Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan, who led CavinKare as chief executive officer and director, has joined TTK Prestige as CEO.


Vijayaraghavan began his career at Indian organic chemicals, and went on to work across Reliance Industries, Escotel Mobile Communications, Airtel. He was also a member at the Confederation of Indian Industry.

During his stint at Airtel as the chief marketing officer, Vijayaraghavan headed marketing operations function for Bharti Airtel consumer business. This was followed by heading the marketing function across LOBs responsible for the 18 geography operating units in India & South Asia.


His experience spans across manufacturing, telecom, FMCG, and D2C managing large diverse teams etc .

TTK Prestige appoints Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan as chief executive officer

Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan was the CEO and director at CavinKare.

National Broadcast Policy: Level playing field or stifling growth? The OTT vs DTH debate in India's content market

OpenAI likely to announce its Google search competitor on May 13

Buffalo Soldiers appoints Niladri Datta as senior advisor- business and growth

NDTV posts Rs 21.4 crore loss in 2023 after profit in 2022

Boldfit unveils new logo

Bookstrapping - The Trading Game: A Confession by Gary Stevenson

Representational image via Unsplash

Zee-Sony merger saga ends: Timeline of the failed merger

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

Zupee’s Dilsher Malhi on responsible gaming, Ludo in the digital age and more

National Technology Day: Industry experts share views on the role technology is playing in marketing

Shree Cement’s Sushrut Pant: CTV has high potential but is underutilised

Attention is the most valuable currency that you have and you must spend it wisely: Godrej Interio’s Sumeet Bhojani

Piyush Pandey

Adtech regulation a priority for Modi govt in third term: MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar

Credibility of news and platforms are as important as monetisation challenges: Anurag Thakur

HUL: Meet the leaders who have emerged from "The CEO Factory"

Punit Goenka addresses Zee employees; ensures no layoffs due to failed merger

Disney's strategic sale to Viacom18 set to boost market share to 40 percent

The Leader's Edge: Storyboard18 in conversation with leaders, decision makers and disruptors

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

Firstpost has issued an alert about fraudulent ads involving the misuse of the name and image of its Managing Editor, Palki Sharma by cyber criminals. Individuals have been deceived through false ads on social media, particularly Facebook and Instagram, claiming to offer stock market courses by Palki Sharma.

Bringing attention to the false ads, Palki Sharma posted on X and alerted the users. In her post, she said, “This is a scam. A lot of you have shared these posts with me in the last few days. (Thanks for flagging!) My photos are being misused and such fraudulent ads are being circulated on Facebook. Despite complaints, @Meta has not taken action.”

Palki Sharma does not provide any investment advice or stock market course through WhatsApp or any other social media platform. She is not associated with any group offering stock recommendations or financial advice, and people are urged to exercise caution and report any suspicious activities immediately.

To avoid falling victim to such fraud, it is recommended to ignore advice from unknown sources, verify information from official sources, and maintain secure practices for personal and financial transactions. It is important not to trust any information shared through unofficial channels and sources. In case of any suspicious activity, Firstpost advises people to report it to the appropriate authorities immediately.

For further information and to report fraudulent activities, please visit <a href="https://www.cybercrime.gov.in/">www.cybercrime.gov.in</a> or contact the helpline number – 1930 or the cyber cell of the local police department.

Link to the post on X: <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">This is a scam. A lot of you have shared these posts with me in the last few days. (Thanks for flagging!) My photos are being misused and such fraudulent ads are being circulated on Facebook. Despite complaints, <a href="https://twitter.com/Meta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Meta</a> has not taken action. <a href="https://t.co/B5zkQkDwGH">pic.twitter.com/B5zkQkDwGH</a>&mdash; Palki Sharma (@palkisu) <a href="https://twitter.com/palkisu/status/1787546496956596362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Scam alert! Fake ads impersonating Palki Sharma of Firstpost

Games24x7 announced the elevation of Tridib Mukherjee to the position of Chief Data Science & AI Officer. In his new role, Tridib will continue to drive Games24x7's data-centric approach, leveraging his extensive expertise in data science and artificial intelligence to drive innovation and enhance user experiences.

Having served as the Vice President of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence at Games24x7 for over six years, Tridib played a pivotal role in implementing cutting-edge algorithms and AI-driven solutions that propelled Games24x7 to the forefront of the online gaming industry. Tridib will continue to spearhead data science & AI teams and enable product teams to create personalized and engaging experiences for players.

Commenting on the announcement, Bhavin Pandya, Co-CEO and Co-founder, Games24x7 said, “Our scientific approach to running business really goes all the way back to our inception and has been the primary force behind our success. We are delighted to announce Tridib's promotion to Chief Data Science & AI Officer. With his expertise and the exceptional talent of our AI and data science team, which has grown significantly over the past five years, we've continuously raised the bar when it comes to offering personalised gameplay experiences including responsible gaming.  We are confident that the organization will continue this tradition of innovation under his leadership, and we wish him the very best as he spearheads our data-driven journey to new heights.”

Tridib Mukherjee, now the Chief Data Science & AI Officer, Games24x7 said, “At Games24x7, we have always worked for the players and our operating ethos of 'Science of Gaming' has been the guiding principle behind every decision we make. Over the past six years, I've had the privilege of working alongside an incredibly talented team dedicated to advancing the frontiers of gaming through the lens of data science. And I look forward to many more years of collaboration and innovation as we continue our mission of leveraging technology to create even more engaging and enjoyable gaming experiences for our users.”

With over two decades of experience and a distinguished academic background, including a PhD in Computer Science & Engineering from Arizona State University, Tridib Mukherjee is uniquely positioned to lead Games24x7's data science initiatives to new heights. His prolific record as an author of over 70 research papers and multiple patents in AI and data sciences reflects his deep expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, cloud computing, and more. The talented team at Games24x7, along with Tridib's leadership and award-winning contributions, positions the organization to shape the future direction of the industry and deliver unparalleled gaming experiences to its users.

Games24x7 elevates Tridib Mukherjee as Chief Data Science & AI Officer

Unilever's Chief People and Transformation Officer, Nitin Paranjpe, took to LinkedIn to share a story about defying self-doubt and finding unexpected joys in embracing a personal challenge, even if the results are... well, let's just say entertaining.


“I am musically challenged. I struggle with rhythm; I don’t have any natural talent. Around twenty years ago, I decided to test this. I wanted to see, if you are challenged in a particular field, what can you do with effort and discipline,” he said in his post.


<iframe src="https://www.linkedin.com/embed/feed/update/urn:li:share:7191801373401792512" height="747" width="504" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" title="Embedded post"></iframe>


Almost 20 years ago Paranjpe found someone to teach him the keyboard. “If you want to know the outcome of that study, I still play badly. That’s how I challenged I am,” he said.


But then it was still a win for him because he always thought he wouldn't be able to string together a tune even if he was given the notes. Paranjpe goes on about his tryst with music. 


He didn’t find a lot of success in his learning story but definitely found joy. “Anyone who listens to me today could well say-My god! After so many years you still suck,” he said.


And to that he’d say, “Yeah, and that's okay. You have no idea where I was compared to where I am now.” Paranjpe ended the note with a profound thought. He said, “What started off purely as a challenge has turned out to be a lot of fun.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/hul-appoints-vipul-mathur-as-executive-director-personal-care-takes-over-from-madhusudhan-rao-30619.htm">HUL appoints Vipul Mathur as Executive Director, Personal Care</a>

Unilever’s Nitin Paranjpe shares an endearing story about his lack of musical talent

The marketing industry plays a dynamic role in influencing consumer behaviour and fostering economic growth. After the grand success of the first two editions of Storyboard18 Visionaries, held in Gurugram and Bengaluru, the program is now gearing up to be in the city of marketing and creative excellence, Mumbai. 


The third edition of Visionaries to be held on Friday, April 26th will witness some of the biggest names in brand marketing come together to celebrate the brilliance of marketing mavens.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/sustainability-at-heart-and-purpose-defines-the-path-diageos-hina-nagarajan-24779.htm">Sustainability at heart and purpose defines the path: Diageo India's Hina Nagarajan</a> 


Storyboard18 Visionaries celebrates luminaries from the world of brands and marketing who have disrupted and revolutionised the way we approach media and advertising. The Visionaries is a one of its kind platform that presents opportunities for the sharpest minds in the business to convene, celebrate excellence and exchange ideas that power growth. It is a night of gala celebration shaping the future of marketing in India.


The city chapters of Visionaries aim to bring together meaningful conversations, spotlighting path-breaking achievements and future gazing strategies.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/storyboard18-visionaries-britannias-varun-berry-shares-leadership-lessons-24840.htm">Storyboard18 Visionaries: Britannia's Varun Berry shares leadership lessons</a> 


The Mumbai event promises to be an evening to remember, with the coming together of iconic leaders and new-age marketers. The event will feature a keynote address by Bharat Puri, CEO, Pidilite Industries and a special address by Santosh Iyer, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd. The evening will spotlight leading marketers from a wide-range of brands including HDFC Bank, P&G, Mercedes, Hindustan Unilever, Visa, L'Oreal, Mondelez, Spotify, UltraTech and Mahindra Group, among others. It will also feature engaging conversations with Nishant Kalra, Country Vice President, Salesforce, and MVS Murthy, CMO, Federal Bank, among others. The Visionaries programme for CXOs and executives brings a ringside view into ways of shaping consumer behaviour.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/storyboard18-visionaries-bengaluru-chapter-blockbuster-celebration-of-marketing-brilliance-24771.htm">Storyboard18 Visionaries - Bengaluru chapter: Blockbuster celebration of marketing brilliance</a> 


The Visionaries programme for CXOs and executives provides unparalleled insights of how the best and brightest function in complex times. So, meet us at the point where cutting-edge ideas and visionary leaders who are changing our approach to media, marketing and advertising, converge to power transformation.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/the-visionaries">The Visionaries</a>

Storyboard18 Visionaries Mumbai Edition is here!: Join the celebration of marketing mavens

The Derma Co., an active ingredient backed skincare brand from Honasa Consumer Limited, marked a milestone of achieving an annual revenue rate of INR 500 crore. "This achievement underscores Honasa Consumers’ capabilities to craft and scale new brands with strategic innovations, delivering exceptional skincare solutions to consumers across India," Honasa Consumer said in a statement. The milestone demonstrate the strength of the brand's on-trend, data-based innovation strategy, the company stated. 

Its focus on leveraging data for product innovation and responding swiftly to emerging trends continues to be a cornerstone of the strategy, the company added. 

Commenting on this milestone, Varun Alagh, Co-Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Honasa Consumer Limited, says “The Derma Co.'s remarkable achievement of INR 500 crore annual run rate is a strong testament to our strategic brand-building approach at Honasa Consumer Limited. Our success is an output of in-depth consumer study of the evolving consumer demands and being able to innovate swiftly to deliver differentiated propositions to our consumers. This focus on excellence has helped us set new benchmarks across the active ingredient-based skincare segment. At Honasa, we are committed to continue our quest towards fueling our innovations and offer brands that serve the evolving consumer demands.”

Last month, Honasa Consumer Limited, the parent of Mamaearth, also launched ‘Staze’, a colour cosmetic line in a bid to enter the segment currently dominated by the likes of L'Oreal, Lakme, Sugar. “Staze is poised to carve its niche with a distinct emphasis on performance and innovation. We firmly believe that Gen Z consumers, who are seeking value and innovation, and Staze is uniquely positioned to meet and exceed their expectations", said Ghazal Alagh, Chief Innovation Officer, Honasa Consumer Ltd.

Varun Alagh added, “Honasa has always been at the forefront of innovation and being the pioneers in the BPC industry, we recognised a vital opportunity to address the burgeoning demand for innovative yet accessible colour cosmetics. And with the colour cosmetics segment boasting a remarkable CAGR of 12 percent and a substantial size of Rs 15,000 crore, it became evident that there was a gap in the market. These factors paved the way for Staze…”



Mamaearth-maker Honasa Consumer's second brand, The Derma Co., enters the Rs 500 crore ARR club

For Nidhi Mehta, director - finance, GOZOOP Group, Chief Financial Officers’ role extends beyond traditional finance boundaries. They are responsible for the finance and accounting professionals who perform operational functions and services in a strategic advisory role to the CEO and the rest of the C-suite peers. 


In a conversation with Storyboard18, she added, “A CFO's role commands a lot of respect in the ad agency as they advise other department heads, assist them in maximising revenues and controlling expenses without sacrificing customer needs and the agency's reputation.”


Edited Excerpts


Tell us about your career trajectory and journey. Where and how you started and what got you here.


I am a chartered accountant by profession. Post my three-year article ship, this is my first corporate job at GOZOOP Group. Years back I had not heard of GOZOOP but there was definitely a vibe when I entered the office for an interview. 


Digital Marketing was a thriving industry then and the core management at GOZOOP was impressive. The job profile offered was perfect and hence, there were no second thoughts. It's been years since that decision and since then there has been no looking back. 


What led you to join the advertising agency ecosystem in finance? What were your initial impressions and thoughts of the ad agency business? 


Advertising is always an exciting industry. In this new emerging era, where there is a wave of entrepreneurship and brand building, marketing today plays the most pivotal role for any new business start-up. Digital marketing helps thousands of new business entrepreneurs push boundaries and drive impact. 


How has the role of a CFO in an ad agency changed over the years? What does the job entail today? Where have you seen the biggest changes in what the role and function mean to the business? 


The CFO's role is extending beyond traditional finance boundaries and an increasing number of finance leaders view it as a pathway to the CEO position. The modern CFO is aspirational. 


Once mere observers in the boardroom, they are now crafting long-term strategies that ensure organisational stability. They are integral members of the top executive team, possessing a profound understanding of the company's vision. 


How do other departments and functions in the agency view the role of the CFO and the finance function? 


A CFO's and finance team's role in an ad agency is viewed as the most challenging role as they oversee the company's financial activities. This includes being responsible for the finance and accounting professionals who perform operational functions and services in a strategic advisory role to the CEO and the rest of the C-suite peers. 


A CFO's role commands a lot of respect in the ad agency as they advise other department heads, assist them in maximising revenues and controlling expenses without sacrificing customer needs and the agency's reputation.


How has the agency business model evolved? What have been the key changes and disruptions according to you and the impact of these shifts on the ad agency business model? 


Advertising agencies have evolved by leaps and bounds. It began with a simple printed ad in a newspaper and evolved into radio and television, commercials, billboards and digital advertising in the modern era. Advertising techniques have also become more sophisticated, incorporating psychology and consumer behaviour studies to create persuasive and effective campaigns.

 
Agencies are facing threats from all places. Is the business model future-ready? 


It is definitely future-ready as today the focus has shifted from the product to address consumer needs. With the emergence of new technologies and data-driven approaches, agencies can remain indispensable by tapping into this potential. 


However, with the pace of changes happening across the industry, agencies that do not develop a framework and plan for modernising their operational model that's inclusive of AI and technology will likely encounter increased challenges with both client and talent retention. 


From your observation, do you see any gender inequality or disparity in the finance function across levels? Agency leadership has traditionally been male dominated and advertising was seen as a boys club. Does that hold true for finance as well and the CFOs in advertising?


Not at all. The finance department at GOZOOP was and is always driven by women leadership. As far as the industry is concerned, there are several factors that lead to one's leadership goal.


What are the steps ad agencies must take to advance CFOs' role in advertising?


Agencies should enhance better communication between CFOs and other departmental heads. Regular meetings between them are needed to negotiate and discuss expenses and budgets that are aligned to the company's goals. 


A CFO should be made an integral part of all important decision-making of the agency as finance and marketers think and behave very differently. A combination of their brainstorming where marketers are driven by creativity and finance is driven by numbers and budgets could lead to some amazing outcomes for both the client and the agency.


What according to you are the biggest threats facing the advertising agency business today?

In-housing and talent retention are two of the biggest pressures that agencies face today. The threat remains that a brand will bring certain functions in-house, leaving agencies without that business. Brands are in-house because they believe they can do better work in a cheaper, faster and more transparent way. The other big issue is around both recruitment and retention of talent. There has always been volatility for agencies around talent. 


What are the trends you are currently witnessing in advertising, and what is the role of a CFO in such a scenario?


The rapid emergence of AI and the increasing role of technology within business operations is the current trend. CFOs should follow a test-and-learn approach where with their ability they are ready to take a smart risk and foresee how certain trends will impact their business. 


They should encourage the team to begin taking steps now to experiment with AI, explore how technology can drive operational value for the business, and help them understand how internal talent is spending their time and how to maximise their value for the business. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/managing-your-mind-at-work-and-beyond-isnt-easy-it-takes-a-lot-of-maturity-and-wisdom-says-bajaj-autos-deepika-warrier-16913.htm">Managing your mind at work and beyond isn't easy; it takes a lot of maturity and wisdom, says Bajaj Auto’s Deepika Warrier</a>

CFOs breaking boundaries, crafting long-term strategies for organisational stability: Nidhi Mehta, GOZOOP Group

Anupam Mittal, the founder and CEO of People Group and Shaadi.com, and a prominent investor on Shark Tank India, is widely recognized for his strategic investments in renowned startups and unicorn companies such as Ola Cabs, BigBasket, Druva, among others. Mittal is also one of the leading voices to take on big tech firms like Google and Meta, slamming them for their "unfair" monopolistic practices in markets like India. 

On April 9, Meta "arbitrarily" disabled his company's account, prompting Mittal to call out the Mark Zuckerberg-led company on social media. Mittal also tagged Meta's India operations' head Sandhya Devanathan in the post. 

A frustrated Mittal said, "So, shockingly our Meta account was arbitrarily disabled this morning with nobody in the know or able to help, even at our scale. This is the dysfunction of Big Tech & monopolies, something hashtag#cci must take note of. Sandhya Devanathan" 

Netizens chimed in with sympathies and suggestions. Relating to Mittal's frustration users said Meta is "only sale no support" while some urged Mittal to assemble all the Sharks and create their own Made-in-India social media platform like X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. 

When Mittal took on Google 

On March 1, Google announced it would remove apps from 10 Indian developers, including Shaadi.com, Naukri.com, jeevansathi.com, and Bharat Matrimony, from its Play Store in India for non-compliance with its billing policies. Among the most prominent voices that spoke out against Google's practices, was Anupam Mittal. 

“Today is a dark day for India Internet,” Mittal said as he came out hitting hard against Google’s action of delisting Indian apps. 

Mittal wrote on X, “Google has delisted major apps from its app store even though legal hearings are underway @CCI_India & @indSupremeCourt Their false narratives & audacity show they have little regard for India. Make no mistake - this is the new Digital East India Co and this #Lagaan must be stopped! Pls RT and #SaveOurStartups”.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/anupam-mittal-asks-is-google-evil-as-the-battle-between-google-and-indian-app-developers-rages-on-25363.htm">Read more: Anupam Mittal asks, "Is Google evil?", as the battle between Google and Indian app developers rages on</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/interactive-avenues-anupam-mittals-first-investment-as-an-angel-investor-25997.htm">Read more: Interactive Avenues: Anupam Mittal’s first investment as an angel investor</a>

Angry Mittal?: Anupam Mittal "shocked" after Meta disables his company's account

DTDC Express Ltd., a leading express logistics provider in India has elevated Abhishek Chakraborty as its Chief Executive Officer. In his new role, Chakraborty will continue to propel DTDC forward, solidifying its position as a front-runner in the logistics industry with the aim to drive substantial growth and innovation for the company.

Chakraborty said: “Encapsulating our direction of “Building a NextGen DTDC for GenNext DTDCians”,... together we will continue to foster a culture of shared success and excellence.”

Before assuming the role of CEO, Chakraborty led DTDC as Executive Director for 15 years. He played a pivotal role in establishing a strategic partnership between DTDC and Geopost (owned by La Poste). He also spearheaded the DTDC and Amarex partnership and introduced many initiatives like launching the MyDTDC app and introducing DTDCShipAssure™, DTDC’s 100 percent money-back guarantee service that enabled the company to achieve new heights. His strategic leadership expanded the company’s network to 16,000+ partners, serving 96 percent of India’s population and the larger South Asian diaspora globally.

DTDC operates India’s largest physically accessible express logistics Network and has over 16,000+ exclusive channel partners that contribute to its sales and service capabilities.

DTDC Express promotes Abhishek Chakraborty to the CEO position

MakeMyTrip has achieved a significant milestone in its two-decade-long journey by becoming accessible worldwide, the company said in an announcement this week. 

MakeMyTrip has now expanded its reach to over 150 countries, including major travel markets such as the UK, Germany, Japan, Italy, France, and others, besides the US and the UAE. 

“The rigorous standards of compliance and commitment to data protection we have in place for our Indian business helped us transition smoothly towards stringent international compliances,” said Rajesh Magow, co-founder and chief executive officer of MakeMyTrip.

“We are indebted to the trust and affection that we have received from Indian travelers for over two decades and continue to hold ourselves to higher standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) on a regular basis. Our decision to make MakeMyTrip accessible globally is a result of this very goal – testing our processes against rigorous protocols across the world to enable our travelers to book or modify their travel purchases on the platform without any roadblocks wherever they are geographically,” he said.

MakeMyTrip said the platform has also ensured compliance with various international regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), to accomplish this expansion.

Magow added, “Our global accessibility will help us reach the vast Indian diaspora. Importantly, this expansion will enable us to cater to a broader audience, fostering increased inbound travel to India. Our extensive coverage, offering accommodations in more than 2,000 cities, will assist international tourists in discovering the hidden gems of India.”




MakeMyTrip CEO on expansion in 150 countries: Global accessibility will help MMT reach Indian diaspora

When Storyboard18 asked Maruti Suzuki's Shashank Srivastava what interests him outside of work, he said, "My hobby is chess, and I make it a point to keep up with the latest trends in the game." He told us, "It not only helps me focus on something other than work, but also, chess is a great game which involves a lot of planning. It involves a lot of discipline." Discipline and planning are what he seems to have perfected at Maruti Suzuki India, a firm known for its meticulous planning and emphasis on discipline given the brand's Japanese lineage and influence. 

 
On March 27, the auto major elevated Shashank Srivastava from the position of Head – Marketing and Sales to ‘Member Executive Committee’. In many ways, it's an end of an era in the marketing world, as Srivastava moves on from his current role and into an advisory one as part of a core leadership group. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/watch-listen/media-dialogues-with-storyboard18-maintaining-continuity-in-change-maruti-suzuki-mindshare-drive-ahead-19528.htm">Media Dialogues with Storyboard18: Maintaining continuity In change, Maruti-Suzuki & Mindshare drive ahead</a>


A Maruti lifer, Srivastava is a leading figure in the Indian business and marketing world, having led the country's top carmaker as its sales and marketing boss for several years. Srivastava started his career at the automotive company in 1989. It was his first job after graduating from Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A). Holding a bachelor's degree in telecommunication and electronics engineering from National Institute of Technology (NIT), Bhopal, he joined IIM-A in 1987. Despite having offers from the Asian Paints and Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Srivastava was very clear that his path lay in the automotive industry and with Maruti Suzuki. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/maruti-suzukis-shashank-srivastava-it-is-crucial-to-celebrate-achievements-to-foster-a-positive-work-environment-15928.htm">Maruti Suzuki’s Shashank Srivastava: It is crucial to celebrate achievements to foster a positive work environment</a> 


Srivastava, the marketing maven who is an avid reader of books on science and especially quantum physics, has been a strong proponent for constant learning and adapting with the times. He emphasised empowering his team members through collaboration and communication. “My intention is to help others succeed and become leaders in their own right. True leadership is, therefore, not about being in charge but inspiring and guiding others to achieve their full potential,” he said. It is about creating a culture of continuous learning and development; “When we invest in our colleagues’ growth and development, we develop better leaders and build a more substantial organisation.” 


In a previous conversation with Storyboard18, when asked about a work and life hack he swears by, Srivastava had said,"Time boxing is a very powerful productive technique. What you do is you schedule specific blocks of time for different tasks. That's something which optimises efficiency. For a life hack, I would say, practice gratitude. It significantly improves one's overall well-being. If one is grateful for what you have, big or small, it helps you appreciate the good things, and makes you feel better." 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/marutis-shashank-srivastava-on-why-indians-no-longer-need-to-kick-tyres-or-smell-leather-to-buy-cars-4932.htm">Maruti’s Shashank Srivastava on why Indians no longer need to kick tyres or smell leather to buy cars</a>

Maruti's former marketing boss Shashank Srivastava keeps this quote in his diary

Advertising agency, Buffalo Soldiers, has announced the appointment of Niladri Datta as senior advisor - business and growth.  

In his new role, Datta will be focusing on driving business growth and shaping strategic initiatives. His expertise in leading cross-functional teams and understanding of the Indian market dynamics are expected to bring fresh perspectives and robust growth strategies to the table.

Buffalo Soldiers’ is a sector-agnostic agency, with B2C, B2B and Sports verticals and Datta’s role is said to involve guiding the agency through new challenges and identifying growth opportunities.

For nearly fifteen years, Datta was a pivotal figure at LG Electronics, including stints as CMO as well as heading products/ modern trade/e-commerce etc. As a leader of the washing machine business for a decade, he ensured LG as the leading brand in the consumer durable industry. Before joining Buffalo Soldiers, Datta also made contributions at IFB, a home-grown appliances brand. He served in different positions before becoming all India marketing head for seven years and later joined back as vice president – head of marketing and strategy for two more years.

"Niladri is a powerhouse of strategic acumen and market savvy. With him on board, we're all geared up to redefine the way brands engage with their audiences," said Sumon K Chakrabarti, Co-founder and CEO, Buffalo Soldiers.

With Datta’s strategic guidance, the agency is said to enhance its services and expand its footprint in the competitive landscape of advertising. Chakrabarti added, "Because with Niladri, we're about to take things to the next level."



Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has promoted R Shankar Raman to the position of president - engineering and construction.

Raman will also continue to hold the designation of chief financial officer and whole-time director.


Subramanian Sarma, who is currently the senior executive vice president, energy, has been promoted to the position of whole time director and president - energy.


Raman, as per media reports, had joined L&T in 1994, and on took up the position of a CFO. In 2011, Raman had joined L&T's board.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/dentsu-appoints-abhinay-bhasin-as-senior-vice-president-product-and-technology-31167.htm">Dentsu appoints Abhinay Bhasin as senior vice president - product and technology </a>

L&T elevates R Shankar Raman to president role

Abhinay Bhasin, who led ProfitWheel as head of product marketing, has joined Dentsu as senior vice president - product and technology.

Prior to joining ProfitWheel, Bhasin was the vice president (Asia Pacific) - data & product solutions, data sciences, at dentsu international.

As the founding employee of the data sciences team, his team and I grew the Data Sciences division of dentsu India from a three member team to over 5x its size and then took it to APAC. He was a part of the Global Product workstream of dentsu. He contributed and co-authored industry thought leadership content to help marketers address a Cookieless world in advertising (writing one of its first whitepapers); launched and lead DMC Insights - an insights division focused on Behavioral and survey led insights of audiences.


He started his career at Deloitte India, and went on to work across The Economist, Isobar, Google and Carat.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/metro-brands-appoints-meenakshi-samantaray-as-head-of-marketing-31143.htm">Metro Brands appoints Meenakshi Samantaray as head of marketing </a>

Dentsu appoints Abhinay Bhasin as senior vice president - product and technology

Meenakshi Samantaray, who worked as vice president - marketing and communications, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises (B2B), has joined Metro Brands as head of marketing.

She stated, "After spending an enriching half decade with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, it was time to take the next strategic career move. As a protege of Unilever and Future Group India, my heart and core have always been in the lifestyle and retail category. A large part of me has always been inclined to return to a space that could allow me to amalgamate my experience in live entertainment and sports marketing."

The post further added, "And it seems destiny was on my side! I am thrilled to announce that I am joining Metro Brands Limited as the Head of Marketing for their Sports Division."

She started her career at Hindustan Unilever, and went on to work across Future Group India and Acc Cement. At HUL, under the brand management division, she looked after brand building and media planning- ATL/BTL, media ( Digital and mainstream), public relations, Assisted shopper's selling program in store for Body lotions category.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/leo-burnett-india-elevates-vikram-pandey-and-sachin-kamble-as-chief-creative-officers-31089.htm">Leo Burnett India elevates Vikram Pandey and Sachin Kamble as chief creative officers</a>

Metro Brands appoints Meenakshi Samantaray as head of marketing

Namit Sharma has been appointed as CEO of Arré Studios. 

Sharma previously worked at Dreamers & Doers and its CEO. 

Sharma has been in the media and entertainment industry for over 25 years with stints in journalism, scriptwriting, television production, broadcasting, live entertainment, film production and digital content. 

He had early stints at Sony Entertainment Television and Yash Raj Films and went in to hold leadership positions at Wizcraft Entertainment, Zee Network and Reliance Industries. 


Arré Studios appoints Namit Sharma as CEO

Rajashree Ivaturi, who led Quess Corp as vice president, has joined Ipsos Strategy3 as partner.

She stated, "I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Partner at Ipsos Strategy3! To my former colleagues at QuessCorp, thank you for the memories and the invaluable experiences we shared."


Ivaturi started her career as a market research executive at ADMAR Service, and went on to work across Feedback Business Consulting Services and LabourNe Services India. 


She is experienced in consulting across functional areas of marketing, customer support, distribution and partnership programs. This is followed by program management of large and complex projects; time sensitive delivery 500+ engagements delivered to customers encompassing Engineering, IT, automotive, healthcare, education and food & beverages verticals. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/tata-digital-undergoes-organisational-restructuring-31023.htm">Tata Digital undergoes organisational restructuring</a>

Ipsos Strategy3 appoints Rajashree Ivaturi as partner

Leo Burnett India, part of the Publicis Groupe India announced changes to its senior creative leadership with the elevation of Vikram Pandey and Sachin Kamble from National Creative Directors to Chief Creative Officers for Leo Burnett, South Asia. They will continue to report into Rajdeepak Das – Chief Creative Officer (CCO), Publics Groupe - South Asia and Chairman, Leo Burnett – South Asia. 

As NCDs, Pandey and Kamble have been an integral part of Leo Burnett India’s success story which includes the winning of accolades across national and global platforms for its outstanding work, stated the agency. As CCOs, they will lead the creative growth for the agency across its offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru to elevate its creative output and contribute to the agency’s strategic initiatives.


Commenting on the announcement Rajdeepak Das, CCO, Publicis Groupe - South Asia and Chairman Leo Burnett – South Asia said, “This is a huge moment for Leo Burnett. Sachin Kamble and Vikram Pandey have both spent years alongside me enhancing our creative talent. They have been my co-conspirators as we led Leo Burnett to its current glory. As leaders, they exemplify the Leo Burnett value system, centred around people and purpose, powered by creativity to deliver impactful work for our clients. There are no two better individuals to lead Leo Burnett’s creative growth and I am looking forward to seeing them create even more magic together.”


Adding further Amitesh Rao, CEO Leo Burnett - South Asia said, “We have always believed in offering growth opportunities to our people and both Vikram and Sachin have proven themselves to be incredible talents, well deserving of the promotion. Their calibre and commitment to creative excellence sets them apart from their peers and I am delighted to recognise their leadership as Chief Creative Officers.”


Speaking about the elevation Kamble said, “For the past decade, we've invested heavily in cultivating a creative culture. Our vision is clear: to be the best in the world by prioritising new-age work and championing young talent. For us at Leo Burnet, everything revolves around our Humankind work ethos and ideas which will impact a billion. I'm incredibly excited to take on this new role and feel fortunate to have an exceptionally talented co-captain for this journey.”


Adding further Pandey, says, “We've had a really good run in last 3-4 years. We've won top honours at all international award shows, we manage some of the biggest businesses and most sought-after brands, and we have an enviable, talented bunch working with us. I feel we are completely aligned to deliver on the promise of modern creativity and I am absolutely delighted to lead it from the front. There couldn’t be a better partner to do this with, than Sachin, we both go back a long way and the next chapter is only going to be most interesting.”


Pandey has been with Leo Burnett for the past 16 years. He started as a junior copywriter at Leo Burnett and over the years, he has been responsible for creating market-moving, category redefining work, be it launching and creating brand Spotify in India, making Acko a new-age insurance brand or more recently developing one of Leo Burnett’s most awarded campaigns – Airtel’s 175 Replayed.


Kamble has been with Leo Burnett for almost a decade and has been instrumental in creating some of the agency’s biggest work, including the Bajaj V campaign for which Leo Burnett went on to win India’s first effectiveness award at the Cannes Lions.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/leo-burnett-mumbai-bolsters-its-leadership-team-29416.htm">Leo Burnett Mumbai bolsters its leadership team</a>

Leo Burnett India elevates Vikram Pandey and Sachin Kamble as chief creative officers

Aparna Purohit, who led Amazon Prime Video as the head of India & SEA Originals, as confirmed by a media report, has stepped down.

Reportedly, she will be joining Aamir Khan Productions in a leadership role.

As per the spokesperson at Amazon Prime Video, "Over the past eight years, Aparna has played a key role in developing some of the most-loved and popular Amazon Originals for India. She’s championed authentic, rooted and diverse narratives that made Prime Video’s local Original content resonate with audiences. She was also the driving force behind the diversity initiatives at Prime Video, significantly increasing female participation in storytelling in front of and behind the camera. Aparna will now be returning to her entrepreneurial roots and continue to work on bar-raising stories. We deeply value her contributions to Prime Video that has made us the home for stories, storytellers and talent, and wish her the best in her new role."

Purohit has been with Prime Video for over 8 years, having joined in January 2016 as head of creative development.

She has been in the industry for over 17 years with stints at Cinestaan Film Company, Mumbai Mantra Media, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), BIG Pictures and UTV Motion Pictures, as per her LinkedIn profile.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/has-amazon-prime-videos-aparna-purohit-stepped-down-30811.htm">Has Amazon Prime Video’s Aparna Purohit stepped down?</a>

Amazon Prime Video confirms Aparna Purohit's exit

Tata Digital is undergoing an organisational restructuring in its senior management under the leadership of its chief executive officer, Naveen Tahilyani, who had taken up the position in February.


Venkatachalam H. had been appointed as the new CEO and MD of Tata AIA Life Insurance, subject to regulatory approval from IRDAI. Venkatachalam H. took over from the current CEO and MD Tahilyani. As per reports, Tahilyani was also promoted to the role of non-executive director at Tata AIA Life Insurance Company.


Modan Saha, who led Tata Digital’s fintech business as its CEO is moving to Tata Sons. Bhanu Pathak, Shoumyan Biswas and Gaurav Porwal will step down after serving their notice period. They were brought on board by former president Mukesh Bansal.


Pratik Pal, who had served as the CEO of Tata Neu, too is moving back to Tata Sons. The exit of Pal from Tata Neu came at a time when Tata Digital had been experiencing several top-level exits over the past months.


In February, Pavan Podila, chief software architect and Samir Aksekar, chief information security officer moved out, reported by Moneycontrol.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/pratik-pal-steps-down-as-tata-digitals-chief-executive-officer-22132.htm">Pratik Pal steps down as Tata Digital’s chief executive officer</a>

Tata Digital undergoes organisational restructuring

Gupshup has announced the appointment of Salim Ali as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Based in Silicon Valley, Salim will lead full stack marketing across the entire value chain, and across all routes to market. He comes with close to three decades of experience and will be supporting Gupshup’s global growth and expansion with an expansive suite of solutions that comprise the Gupshup Conversation Cloud. 


Having led large and globally dispersed teams, Salim brings deep marketing experience, building and scaling business lines across large enterprises and startups. In his previous role, Salim was the Chief Marketing Officer at WordPress VIP, where he was running all things marketing from amplifying the WordPress brand voice, product marketing, new demand to industry and customer marketing. Before WordPress VIP, he held senior roles at the likes of SAP, Avalara, and Veritas Technologies, managing global teams across North America, LatAm, UK/EU, MENA, and APJ Markets. 


At Gupshup, he will be at the helm of crafting a compelling and inspiring brand and platform story for the company’s key audience cohorts, scaling global demand generation, and amplifying customer marketing efforts by building out and expanding key GTM capabilities. This includes industry marketing, value messaging, ROI-based storytelling, and marketing operations- necessary for global coverage and accelerated growth. 


“I am excited to welcome Salim to Gupshup as we further strengthen our very capable marketing leadership. His established expertise in accelerating enterprise digital experiences across global markets will be instrumental in propelling our growth. I am confident that he'll fit in well with our culture and help take marketing to the next level, driving great impact with customers and investors alike”, said Beerud Sheth, CEO and Co-founder, Gupshup. 


Salim Ali, Chief Marketing Officer, Gupshup said, "I'm thrilled to join Gupshup at this stage of global growth. It’s an exciting phase for us as brands across the globe are investing in direct, contextual and immediate conversation capabilities to accelerate marketing, sales and CS imperatives. The 45,000+ brands powered by Gupshup is a sneak peek into how 1:1 conversations at scale is the inevitable future."


Salim holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, and an M.S in Computer Science from Louisiana State University. He is an ardent movie buff with equal love for Hollywood and Bollywood creations.

TTK Prestige appoints Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan as chief executive officer

Venkatesh Vijayaraghavan was the CEO and director at CavinKare.

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