SEBI cracks down on unregistered finfluencers, but loopholes remain

Modenik Lifestyle ups ad spends by 25 percent; to double revenue growth in three years

Warner Bros. Discovery threatens legal action against NBA over media rights

Meta ordered to delete AI-generated photographs of public individuals

Esports industry divided over forming anti-poaching body

Representational image via Unsplash

Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only

Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

Advertising is in the position where tobacco was: IPG's Arun Kumar 

Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

There is an opportunity for building a better agency, not just a different one: Manja's Prajato Guha

Paris Olympics to garner 150 million viewership on Digital, 120 million on Linear TV

Publicis Groupe to acquire Influential for $500 million

Google has a new competitor - SearchGPT by OpenAI

News influencers to be called 'digital news broadcasters', proposes new draft of Broadcasting Bill

Piyush Pandey

SC directs MIB to file affidavit within three weeks with recommendations on SDC | Ampverse shuts 7Sea Esports

Sachin Tendulkar, Adar Poonawalla-backed JetSynthesys to exit from Skyesports?: Exclusive

Quick-commerce players' ad revenue stream grows; a key investment focus for advertisers

FSSAI cancels licences of 111 spice producers due to high levels of ethylene oxide found in samples

The CRED Point: Relying on advertising virality without product virality?

Time to 'Share The Spotlight': Storyboard18's one-of-a-kind initiative to bring together women sparking change

Nobody’s Perfect Retro Porsche Ad

In Conversation With Raja Rajamannar, Mastercard

Shahid Kapoor And Varun Ganjoo Speaks On PokerBaazi's Campaign

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

Why are brands including e-sports in their sports marketing itinerary?

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

Experts' Take On Reinvention Of Ad Campaigns Through Technology

Experts Speak On Key Emerging Trends In Cannes Lions Entries

Leaders of the future have to be outstanding human beings: Nestle MD

In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Shekhar Kapur known for films such as ''Mr India'', ''Bandit Queen'', and ''Elizabeth'', has been appointed festival director for the International Film Festival of India.

Kapur will lead the 55th and 56th editions of the Goa-based festival, which is conducted yearly, according to a statement from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

"With the approval of the Competent Authority, it has been decided to appoint Shri Shekhar Kapur as the Festival Director for the 55th and 56th editions of the International Film Festival of India, Goa," the notification stated.

Kapur, 78, is an iconic name in Indian cinema and one of the first directors to make a name for himself in Hollywood with his films "Elizabeth" and "Elizabeth: The Golden Age."

He has directed films such as ''Masoom'', ''Mr India'', and ''Bandit Queen'' in India.

He most recently directed the British comedy ''What's Love Got to Do with It? Kapur was the chairperson of the International Competition Jury at the 54th IFFI.

He also chaired the Film and Television Institute of India in Pune from 2020 to 2023.

Shekhar Kapur appointed festival director for International Film Festival of India

Swiggy's quick commerce vertical, Swiggy Instamart has appointed Himavant Srikrishna Kurnala as Senior Vice President (SVP) and Head of Product. 

Before this Kurnala was Chief Product Officer for JioMart where he oversaw Product, Program, Design, Analytics, and Marketplace trust functions.

Kurnala has also worked with companies like Amazon and Microsoft in his more than 20-year-long career.

Separately, Mayank Rajvaidya has joined as the Vice President (VP) of Fruits & Vegetables at Swiggy Instamart. Rajvaidya previously led Amazon’s Consumables Private Brands in India, where he expanded Amazon Pantry to over 300 cities.

Additionally, Manu Sasidharan joined Swiggy Instamart as Associate Vice President (AVP) of the FMCG Category. He has over 12 years of experience, predominantly in the e-commerce sector. Previously with Flipkart and Clertrip, Sasidharan was responsible for business development, setting up businesses, PnL management, and customer demand management.

The online food delivery platform has also appointed Kumar Rahul as AVP of development for Lynk. Rahul previously worked at Google, Disney+Hotstar, and Flipkart.

Swiggy announces three appointments for Swiggy Instamart

Everstone Group on Wednesday appointed Sujoy Bose as Chief Executive Officer-Investment Management. According to the investment group, Bose will spearhead capital formation, deal sourcing, fund governance, and ESG and impact initiatives. Bose's responsibilities also include managing capital-raising efforts, strengthening relationships with Limited Partners (LPs), and enhancing the firm’s deal flow across various sectors. 

"I am delighted to join the Everstone Group, one of the few home-grown and resilient multi-asset class fund managers in Emerging Markets, at a moment when it is on the verge of a significant growth phase.  There are several aspects of Everstone’s investment approach that I find exciting, including, its focus on India".


"I look forward to contributing my global experience to make a meaningful impact and help take Everstone to the next level," Bose added.

Sameer Sain from Everstone Group said, "We are delighted to welcome Sujoy to the Everstone family. Sujoy brings a long and proven track record of leadership and success, both in India and globally".

Bose will play a role in shaping Everstone's strategic direction and investment decisions as part of the Investment Committees and Executive Committee, the investment group said.

Bose has three decades of experience in fund management, infrastructure investment, and strategic leadership. Before joining Everstone Group, he led India's National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) as Managing Director and CEO. Prior to NIIF, Sujoy Bose spent 23 years at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), where he held pivotal roles such as Global Co-Head of Infrastructure and Natural Resources and Chief Investment Officer of IFC Asset Management.

Everstone Group appoints Sujay Bose as CEO-Investment Management

Bajaj Electricals Ltd today announced the resignation of its Managing Director and CEO, Anuj Poddar, who shall be moving on to pursue an external opportunity. The Board has accepted his resignation while recognising and acknowledging Poddar's contributions in formulating the transformation and growth journey of the Company over the past five and a half years. His last date with the company is 30th September, 2024.

Poddar led the organisation through a tumultuous phase and has been the architect of its overhaul and turnaround, the company said. He also brought in a consumer-first approach, while driving a long-term growth strategy, it said, adding that the company achieved several significant milestones, notably becoming net-debt-free in March’22 (a first for the company), relaunching its flagship brand ‘BAJAJ’, establishing the ‘House of Brands’ architecture, expanding the portfolio with a new, premium brand (Nex), signing a long-term licensing agreement for the ‘Morphy Richards’ brand, reorganising the Lighting Solutions business, launching a slew of products to premiumise
the portfolio, rolling out a new ERP system, and attracting strong talent to the organisation.

Before joining Bajaj Electricals, Poddar was a member of the Leadership Team at Viacom18 Media Private Limited and one of its key founding team members. During his over 13 years with the company he played an integral role in the growth of the company including its foray into mass entertainment with Colors, its expansion into international territories, the acquisition and launch of its motion pictures business as well as its foray into the regional language networks business. He also led strategy for MTV Networks Asia, based out of Singapore. 

Prior to Viacom 18 Media, Poddar spent nearly a decade with Arthur Andersen and KPMG and was involved in a range of consulting, mergers & acquisitions and assurance services to a range of clients across financial services, consumer, IT & ITES and other sectors.

Bajaj Electricals Limited is a Indian Consumer Appliances and Lighting Solutions company headquartered in Mumbai with a turnover of Rs 4,641 crores (FY 24-25). It is a part of the $100 bn multinational conglomerate Bajaj Group founded by Shri Jamnalal Bajaj. The Company was established in 1938. 

Bajaj Electricals MD and CEO Anuj Poddar resigns

Founder of the stationery brand Camlin, Subash Dandekar, died at 86. Dandekar was serving as the chairman emeritus of the Kokuyo Camlin. He was ill for the past few days and took his last breath at Hinduja Hospital.

According to PTI news agency, citing family sources, Dandekar was cremated in central Mumbai on Monday, and a condolence meeting will be held on Thursday.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis paid his tribute to Subhash Dandekar and said that the state has lost a "grandfather figure" who has brought fame to the industries in Maharashtra.

“Subhash Dandekar not only built the Camlin industry but added colour to the lives of thousands of youths by providing employment. He gave great priority to the preservation of values,” he said.

“While growing the industry, they preserved value and people. He always insisted that labour should get dignity,” Fadnavis added.

Dandekar received several awards for his contribution to art, entrepreneurship, and social awareness. He was the recipient of the Game Changers of Maharashtra award Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dandekar is survived by his son Ashish and daughter Anagha.

Camlin founder Subash Dandekar dies at 86

Consumer appliances and lighting solutions company, Bajaj Electricals Ltd has appointed Vishal Chadha as chief operating officer of its Consumer Products Division. Chadha will join the Bajaj Group company on August 1. 

Chadha brings with him 28 years of experience across organizations like Britannia, Nokia, Snapdeal and Kohler, with functional experience in sales, category management and marketing,

An IIM-Lucknow alumnus, Chadha has been in General Management roles since 2016, first at Snapdeal where he was the Chief Business Officer, followed by a brief stint at Reliance Brands before joining Kohler as Managing Director - India and South Asia where he ran the entire India business. He has experience across FMCG, consumer devices, and e-commerce.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bajaj-consumer-care-appoints-sanath-r-pulikkal-as-cmo-34515.htm">Read more: Bajaj Consumer Care appoints Sanath R. Pulikkal as CMO</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/bajaj-auto-along-with-nitin-gadkari-launch-worlds-first-cng-motorcycle-36351.htm">Read more: Bajaj Auto along with Nitin Gadkari launch world's first CNG motorcycle</a>

Bajaj Electricals appoints Vishal Chadha as COO - Consumer Products Division

Meta has rolled back some restrictions that it had applied to former US President Donald Trump's accounts on Instagram and Facebook. The social media juggernaut had indefinitely suspended Trump's accounts following his praise of people who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. In January 2023, Meta ended the suspension of Trump’s accounts with new guardrails to deter repeat offenses. 

Former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties, Meta said in an updated blog post on July 12, 2024. 

The big tech firm said, "Today we are making a change to the updated protocol we announced in January 2023. To ensure people can hear from political candidates on our platforms, we will review accounts subject to this protocol on a periodic basis to determine whether heightened suspension penalties for Community Standards violations remain appropriate. We will make this determination by weighing our responsibility, as outlined by the Oversight Board, to “allow political expression” against our responsibility “to avoid serious risks to other human rights.”

It added in the blog post, "With the party conventions taking place shortly, including the Republican convention next week, the candidates for President of the United States will soon be formally nominated. In assessing our responsibility to allow political expression, we believe that the American people should be able to hear from the nominees for President on the same basis. As a result, former President Trump, as the nominee of the Republican Party, will no longer be subject to the heightened suspension penalties. In reaching this conclusion, we also considered that these penalties were a response to extreme and extraordinary circumstances, and have not had to be deployed. All US Presidential candidates remain subject to the same Community Standards as all Facebook and Instagram users, including those policies designed to prevent hate speech and incitement to violence." 

Meta rolls back restrictions applied on Donald Trump's Instagram and Facebook accounts

Billionaire Elon Musk has donated to a super political action committee working to elect Donald Trump to the White House, a Bloomberg report stated, claiming that the move is "a major gambit by the world’s richest person to make his imprint on the US political landscape." 

The report doesn't state the exact size of the contribution to the low-profile Super PAC called America PAC, except to say that it is sizeable. 

The Tesla boss and owner of X (formerly known as Twitter) has yet to publicly endorse a candidate in the 2024 US Presidential race. "...but his decision to open his pocketbook presents an opportunity for him to become a financial juggernaut for Republicans," the Bloomberg report stated.  

A political action committee (PAC) in the US is a tax-exempt 527 organization that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaigns for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. 

Super PACs (independent expenditure only political committees) are committees that may receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, labor unions and other PACs for the purpose of financing independent expenditures and other independent political activity.

In May this year, Musk tweeted in support of Trump hours after he became the first US president to be convicted of a crime when a New York jury found him guilty of falsifying documents to cover up a payment to silence a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.

“Indeed, great damage was done today to the public’s faith in the American legal system. If a former President can be criminally convicted over such a trivial matter – motivated by politics, rather than justice – then anyone is at risk of a similar fate,” Musk posted on X. 

Billionaire Elon Musk opens his wallet for Donald Trump's campaign in US prez race

Nikon India is planning to leverage the festive season in the country to enhance its revenue growth. The camera and imaging equipment maker expects a revenue growth of 10-12 percent compared to last year. India’s festive season generates around 35 percent of revenue for Nikon India due to high demand. Despite the growth, Nikon India has no plans to set up manufacturing units in India and will continue importing cameras and imaging equipment.

Nikon India recently expanded its mirrorless camera range with the launch of the latest Z6III full-frame mirrorless camera in India. Currently, mirrorless lenses and mirrorless bodies constitute 80 percent of Nikon India’s product sales. Against the backdrop of this launch, Sajjan Kumar, Managing Director of Nikon India, spoke to Storyboard18 and said, “We as a brand are looking at almost 10-12 percent growth in terms of absolute value. In our country, mainly winter weddings are the biggest seasonal period which starts just after Diwali. There is also festive demand by August which starts onwards from Onam.”

Nikon India generates around 35 percent of its revenue during festive seasons. Kumar said, “We see a lot of demand during Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Puja as well. We see an upward tick during wildlife seasons and we are expecting that this coming wedding period will be really good."

Today multiple companies have set up manufacturing units in India while Nikon India continues to import camera and imaging equipment. When asked if Nikon India has any plans to set up manufacturing plants in India, Kumar said, “No, not at this stage. Currently, our absolute numbers or customer base is too small for this industry to set up a manufacturing unit."

He further said, “Looking at the demand in our country and our population I think this number is small. Yes, that offers a lot of opportunity but that I think we need to see. But currently we don't have any plans (to set up a manufacturing unit).”

According to a Mordor Intelligence report, the global digital camera market size is estimated at USD 5.39 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 6.83 billion by 2029, growing at a CAGR of 4.85 percent during the forecast period (2024-2029). The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth due to the current photography trend in Asia-Pacific which fuels the desire for digital cameras. Photography has grown more user-friendly and economical, supporting the region's demand for digital cameras.

India ranks number 4 in terms of revenue contribution to Nikon Corporation. Talking about the market share, Sajjan Kumar said, “Currently we have a 30 percent market share in India and we are expecting a growth of 2 percent. Nikon India achieved Rs 973 crore revenue last year and this year we are looking to clock around Rs 1050 crore.”

Elaborating on the global revenue contribution, Kumar said, “Globally, only in the imaging segment of Nikon, India is number 4. Our contribution should be around 4-5 percent to the global revenue contribution to Nikon Corporation. The major countries which contribute to Nikon are the US, China, Germany, and India. At times we are very close to the numbers with Germany.”

Nikon India entered the healthcare segment which contributes around 5 percent of its revenue. Kumar said, “We are looking at almost 20 percent growth in the healthcare segment in this fiscal year and we have just entered this category a year and a half back. We are seeing the focus and spending from the government towards healthcare as a segment. The conducive environment and efforts by the government are offering us more opportunities as a brand as we operate in a niche segment of just the biological range of microscopes when it comes to healthcare in India, catering to research institutes, educational institutes, or even IVF labs. For our healthcare division, we are investing in teams to meet the consumer's requirements and expectations from us in sales and service.”

With a footprint of 1500 stores across retail, Large Format Retailers, and experience zones, Nikon India says that their intent is to make their products widely available. Kumar said, “Nowadays, when a customer is buying a camera or lenses, they are either a serious hobbyist or a professional. For offline, in our 140 Experience Zones, we offer varied services to our customers. We do 700 plus workshops across 250 plus cities.”

Our advertising and marketing strategies are a mix of online and offline. We have understood that now, a good mix of online and offline activities will help. We are not into outdoor or TV in a big way. He added.

Nikon India sticks to imports amid growth, aims to cross Rs 1000 crore revenue mark

HCLTech, global technology company, announced that Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson, HCLTech has been conferred the "Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur" (Knight of the Legion of Honour) by France. The award recognises her contributions to the business world, constant endeavor to promote economic ties between France and India, as well as her unwavering commitment to social and environmental causes.


Instituted in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur is the highest civilian award given by the French Republic for outstanding service to France, regardless of the nationality of the recipients. The President of the French Republic is the Grand Master of the Order of the Legion of Honour. 

The award was conferred on the HCLTech Chairperson by H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, on behalf of the President of the French Republic, during a special ceremony at the Residence of France in Delhi.


Malhotra said, “It is my privilege to receive this honor and it underscores the strategic relationship between India and France. HCLTech has a longstanding presence in France, which is a strategic market for us. We are committed to scaling our operations in the country and supporting the digital transformation of French businesses through our differentiated portfolio of services.”


Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said: “I am delighted to confer the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur on Ms Roshni Nadar Malhotra whose exceptional leadership qualities have helped her carve her own niche in both the corporate and the philanthropic worlds. Under her forward-thinking mindset focused on emerging technologies as AI and cybersecurity, HCL has remained at the cutting-edge of the industry, and has been recognized as an active promoter of business relations between France and India. The French Republic acknowledges today not only Ms Nadar Malhotra’s professional achievements but also her impact on society and her commitment to strengthening bilateral relations between our two countries.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cxo-moves-exec-movements-across-intel-groupm-unilever-adobe-and-more-36402.htm">CXO Moves: Exec movements across Intel, GroupM, Unilever, Adobe and more</a>

HCLTech's chairperson Roshni Nadar Malhotra conferred with the 'Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur'

Digital Refresh Networks an AI-assisted content solutions company has appointed Swapna Nair as national account director. Nair is experienced in the field of digital marketing. Earlier, she was with Tonic Worldwide as a vice president – brands / account management.

In her current role at Digital Refresh Networks, she will be accountable for the overall growth of DRN and will be involved in client relationship, retention programming, planning, expansion strategy and process building for the clients.

On the new appointment Nair said “I am really excited for my new endeavour with DRN, I am thankful for Barin’s trust in my abilities and vision. I am looking forward to adding to the growth story of DRN."

Prior to Digital Refresh Networks, Nair was with DAN, digital unit of TBWA\, 22feet, Storycentre and FoxyMoron.

Barin Mukherjee, chief executive officer, DRN envisions a promising future with this appointment. He said  “Looking forward to Swapna leading key accounts for DRN. She is thoroughbred in the digital comms environment and would be bringing in a new dimension to the work we want to put out from DRN.”

Digital Refresh Networks appoints Swapna Nair as national account director

She will be accountable for the overall growth of DRN and will be involved in client relationship, retention programming, planning, expansion strategy and process building for the clients

Karan Rajpal, who led EnableX as head of marketing, has been appointed by LTIMindtree as senior director. In his new role, he is running marketing for two mandates at LTIMindtree. 

He is into marketing outcomes for LTIMindtree's delivery units, delivering outcomes across retention, strategic goals and client experience.

Rajpal began his career at Supreme Metal Industries. and went on to work across Havana Bath Fixtures and Accessories, New Global Indian, Aviva, JLL, HCL Technologies and Dalmia Bharat Limited.

At HCL Technologies, as the global lead for social media, Rajpal helped to raise the profile of the brand and business lines. He worked with content marketing, business marketing teams, and helped increase engagement with CXOs .

LTIMindtree appoints Karan Rajpal as senior director

Sanjay Gupta, Country Manager - India for Google has been elevated to the role of President for Asia Pacific. He replaces Scott Beaumont, he was elevated in 2019. While Roma Datta Chobey will lead the LCS team. Chobey is currently the Managing for Google India. 

In a LinkedIn post, Beaumont said, "Since our first meeting five years ago, I have seen Sanjay Gupta’s drive to think ambitiously about how technology can be a power for good in the development of his home country: India. He now has the opportunity to pursue that same calling more broadly across Asia Pacific. I know Sanjay will do the position, his team and the company enormous credit and I look forward to supporting him in his early months".

"I shall look forward to following the progress, but happily now pass on the baton to my friend and colleague Sanjay Gupta," Beaumont added.

Gupta began his journey at Hindustan Unilever as a management trainee and continued to work in the company for the next sixteen years. He became the Area Sales Manager for the states of Bihar, Orissa, and West Bengal, and then handled various brands such as Close-Up, Lux, Vim, etc. 

He went on to become the head of the entire Hindustan Unilever portfolio for Western India. Gupta has also worked at Bharti Airtel as the Chief Marketing Officer (Mobility) and left it to join Star India as its Chief Operating Officer in 2009.

The internal email was written by Philip Schindler, SVP and CBO at Google. 



Google elevates Sanjay Gupta to President, APAC

Keep up with all the key people movements in the brand marketing ecosystem in Storyboard18’s CXO Moves. Here’s a round-up of the executives who've moved jobs, got bigger roles, switched industries and more.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T082301.313-2024-07-166505291330e887d23c8148b95c4f12.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37588" />


Manjari Upadhye


Previous: Chief executive officer, Welspun World


Present: Chief marketing officer - automotive division, Mahindra & Mahindra


Manjari Upadhye has been appointed by Mahindra & Mahindra as chief marketing officer - automotive division.


Upadhye started her career at Colgate Palmolive as senior product manager, and went on to work across Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, Danone Dairy and Amazon.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081038.449-2024-07-1c21a272a56223a79f3eddf7df9be7f8.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37585" />


Brian Lesser


Previous: Chairman and CEO, InfoSum


Present: Global CEO, GroupM


Brian Lesser, who served as the chairman and CEO of InfoSum, has been appointed by WPP as the GroupM's global CEO.


He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years in the role. Juhl will take up a new position with WPP as President, Corporate Development.


Lesser spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He will rejoin WPP and begin his new role with GroupM in September 2024. 


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081551.161-2024-07-204df73226d21848a6571caf55de791b.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37586" />


Adam Warner


Present: Vice president - global sports and entertainment partnerships, PepsiCo


PepsiCo has promoted Adam Warner to the position of vice president - global sports and entertainment partnerships.


Warner began his career at PepsiCo as a senior brand manager and went on to hold various roles in different capacities. He holds a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Birmingham.


Pranav Mishra 


Previous: Head of Liabilities, ICICI Bank


Present: Head of distribution, Kotak Mahindra Group


Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited unveiled its new Distribution structure as part of its growth strategy. 


This is aimed at bringing together all the ways in which our customers interact with the Bank and to deliver an omni-channel seamless experience across all Group products and services, thereby elevating service standards and operational efficiency. 


Anirban Mozumdar


Previous: Chief strategy officer, Havas Group India


Anirban Mozumdar, who led Havas Group India as chief strategy officer, has stepped down from his position.


Mozumdar began his career at Rediffusion DY&R, and went on to work across Leo Burnett, Mudra Communications, Publicis India, chlorophyll brand & communications consultancy and 82point5.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/07/Untitled-design-2024-07-22T081907.261-2024-07-45c0fd8ec04285aa60794823bf1c38d3.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="500" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-37587" />


Harsh Bhutani


Previous: Vice President - Finance, India & Southwest Asia Operating Unit, The Coca-Cola Company.


Present: CFO, Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages 


Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCB) today announced the appointment of Mr. Harsh Bhutani as its Chief Financial Officer. Bhutani will be responsible for leading HCCB’s financial operations, including Business Transformation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax, Treasury, Audit, Accounting & Controls, Reporting and Analysis, and Risk Management.


Anuj Arora


Previous: Chief marketing officer, Symphony Limited


Present: Global chief marketing officer and business head, Symphony Limited


Anuj Arora, who led Symphony Limited as chief marketing officer has been elevated to the position of global chief marketing officer and business head.


Arora, who began his career at Godrej Consumer Pvt Ltd, went on to work across Reliance Retail, A.W. Faber Castell, Piramal Enterprises and Welspun Group.


Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy

CXO Moves: Exec movements across Mahindra & Mahindra, WPP, PepsiCo and more

Manjari Upadhye, who led Welspun Group as chief executive officer at Welspun World, has been appointed by Mahindra & Mahindra as chief marketing officer - automotive division. 


Her skills ranged across product innovation, strategy, partner relationship management, marketing strategy, team leadership, P&L management and business modeling.


Upadhye started her career at Colgate Palmolive as senior product manager, and went on to work across Ocean Spray Cranberries, PepsiCo, Mondelez International, Danone Dairy and Amazon.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/wpp-appoints-brian-lesser-as-groupms-global-ceo-37381.htm">WPP appoints Brian Lesser as GroupM's global CEO</a>

Mahindra & Mahindra appoints Manjari Upadhye as chief marketing officer - automotive division

Wealth-tech startup Fisdom has appointed Girish Venkat as the head of its wealth management business. Venkat has nearly 30 years of experience in wealth management, broking, and banking. According to Fisdom, Venkat pioneered wealth management in PSU banks in the country. Venkat has earlier served as the head of SBI Wealth, scaling its Assets Under Management (AUM) to Rs 30,000 crore over six years, the Bengaluru-based firm said.

Previously, Venkat headed wealth management at Aditya Birla Capital and has also worked at ICICI Bank.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/everstone-group-appoints-sujay-bose-as-ceo-investment-management-37396.htm">Everstone Group appoints Sujay Bose as CEO-Investment Management</a>


"Wealth management in India, particularly in tier 2 and 3 cities is a massive opportunity. I look forward to scaling this to greater heights working with Anand and Subramanya," Venkat said.

On Venkat's appointment, Subramanya SV, Co-Founder and CEO, Fisdom said, "We are delighted to welcome Girish to lead our wealth management business. Girish has proven experience of building and scaling multiple businesses in various organizations".

Fisdom ropes in Girish Venkat as head of the wealth management biz

Brian Lesser, who served as the chairman and CEO of InfoSum, has been appointed by WPP as GroupM's global CEO.


He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years in the role. Juhl will take up a new position with WPP as President, Corporate Development.


Lesser spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He will rejoin WPP and begin his new role with GroupM in September 2024. Christian will continue in his existing role until then and support the transition as he moves to his new position.


Lesser first joined WPP with the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media in 2007. He went on to create the Media Innovation Group, building addressable advertising products and technology for GroupM, including one of the industry’s first data management platforms. In 2011 he founded Xaxis, the programmatic media buying platform which now forms part of GroupM’s media performance organization, GroupM Nexus.


After leading GroupM in North America he joined AT&T as CEO of AT&T Advertising & Analytics, a $3 billion business today known as Xandr. He took on his current role as CEO and Chairman of data company InfoSum in 2020.


Throughout his career, Lesser has been at the forefront of technological advancements in the media industry, from the advent of programmatic advertising to the rise of connected TV. He is known for challenging the status quo to deliver better consumer experiences and more effective solutions for businesses.


Juhl became CEO of GroupM in November 2019, having previously held the same position at Essence, the digital media agency acquired by WPP in 2015. As President, Corporate Development for WPP he will work on various aspects of the company’s strategic development.


Under Juhl’s leadership GroupM has grown significantly, winning notable assignments and playing a critical role in WPP wins such as the partnership with The Coca-Cola Company.



Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said: “I would like to thank Christian for his contribution to the success of Essence, GroupM, WPP and our clients over the last nine years. He has built a strong foundation for the ongoing transformation of GroupM, the integration of its offer, and accelerated future growth. I look forward to working with him in his new WPP role.


“Brian is one of the industry’s most highly regarded executives with a track record of success in data- and technology-driven marketing. GroupM, its agencies and its brilliant people are in many respects the engine of WPP. Brian not only knows GroupM inside-out, but also has a strong vision for the future of the business. We are delighted to welcome him back to WPP.”


Lesser said: “WPP and GroupM are special organizations to me. I have experienced first-hand the culture of innovation and collaboration that leads to exceptional work for advertisers. I am thrilled to be rejoining GroupM as Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to building with my talented colleagues, collaborating with our industry partners, and investing with our fantastic roster of global clients.”


Juhl said: “It has been a privilege to lead this amazing business, to work alongside its incredibly talented people, and to partner with our wonderful clients around the world. We’ve achieved a huge amount together and I’m really proud of the progress GroupM has made towards its mission of making advertising work better for people. After five years the time is right for a fresh challenge, and I’m excited to get started in my new role with WPP. Brian is an exceptional leader and I’m happy he is rejoining the GroupM family.”




WPP appoints Brian Lesser as GroupM's global CEO

PepsiCo has promoted Adam Warner to the position of vice president - global sports and entertainment partnerships.


Warner began his career at PepsiCo as a senior brand manager and went on to hold various roles in different capacities. He holds a bachelors degree in commerce from the University of Birmingham.


In May, Ahmed ELsheikh, who led PepsiCo as the president for the India region, joined PepsiCo Middle East, in Saudi Arabia as the chief executive officer.


He stated, "As I bid farewell to PepsiCo #India, I feel fortunate to have been given the opportunity to lead that business, an experience that has profoundly enriched both my personal and professional journey. As we navigate through what I believe to be India's defining decade, I will always be cheering for the #PepsiCo India family, celebrating every win in spirit, wherever I may be."


"I am confident that under Jagrut Kotecha’s leadership, hashtag#PepsiCoIndia will continue to scale new heights!," the post added.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/ahmed-elsheikh-joins-pepsico-middle-east-as-ceo-32484.htm">Ahmed ELsheikh joins PepsiCo Middle East as CEO</a>

PepsiCo elevates Adam Warner to Vice President - Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships

Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited unveiled its new Distribution structure as part of its growth strategy. This is aimed at bringing together all the ways in which our customers interact with the Bank and to deliver an omni-channel seamless experience across all Group products and services, thereby elevating service standards and operational efficiency. The teams responsible for Physical branch network, Digital channel and Voice will report to Mishra.

 

The Distribution structure integrates the Physical branch network, Digital Branch channel (encompassing Mobile Banking and Net Banking platforms) and the Voice channel. This strategic initiative aims to ensure a seamless experience for customers across all interaction channels by building synergy and improving service delivery.

 

Kotak Mahindra Bank has appointed Pranav Mishra, as the head of distribution. Pranav has a distinguished background in Banking & Financial Services organizations with over 30 years of experience. He joins from ICICI Bank, where he most recently served as Head of Liabilities, Deposit, Customer 360, Branch Banking, Marketing & Alliances, ATM and Micro Market Strategy. Prior to ICICI Bank, Mishra headed distribution for ICICI Prudential Life Insurance.

 

"I am pleased to welcome Pranav to the Kotak family. Under his leadership, we are committed to strengthening our distribution and delivering a seamless omni-channel experience across all Group products and services," said Ashok Vaswani, MD & CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank. 


He added, "The new Distribution structure underscores our dedication to embedding banking services seamlessly into our customer journeys, ensuring convenience and reliability at every touchpoint. We are excited about this strategic move and confident that it will further strengthen our ability to deliver exceptional value to our customers.” 

 

Mishra stated, "I am honoured to lead Kotak Mahindra Bank's Distribution structure and am eager to leverage our capabilities to enhance customer engagement and operational efficiency." 



Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/symphony-elevates-anuj-arora-to-global-chief-marketing-officer-and-business-head-37061.htm">Symphony elevates Anuj Arora to global chief marketing officer and business head</a>

Pranav Mishra joins as head of distribution at Kotak Mahindra Group

Anirban Mozumdar, who led Havas Group India as chief strategy officer, has stepped down from his position.


Mozumdar began his career at Rediffusion DY&R, and went on to work across Leo Burnett, Mudra Communications, Publicis India, chlorophyll brand & communications consultancy and 82point5.


He worked on a wide array of categories and brands in B2C, B2B, D2C, startups. In sectors as diverse as technology, industrial products and, core FMCG. 


As an entrepreneur and business leader, he helped scale small businesses and brands in communication and brand consulting. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/symphony-elevates-anuj-arora-to-global-chief-marketing-officer-and-business-head-37061.htm">Symphony elevates Anuj Arora to global chief marketing officer and business head</a>

Havas Group India's chief strategy officer Anirban Mozumdar moves on

Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd. (HCCB) today announced the appointment of Mr. Harsh Bhutani as its Chief Financial Officer. Bhutani will be responsible for leading HCCB’s financial operations, including Business Transformation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Tax, Treasury, Audit, Accounting & Controls, Reporting and Analysis, and Risk Management. 


Bhutani is currently serving as the Vice President of Finance for the India & Southwest Asia Operating Unit of The Coca-Cola Company.


“I am pleased to welcome Harsh Bhutani as CFO. With his deep financial and business experience, strategic acumen, inspirational leadership, and proven track record of driving strong financial results, his presence will strengthen HCCB’s financial health, steer strategic decision making and further bolster stakeholder confidence. His relentless work in making finance a strategic enabler of growth and being future-ready is well recognized in the industry. We know he will continue to drive the business forward and will be a great addition to the executive team. I wish him all the best in his new, well-deserved role,” said Juan Pablo Rodriguez, CEO, HCCB. 
 

With over 25 years of experience as a seasoned financial professional, Bhutani will be returning to HCCB after a tenure in Coca-Cola India & Southwest Asia, where he played a key role in achieving double-digit growth on a year-on-year basis. He was responsible for the transformation of several key projects with system bottling partners across various parts of India & Southwest Asia. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/symphony-elevates-anuj-arora-to-global-chief-marketing-officer-and-business-head-37061.htm">Symphony elevates Anuj Arora to global chief marketing officer and business head</a>

Digital Refresh Networks appoints Swapna Nair as national account director

She will be accountable for the overall growth of DRN and will be involved in client relationship, retention programming, planning, expansion strategy and process building for the clients

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