales, and engineering teams in December after adopting AI in most of the operational work.

Apart from AI, the Paytm boss said he would reapply for a payment aggregator (PA) license to reserve Bank in due course.

Recently, the Centre allowed Paytm to invest in its payment services business.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/paytm-agrees-to-sell-entertainment-ticketing-business-to-zomato-for-rs-2048-cr-cash-40159.htm">Paytm to sell Entertainment Ticketing business to Zomato for Rs 2,048</a>

“We would like to inform you that PPSL has received approval from the government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services, vide its letter dated August 27, 2024, for downstream investment from the company into PPSL. With this approval in place, PPSL will proceed to resubmit its PA application. In the meantime, PPSL will continue to provide online payment aggregation services to existing partners,” Paytm had informed the stock exchanges earlier.

RBI had rejected Paytm’s PA licence permit application in November 2022 and instructed the company to reapply with Press Note 3 compliance under the foreign direct investment norms.

One97 Communications stock closed at 0.083% up at Rs 667.05 on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Thursday.

AI will have profound impact on every industry: Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Paytm

In a traditionally male-dominated industry, Ogilvy is standing out by fostering an inclusive culture where women are not only thriving but leading the charge. From Devika Bulchandani to Maria O'Keeffe, these inspiring female leaders are at the helm of creative innovation, brand strategy, and agency growth, pushing boundaries and redefining what success looks like in the modern advertising world. From managing global accounts to steering ground-breaking campaigns, the top women at Ogilvy are paving the way for future generations, while contributing significantly to the agency's renowned legacy of creativity and impact.

Let's get to know the woman leaders at Ogilvy:

Devika Bulchandani - Global Chief Executive Officer

Devika Bulchandani (popularly known as Dev) is a globally renowned advertising leader known for her passion, purpose, and unwavering commitment to creating meaningful impact. As the Global CEO of Ogilvy, she oversees all aspects of the agency's expansive business, spanning advertising, PR, Consulting, Experience, and Health across 124 offices in 88 countries. Prior to joining Ogilvy, Bulchandani spent 26 years at McCann in various leadership roles including President of McCann North America. 

Bulchandani's leadership is characterized by her belief in creativity as a powerful tool for social good. She has championed several notable campaigns at the intersection of brand-building and social impact, including the iconic "Fearless Girl" campaign promoting female leadership, the "Morning After Island" initiative that helped overturn a Honduran ban on emergency contraception, and the "WOMAN CORP" effort in support of the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. She also led Ogilvy's work with Dove to combat race-based hair discrimination through the CROWN Act.

She was the driving force behind Mastercard’s long-running “Priceless” campaign as well as “True Name,” a first-of-its-kind feature launched in 2019 that empowers transgender and non-binary people to display their chosen name on their Mastercard. Known for ideas that capture the cultural zeitgeist, Dev also helped launch “Fearless Girl,” an iconic and beloved symbol of women’s equality; the campaign became one of the most awarded campaigns in the history of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 

Born in India, Bulchandani earned her Bachelor's degree in English and Psychology from St. Xavier's College in Mumbai, followed by a Master's degree in Communications from the University of Southern California.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/watch-listen/ogilvys-devika-bulchandani-liz-taylor-on-their-relationship-with-each-other-personal-goals-and-more-9786.htm">WATCH: Ogilvy's Devika Bulchandani and Liz Taylor on their relationship, personal goals and more, in conversation with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani</a>

Liz Taylor - Global Chief Creative Officer

Liz Taylor is one of the most-awarded creative leaders in the advertising industry, renowned for her championing of borderless creativity and ideas. As the Global Chief Creative Officer of Ogilvy, she oversees the creative output across 131 offices in 93 countries, guiding the agency's five business units: Advertising, PR, Experience, Health, and Consulting. Under her leadership, Ogilvy has achieved unparalleled success, being named CLIOs Network of the Year in 2023, Cannes Network of the Year in 2022, and WARC Creative 100's top-ranked Network in 2022 and 2023.

Prior to Ogilvy she was Global Chief Creative Officer for Leo Burnett and Chief Creative Officer for Publicis Communications North America where she was a Founding Partner at Le Truc, a new business model threaded across the Publicis Groupe. 

Taylor has an Emmy nomination to her credit for her ground-breaking campaign "Lost Class" with Change the Ref, which was honoured in the Outstanding Commercial Category.

Taylor's influence extends beyond her own work, as she has served on numerous prestigious juries, including Cannes Lions, The One Show, and D&AD. She is also an advocate for workplace equality, serving as an inaugural chair for the Athena Advertising Awards in partnership with the 3% Movement.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin and Portfolio Center, Taylor is based in her native Chicago, where she lives with her husband and her two kids when they are home from college. When she’s not writing for work, she’s writing a memoir that she hopes will one day be published. And when she needs a break from writing, you can find her indulging in any number of her favorite things—whether binge-watching, fashion obsessing, pop culture devouring, vintage t-shirt collecting, mid-century modern furniture shopping or poker playing. 

Stacey Ryan-Cornelius - Global Chief Financial Officer

Stacey Ryan-Cornelius serves as the Global Chief Financial Officer at Ogilvy, where she oversees all financial operations across the company's global network. 

Prior to her current role at Ogilvy, Ryan-Cornelius was the Global Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Geometry Global. Before that, she held the position of Global Chief Financial Officer at WPP Health & Wellness.

Ryan-Cornelius first joined Ogilvy in 1999 and held several regional and global leadership roles, including Worldwide Controller, until 2018. Her career debuted at PriceWaterHouse Coopers, where she consulted on financial statement audits, mergers, and acquisitions, and IPOs for clients such as Simon & Schuster and Viacom's MTV Network.

Recognized as one of Black Enterprise Magazine's 75 Most Powerful Women in Business, Ryan-Cornelius is a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the marketing and communications industry.

Fiona Gordon - Global Chief Executive Officer of Advertising

Fiona Gordon has been recently promoted to Global CEO of Advertising at Ogilvy. She will be responsible for ensuring the creative network's advertising, brand, and content capabilities are constantly adhering to meet the demands clients face in today's dynamic marketing landscape. 

Gordon will report to Devika Bulchandani, Global CEO of Ogilvy, and join the agency's Global Executive Committee. Previously, Gordon has served as CEO of Ogilvy UK since 2021.

Gordon has been with the Ogilvy Group and WPP across her career and previously led the WPP team for WBA in the UK for 4 years, leading on Boots and Global Brands. Prior to that she was Group Transformation lead at Ogilvy London. 

Gordon was in Asia for seven years, first in Hong Kong in a regional brand management role and then as Group Chairman of Ogilvy Singapore. Gordon also sits on the Advisory Board of Stella, WPP's Women's Network.

Sophie Hoffstetter - Chief Client Officer

London-based Sophie Hoffstetter is the Global Chief Client Officer at Ogilvy, responsible for working with leaders across the network to nurture and grow the agency's top 20 global clients. During her tenure, she has led two of Ogilvy's top five global clients, including Nestle and Unilever, to remarkable success. 

In addition to her client-focused responsibilities, Hoffstetter is a key leader in Ogilvy's Sustainability Practice, where she helps clients develop impactful sustainability strategies at both corporate and brand levels. She is also a passionate advocate for diversity, evidenced by her mentorship and recruitment efforts, as well as her commitment to building diverse teams.

Hoffstetter is an active member of Stella, WPP's female leadership group, where she champions female empowerment and leadership growth. With an international background that spans France, West Africa, Canada, and countries such as Morocco, Spain, and Thailand, Hoffstetter's global perspective enriches her approach to leadership and client partnerships. 

Maria O'Keeffe - Global Chief People Officer

Maria O'Keeffe is a seasoned executive leader specializing in innovative talent programs and inclusive workplace strategies. As Global Chief People Officer at Ogilvy since March 2022, O'Keeffe has been instrumental in reshaping the employee experience to be very modern and inclusive.

Before Ogilvy, O'Keeffe spent 25 years at Edelman, where she held various talent leadership roles, including Global Chief Talent Officer of Practices, Sectors & Clients, and CTO for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America regions. 

O'Keeffe is highly skilled in change management, mediation, and organization design. She is a certified trainer in Situational Leadership® II and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and holds her SPHR certification. She has earned her Bachelor's degree in Management from Illinois State University.

Patou Nuytemans - Chief Executive Officer EMEA of Ogilvy

As Chief Executive Officer EMEA of Ogilvy, a post she has held since September 2021, Nuytemans is responsible for driving all aspects of Ogilvy’s business across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, spanning public relations, consulting, advertising, health, and experience. 

Nuytemans joined Ogilvy in Belgium in 1993, and has steadily risen through the ranks of Ogilvy, taking on management roles of increasing responsibility. She has worked on three continents across a broad range of disciplines, categories, and clients. Her multidiscipline expertise has helped her serve as a leading contributor to Ogilvy's global digital strategy, integrating the group’s digital capabilities across the network. Prior to being named CEO of EMEA, Patou was Global Chief Growth Officer of Ogilvy Consulting from January to September 2021. In the short period she was in that role, she made significant impact to that business, operationalizing the network and its marketing function for growth. 

Before bringing her talents to Ogilvy Consulting, Nuytemans served as CEO of the Middle East and North Africa region for four years, where she grew Memac Ogilvy financially, operationally, and reputationally. Prior to her move to Dubai, Nuytemans combined her role of EMEA Chief Digital Officer with that of CEO Ogilvy & Social.Lab Brussels. As Chief Digital Officer, a role she had for over 15 years, she played a pivotal role in developing and implementing the strategy that transformed Ogilvy into a digital-age agency group and led numerous digital transformation projects for some of the world’s leading brands, including British Airways, IBM, IKEA, Nespresso, Nestlé, Philips, Unilever, Vodafone, and many more.

Julianna Richter - Global CEO of Ogilvy PR

As Global CEO of Ogilvy PR, Richter oversees all aspects of Ogilvy’s earned, social and influencer communications which span brand, advocacy, media, corporate and employee experience. Richter also serves as Chief Communications Officer of WPP Open X where she helps to assemble and lead integrated global teams across the agency network and partners with global clients to scale their business. 

An industry veteran, Richter is a strategic communications and operations leader with over 20 years of experience. Most recently, Richter was a partner at Waypoint Partners, a global growth advisory and M&A firm, that works with high growth companies to scale their business by increasing capabilities, capacity and capital. 

Prior to that, she spent over 17 years at Edelman. Before departing in 2018, she served as U.S. Chief Operating Officer responsible for driving growth and operational efficiency of the largest region and had management oversight of US practices and business functions including human resources, diversity and inclusion, client excellence, marketing, innovation and learning and development. Prior to her role as Edelman’s U.S. COO, Richter was President of Global Client Management where she was responsible for strategic growth and market expansion of the firm’s global client portfolio. Richter has worked with leading brands such as AstraZeneca, Genentech, Paypal, Campari, Cigna, Starbucks and Taco Bell to develop PR and communications strategies, launch consumer campaigns and manage company-wide issues and crises.

Meet the female trailblazers at the top of the world's most famous ad agency - Ogilvy

Starbucks has onboarded Brian Niccol, a seasoned leader in the restaurant industry, as its new CEO. Niccol, who has been hailed as a "dream hire" and a "hall of fame restaurant CEO," credits much of his success to a simple yet powerful piece of career advice he embraced in his 20s: "Believe in yourself."

In a May 2024 commencement speech at Miami University in Oxford, Niccol, 50, shared insights into the mindset that shaped his career. "I know it's a cliché, but you absolutely have to believe in yourself and have the grit to not give up when it at first might not be going your way," he said. 

The newly-appointed Starbucks chief is known for carrying a "beat-up notebook" with him, a tool he uses to track his progress toward career goals. 

His message to young professionals is clear: "Whatever it is you need to do to keep yourself focused on your goal, do it, and believe you can do it."

Niccol has also emphasized the importance of trusting one's instincts. "There will be times in your career when your gut will be tingling," he told CNBC Make It. "Make space for that instinctive intelligence and take action. Trust your instincts."

What truly set Niccol apart during the Starbucks CEO selection process was a phrase that resonated with the company's board. Speaking to CNBC, former Starbucks chair Mellody Hobson, who recently passed her position on to Niccol, revealed that his confidence was captured in five simple words: "I know what to do."

"He said, 'This is a speed bump in the company's history. This is not something that I fear going into,' and that was something for our board that was extremely encouraging," Hobson noted. 

Starbucks' new CEO Brian Niccol's "beat-up notebook" and simple success mantras

Online advertising company Criteo has appointed Mohit H Chablani ad head of sales enterprise India. He worked at mCanvas as associate director of sales. 


He is experienced in the areas of digital ad sales, publisher development, account management, global business development, lead generation, team management and client servicing.


Chablani started his career at Intelenet Global Services, and went on to work across Euclid Infotech Services, Aujas Networks, Media.net, ZEDO and Gameloft.



Chablani obtained a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Mumbai, and a masters in marketing management from Thakur Institute Management Studies and Research.



Criteo appoints Mohit H Chablani as head of sales - enterprise India

Mohit H Chablani worked as associate director of sales at mCanvas.

The Director of Marketing, Vikram Chandratrey of Mondelez International has joined Tata Consumer Products Limited for the ready to drink category. He was the director of marketing for Indonesia and head of innovation and equity for SEA. 

Chandratrey has been appointed vice president of marketing for the ready-to-drink (RTD) category at Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) in India. Effective September 16, Chandratrey has relocated from Jakarta to Gurugram, India to oversee the marketing of brands such as Himalayan Water, Tata Gluco+, and Tata Copper+.

Chandratrey has been replaced by Lucas Levy, former marketing head for Dove Hair in Southeast Asia at Unilever. Levy will be the regional marketing head. 

Chandratrey was associated with Mondelez International since more than 11 years. He worked closely on products such as Cadbury and Oreo. 

Cashify has announced the appointment of Ujjwal Sinha as Head of Marketing. With over 15 years of extensive experience in the marketing domain, Ujjwal brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the company, further strengthening Cashify’s leadership team. 

In his new role, Ujjwal will oversee and direct all aspects of consumer marketing at Cashify.

Before joining Cashify, Ujjwal served as Associate Vice President of Marketing at CARS24, where he played a pivotal role in driving business growth through innovative marketing strategies.  

Coming from auto industry re-commerce, at CARS24, he led the growth marketing for the supply side, optimizing marketing efforts through data and technology, and spearheading media planning, buying, and offline efforts. His work in enhancing the company’s online reputation and ensuring the brand’s physical presence across multiple cities were significant milestones during his association with CARS24. Prior to his roles at CARS24, Ujjwal held senior marketing positions at AutoPortal India and Tata Motors. 

“We are thrilled to have Ujjwal join our team,” said Nakul Kumar, Co-Founder & CMO of Cashify. “Building a strong team has always been key to our vision, and with Ujjwal on board, we're excited about the growth and opportunities ahead. We are confident that joining forces with talented people will definitely help us grow, innovate and redefine the re-commerce industry in India.” 

Cashify appoints Ujjwal Sinha as head of marketing

Pizza Hut, a division of US-based Yum! Brands, has announced the appointment of Rohan Pewekar as the Managing Director of the Indian Subcontinent. Based in Gurgaon, Pewekar will spearhead the brand's expansion efforts across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, as Pizza Hut prepares for its next phase of growth in the region.

An alumnus of IIM Calcutta and The Wharton School, Rohan has been with Pizza Hut for over four years, serving as Chief Strategy and Finance Officer, where he played a crucial role in the brand's rapid ascent in the market. With nearly 15 years of experience in B2C sectors across various countries, he brings a wealth of expertise in finance, go-to-market strategies, and channel expansion.

In his statement, Pewekar expressed enthusiasm for his new role, stating, "Pizza Hut has seen incredible growth, now reaching close to 900 restaurants across 200+ cities in India. I am honoured to lead the brand in one of the world's fastest-growing markets. As we set our sights on the future, we're not just expanding - we're reinventing the experience with bold partnerships, industry-first products, and innovative marketing that connects with the next generation, unlocking new possibilities in the Indian market."

Pewekar acknowledged the mentorship of Merrill, his predecessor, emphasizing its significance in his career development. He added, "I am eager to collaborate with our incredibly talented team and dedicated franchisee partners as we continue driving our growth, delivering outstanding results, and setting new benchmarks for success."

Prior to joining Pizza Hut, Rohan was with Samsung Electronics India, leading several high-impact strategic initiatives. He also worked at Accenture Strategy Consulting, where he advised clients on market entry strategies, brand launches, and digital transformation across multiple consumer industries.

Milind Shah has taken on an exciting new role as Chief Marketing Officer of MG SELECT, the company's luxury brand channel.

MG SELECT aims to redefine the luxury car experience in India, marking a strategic shift for MG Motor as it continues to expand its footprint in the premium segment of the automobile industry.

Shah shared the news in a recent <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/milindshah1987_mgmotorindia-mgselect-luxurycar-activity-7241790971204542464-0YMz?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop">LinkedIn</a> post, expressing his excitement for the next chapter in his career. "After playing a pivotal role in establishing the MG brand in India, I'm now leading the launch of MG Select, a luxury brand channel that promises to redefine the luxury car experience," Shah stated.

Reflecting on his two-decade journey, which he refers to as his "startup life," Shah remains passionate about building innovative teams, creating new markets, and pushing boundaries. He also took the opportunity to thank his colleagues, mentors, and loved ones for their continuous support throughout his career.

As Shah steps into this new role, he looks forward to collaborating with fellow innovators, industry experts, and luxury car enthusiasts. 

Shah has previously worked with Royal Enfield and Harley-Davidson Motor Company.

Milind Shah takes on new challenge as CMO of MG Select, MG Motor India's luxury brand channel

GroupM has appointed Bharat Rajamani as managing partner - growth, acceleration. In his new role, Rajamani will look into all marketing and alliances initiatives of Acceleration - Industry and client events.


He will target Non-GroupM Clients, GroupM's emerging client cluster across all agencies and clients in Sri Lanka Market. 


Rajamani began his career at M/s Dalal & Shah, and M/s Parihar & Sonpar, and went on to work across EY, KPMG India, and GetaFixM.


At EY, as executive director and solution leader - marketing and advertising risk services, he was responsible for the MARS Solution with direct reporting to the Industry Leader for Media & Entertainment in India & Global MARS leaders. 


His clients cut across various industries – FMCG, CP, Telecom, Services, Oil & Gas, and Governments. He performed the following key roles: Pursuit identification & Risk Management, Pursuit strategizing, tracking & co-ordination with Partners, Sales, Team Utilisation, Solution & People Development, Fee Negotiation, Project Execution, Client Deliverables, Billing of project fees & Collections. 


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GroupM names Bharat Rajamani as Managing Partner - Growth, Acceleration

India has taken another step toward becoming a global leader in broadcast technology with the appointment of Shashi Shekhar Vempati, former CEO of Prasar Bharati, to the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) Board Business Advisory Council.

ATSC, a leading global body focused on advancing broadcast standards, sees Vempati's inclusion as a strategic move to bring India's insights and technological prowess into the global conversation, particularly in the development and expansion of ATSC 3.0.

Vempati's role on the Business Advisory Council will involve guiding the intersection of business strategies and technical advancements. His extensive experience in media and technology positions him well to drive innovation and foster cross-sector partnerships, essential for the widespread adoption of ATSC 3.0. His appointment is also timely, as India explores Direct-to-mobile (D2M) broadcasting - powered by ATSC 3.0 - which promises unprecedented access to multimedia content and strategy services, even in remote regions.

With ATSC 3.0's seamless multimedia delivery framework, India's gigantic population can leverage this technology in a multitude of ways. By enhancing education, digital inclusion, and disaster management services, it will also further align with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Digital India' vision.

Former Prasar Bharati CEO joins ATSC Board Business Advisory Council

Publicis Sapient, a digital business transformation company, announces Shubhradeep (Shubhra) Guha as its new Global Chief Delivery Officer. He will be responsible for ensuring effective delivery across all client engagements globally while partnering with Publicis Sapient’s global capability leads to drive the evolution of the company’s SPEED capabilities (Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data and AI) and the AI transformation of global delivery. He will be based in Gurgaon.


Guha joins Publicis Sapient from Google’s North America division, where he spent nearly a decade leading integrated teams and delivering transformative, AI-led solutions for some of Google’s largest clients. 


“Shubhra knows how to harness the magic that comes from equipping talented people with powerful AI,” says Nigel Vaz, Publicis Sapient CEO. “We’re working on AI transformation for some of the world’s biggest companies right now. Not prototyping, but actively delivering real work. It’s been part of what we do for years and it’s going to be part of every business going forward. I’m excited to have Shubhra on board to help us continue to deliver with excellence, agility and innovation in this truly transformative era.”


“It’s been incredible to see how Publicis Sapient has advanced its delivery capabilities over the last several years: connecting top-tier strategy, product and experience capabilities to high-end engineering and data, producing transformative outcomes for clients,” says Guha. “As we enter the AI era, I’m excited to return to Publicis Sapient and work with our incredible teams to take delivery to the next level, bringing the best to Publicis Sapient clients, while creating an unmatched environment where our people can learn and grow.”


Outgoing Chief Delivery Officer, Bob Van Beber, will become Global Head of Sales Management. "Bob has served in multiple executive leadership positions throughout his tenure at Publicis Sapient with deep roots in sales and client development,” said Vaz. "I look forward to the impact he will create in this critical new role."


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Publicis Sapient names Shubhradeep Guha as Global Chief Delivery Officer

Snap Inc. announced that Jim Lanzone, Chief Executive Officer of Yahoo Inc., has been appointed to the company's board of directors, effective as of September 12, 2024.


“We are excited to welcome Jim to our board of directors and benefit from his experience in technology and digital advertising,” said Evan Spiegel, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Snap Inc. “We look forward to working with and learning from him as we continue to grow our business.”


“Jim’s strong technology background will be a key asset for Snap,” said Michael Lynton, Chairperson of the board of directors of Snap Inc. “We are glad to have him on the board and I look forward to beginning our work together.”


“Snap has long been a tech pioneer and innovator and I'm thrilled to join the board,” said Lanzone. “With significant long-term opportunity ahead, I’m eager to begin collaborating with Evan, Michael, and the other directors to grow its iconic business.”


Lanzone has been Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of Yahoo Inc. since September 2021. Prior to that, Lanzone served as CEO of Tinder. Previously, he served as President and CEO of CBS Interactive for over 8 years, as well as becoming CBS Corporation’s first Chief Digital Officer. He has also previously served on the board of directors for GoPro, Inc. and Edmunds.com.


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Jim Lanzone joins Snap Inc. Board of Directors

OpenAI has announced that its CEO, Sam Altman, is stepping down from the Safety and Security Committee, an internal group established to oversee critical safety decisions for the company's projects. The committee will now function as an independent board oversight group, chaired by Carnegie Mellon professor Zico Kolter. Other members include Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, retired U.S. Army General Paul Nakasone, and former Sony EVP Nicole Seligman, all of whom are also on OpenAI's board of directors, as per reports.

OpenAI's Safety and Security Committee, which conducted a safety review of its latest AI model, o1, after Sam Altman's departure, will continue to function independently. The committee will receive regular updates from OpenAI's safety and security teams and retains the authority to delay model releases until safety concerns are fully addressed, as per reports.

OpenAI's Safety and Security Committee will continue to receive regular updates on the technical assessments of current and future AI models, as well as ongoing post-release monitoring. The company is also implementing a new safety and security framework with specific success criteria for launching models.

Sam Altman's decision to step down from the Safety and Security Committee follows concerns raised by five U.S. senators in a letter to him this summer. Additionally, many OpenAI staff members who previously focused on AI safety have left the company, and former researchers have accused Altman of prioritizing OpenAI's corporate interests over genuine AI regulation.

In an op-ed for The Economist, former OpenAI board members Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley expressed concerns about the company's ability to hold itself accountable, citing the potential influence of profit incentives. With rumors of a new funding round that could value OpenAI at over $150 billion, the company's profit motives may be further amplified. To secure this funding, OpenAI might abandon its hybrid nonprofit structure, potentially compromising its commitment to developing artificial general intelligence that benefits all of humanity.

Sam Altman steps down from safety committee as OpenAI faces scrutiny

Global digital agency DEPT appoints industry leader Andrew Dimitriou as its Global Chief Client & Growth Officer who also becomes a partner of the company. He will oversee the agency’s global growth, marketing, and client service teams, focusing on delivering pioneering customer experiences, campaigns, and solutions. He will join and become a member of the company’s executive team. 


“Coming from a creative agency, I’m impressed by DEPT®'s ability to build long-term partnerships that unlock growth for some of the world’s most ambitious brands, like eBay, Google, and Netflix,” said Dimitriou. 


He added, “Our conversations have shown me the incredible potential of integrating tech and marketing, putting DEPT® at the forefront of using data and AI in new, groundbreaking ways. This is where the industry's future is headed, and DEPT is leading the charge. I’m thrilled to contribute to this exciting growth journey.”


Dimitriou brings 25+ years of experience at global networks transforming global businesses with experience in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. He has led client teams for major brands in industries like FMCG, HealthCare, and Technology. Most recently, he was the EMEA CEO for 7 years at VMLY&R where he led a network of 4500 and was nominated as Campaign Agency Leader of the Year 2021, 2022, 2023. Andrew is based in Europe and will report to Dimi Albers, Global CEO.


Dimi Albers, Global CEO at DEPT, said, “Andrew is a truly global leader, and he brings a deep understanding of the broadness of our services and a breadth of experience in delivering those services to clients at a global scale. On top of that, he is a charismatic, empathetic human who wants to build a culture of creativity and innovation, which is exactly what we’re all about here. I am super excited to get to work together.”


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Criteo appoints Mohit H Chablani as head of sales - enterprise India

Mohit H Chablani worked as associate director of sales at mCanvas.

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