Moves and wins roundup: Week of 07 April

Valerie Pinto steps down as Weber Shandwick India CEO

Valerie Pinto has stepped down as CEO of Weber Shandwick India after ten years in the role. The firm announced the transition through a holding statement, confirming that Pinto would continue for the next six months to support a smooth handover process. For the interim period, Shashikant Someshwar and Karan Bhandari will continue as managing directors, reporting to Tyler Kim, CEO of Weber Shandwick Asia Pacific. Weber Shandwick stated that this leadership change would not affect its strategic delivery or client servicing commitments in India. Pinto joined Weber Shandwick in January 2015 to lead its India operations and has been a member of the firm’s Asia Pacific board. She also served on the India leadership council alongside then vice chairman Atul Ahluwalia. The firm credited Pinto’s leadership as pivotal to the development of Weber Shandwick India over the past decade.

PHD India wins Atomberg’s integrated media mandate

PHD India has won the integrated media mandate for Atomberg, an Indian smart home appliance brand. The agency will manage media services and integrated solutions for Atomberg. Atomberg, which specialises in energy-efficient home appliances, has seen rapid growth since its inception in 2012. Some of Atomberg’s popular products among Indian households include BLDC fans and mixers.

Motorola appoints Gagandeep Bedi as marketing head

Motorola Mobility India has announced the appointment of Gagandeep Bedi as head of marketing. Bedi, who brings over 17 years of experience in marketing and brand strategy, will oversee Motorola's marketing efforts in India. He will report to Shivam Ranjan, Head of Marketing, Motorola Asia Pacific. This appointment is part of Motorola’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the Indian market as it continues to innovate and introduce new products. Bedi’s past experience includes leadership roles at companies such as Infinix & Tecno Mobile, Reliance Jio, and Samsung.

Snitch invites agency proposals

Snitch has invited media agencies to submit proposals for its upcoming multi-channel campaign, which aims to boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales across India. The announcement was made by Anindita Datta, head of growth at Snitch, in a LinkedIn post. The men’s fashion brand is seeking a media partner with strategic capabilities across OOH, digital, social, OTT, radio, print, and more. It is looking for expertise in media planning, buying, execution, and data-driven performance tracking. The selected agency will work alongside a creative partner aligned with Snitch’s bold brand identity. Proposals are due by April 30, 2025.

Moksha 360 to support independent artists

Industry veterans Bobby 'Beebob' Baskaran and Richard Dudley have launched Moksha 360, a platform for independent artists. Moksha 360 will offer a range of services for indie musicians, including label support, artist management, and live concert promotion. It also incorporates XR and AI technology to boost artist visibility. Moksha 360 will provide artists in India with the tools they need to succeed in the local as well as global music scenes. The platform’s goal is to empower musicians to maintain creative control while achieving financial success. The initiative marks a significant step for independent artists in India.

Kuku FM, Penguin India launch Hindi audiobooks

Kuku FM and Penguin Random House India have partnered to launch 15 exclusive Hindi audiobooks. The collaboration marks Penguin's entry into the Hindi audiobook market and will feature titles from well-known authors such as Vikram Sampath, Piyush Pandey, Gaur Gopal Das, Devdutt Pattanaik, and Indira Nooyi, among others. The audiobooks are available for purchase on Kuku FM’s Android app. This partnership is aimed at expanding access to bestselling books in audio format, catering to the growing demand for audio content in India.