77YLL.COM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- General Manager of the Lodhi
Abhimanyu Singh Lodha, General Manager of The Lodhi, said, "Sheena joins us in a senior leadership role, heading Sales & Marketing, which is a key function during our growth phase. Her extensive background with renowned global brands, coupled with her ability to deliver both strategic and operational leadership, makes her exceptionally well-positioned to lead our team. We are thrilled to have her onboard and look forward to the positive impact she will bring to the organisation."
Ahmed founded AKQA in 1994 and has been its CEO for 30 years. WPP acquired AKQA in 2012, and since 2020, it has operated alongside sister agency Grey within the AKQA Group
New Delhi: WPP has announced that 30 years after founding AKQA, Ajaz Ahmed has resigned as CEO of AKQA Group.
A further announcement regarding Ajaz's successor will be made in due course, said the advertising network.
Akansha has been working with BestMediainfo.com for a decade. She joined the company as a correspondent in 2014 and rose to the Editor role. She also launched India's first B2B content marketing and branded content news platform BuzzInContent.com along with the founder of BestMediaInfo Niraj Sharma 6 years ago. Before BestMediaInfo.com, She had an 11-month stint at Bloomberg TV. Akansha has a degree in Bachelor of Commerce from DU and a Master's in Journalism from Sri Aurobindo Centre for Art and Communications.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director of McCann Worldgroup India
New Delhi: Jeff Thomas has joined McCann Bangalore as AVP - Strategy and Planning.
Until recently, he served as the Senior Director of Brand Strategy at Dentsu.
Thomas has done EPGM from IIM Lucknow and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Analytics from NIBM, Pune.
He has over 15 years of experience in advertising, digital marketing and communication.
He has worked with digital-first companies like Digitally Inspired Media, Spinta, MeetMyCoach DSmart Technologies, Webdura.
Thomas has worked on brands like Tanishq (digital), ITC Dark Fantasy (digital), TVS, Federal Bank, Titan and Reliance Fashion World.
Alok Lall, Executive Director of McCann Worldgroup India, said, "We take pride in our ability to partner with clients in finding solutions that create impact. As the marketing landscape is changing, brand strategists need to leverage the power of platforms and audience understanding to craft impactful solutions. Jeff joins the McCann strategy team and brings an ideal mix of digital-first experience as well as big brand ecosystems. His joining the McCann fold will add a new dimension to our valued client relationships in our Bangalore operation."
Thomas said, "I'm excited to join McCann Worldgroup, whose core belief that a ‘Truth Well Told' has the power to move people resonates deeply with me. McCann's reputation for using creativity to drive real-world impact, coupled with its unwavering commitment to effectiveness, makes it a perfect home for strategists. Having spent relatively equal amounts of time in my career across both mainline and digital mandates, I am eager to contribute to a media-agnostic planning practice dedicated to uncovering and leveraging data-driven insights, crafting brand narratives rooted in truth, and building strategies that drive growth for our client partners."
For advertising opportunities with BestMediaInfo.com, write Arunima at Arunima@BestMediaInfo.com or Ad@BestMediaInfo.com
Job Titles:
- CCO
- Chief Creative Officer
- Advertising
Wavemaker's George Kovoor joins Famous Innovations as CCO, South
George Kovoor joins Wavemaker India as Chief Creative Officer
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said, "Under Ajaz's leadership, AKQA has become one of the world's most recognised and highly regarded agencies. It's a brilliant business with many extremely talented people around the world. With its exceptional global team, capabilities and expertise, AKQA is well-positioned for continued success and we thank Ajaz for his vision and contribution to the business."
Job Titles:
- Editor - in - Chief at BestMediaInfo
- Editor - in - Chief of NewsDrum.in
- Editorial
- Founder & Editor - in - Chief. Write Niraj at
As the Editor-in-Chief at BestMediaInfo, Niraj Sharma heads the outlet with a vision to provide objective and unbiased information to the public. Beginning his career with Aaj Tak, he launched India's most credible and impactful b2b news platform - BestMediaInfo.com, the first Indian b2b news platform dedicated to Content Marketing - BuzzInContent.com, and the general news platform NewsDrum.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of Havas North America Village
- Global CEO of Havas Media Network
Peter Mears, Global CEO of Havas Media Network and Chairman of Havas North America Village, expressed high optimism about India's potential to rise from a top 10 to a top 5 market for the agency within the next 5 years during his recent visit to India.
Job Titles:
- Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Famous Innovations
New Delhi: Famous Innovations has announced the appointment of George Kovoor as its Chief Creative Officer, South.
Kovoor has joined Famous Innovations from Wavemaker, where he was Chief Creative Officer.
In a journey that spans over 30 years, Kovoor has led creative teams across agencies like Lintas, FCB, Digitas and Ogilvy with great distinction.
At Ogilvy, Kovoor was a part of the digital transformation journeys of brands like Pulsar, Tata Sky, Godrej Hit, Tata Salt, Coke and BMW.
Raj Kamble, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Famous Innovations, said, "George brings with him an incredible wealth of experience, having led creative teams across both traditional and digital landscapes with remarkable success. His ability to seamlessly merge creativity with media innovation makes him the perfect fit for Famous Innovations as we continue to push the boundaries of creativity for our clients. We're thrilled to have George on board and are excited about the energy and fresh perspective he will bring to our already dynamic team."
Kovoor said, "There is no doubt in my mind that Famous Innovations is one of the best independent agencies in the country. Raj Kamble (founder and chief creative officer, Famous Innovations) and Mithila Saraf (CEO, Famous Innovations) have some fantastic plans for the future and I am very thrilled to be part of those. I am also excited about the fantastic roster of clients who have been an essential part of Famous's growth in the last few years. I have had the good fortune of leading several amazing creative teams in my career but I have to say this current team is probably the one with the most potential that I have seen. So all in all, I am looking forward to what the next few years have in store for me and for Famous Innovations."
Job Titles:
- Chief Creative Experience Officer
Russell Barrett joins TBWA\India as Chief Creative Experience Officer
Job Titles:
- New Director of Sales and Marketing
New Delhi: The Lodhi, New Delhi, announced the appointment of Sheena Tandon as the new Director of Sales and Marketing.
In her new role, Tandon will oversee the strategic sales, marketing, and business operations, and lead all aspects of the sales and marketing department. Her core responsibilities will include driving revenue growth, enhancing guest and employee satisfaction, and monitoring the financial performance of the department.
Tandon has formerly served as Director of Sales at Accor's Pullman and Novotel, Aerocity, New Delhi.
Prior to this, Tandon spent 13 years with The Oberoi Group, handling the Front Office Operations, Revenue Management, and Sales. She was also appointed at Hyatt Regency, Delhi.
Tandon said, "I am truly honoured to join The Lodhi, a name synonymous with luxury and excellence. I look forward to leveraging my experience in strategic sales and marketing and client engagement to further strengthen the hotel's position as a top choice for discerning travellers. It is a moment of pride to be associated with a member of The Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), and I am eager to work with the talented team here to create new sustainable business streams and elevate the brand's market presence. Together, we will drive the hotel's revenue performance upwards and reinforce its core values."
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- SEBI Chief Blocked Sony - ZEEL Merger
During the press conference on Monday, Chandra urged ZEEL to "cease all cooperation with SEBI," labelling its Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch as "corrupt" and "vindictive"
New Delhi: Subhash Chandra, chairman emeritus of Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEEL), has accused SEBI Chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch of obstructing the Sony-ZEEL merger.
"SEBI Chairperson was the main reason for the merger to set apart, and that is why I am questioning today that SEBI is supposed to protect the interests of minority shareholders, and she succeeded in pushing away Sony from getting merged with Zee," he alleged during a press conference on September 2, 2024.
Chandra said that Buch is "corrupt" and "vindictive," alleging that SEBI was the "main reason" for Zee's merger with Sony to collapse.
Chandra, who is facing accusations of siphoning Rs 200 crore from Zee, is now planning to take legal action against the ongoing SEBI investigation.
He also alleged that Buch is "biased" against him and he has taken a decision "not to cooperate with SEBI any further".
Both Chandra and Punit Goenka challenged the SEBI directive before the Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT), which stayed the order.
Chandra's allegations against Buch come after claims from the Indian opposition party Congress that Buch holds a paid position at ICICI Bank and has received $2 million in benefits from the bank and its subsidiaries.
Chandra told journalists, "ICICI Bank and my investigation tells me that Madhabi Puri Buch and Chanda Kochhar at that time, were constantly on phone calls," he said, adding, "She was the very close person, and Chanda Kochhar was the one who was giving the money to her, which has been revealed today this morning, for crores of rupees she was taking illegally from ICICI."
In December 2021, Zee and Sony agreed to merge, but the deal encountered regulatory hurdles due to a SEBI investigation.
Chandra's son, Punit Goenka, who was Zee's MD and CEO, was barred by SEBI from holding any position in the company. Although this ban was later overturned, Sony continued to push for his removal, which further derailed the merger.
Mumbai: In times when consumers are spoiled with choices, brands need to constantly innovate or risk becoming irrelevant, said Varun Koorichh, VP Marketing and Portfolio Head, Diageo India, during the launch of McDowell's & Co. X series in Mumbai.
Koorichh believes that "brand loyalty is a thing of the past-today, it's all about experimentation."
He explained that after encountering a brand a few times, consumers may feel they've seen enough, making constant innovation crucial. "We need to focus on how agile we can be with new ideas," he said. "We regularly ask ourselves, can we be quick to enter and exit the market? Can we roll out as many limited-time offerings (LTOs) as possible?" This, he stressed, is key to keeping the brand exciting and relevant.
The company's Chief Innovation Officer, Vikram Damodaran, reinforced Koorichh's point of view, stating, "There is nothing that's going to be static."
He explained the balance brands must strike between offering comfort drinks and experimental options, especially for Gen Z consumers. "It gives you the freedom to give both," he said, highlighting the House of McDowell's concept that allows for exploration while enjoying familiar favourites.