Moves and wins roundup: Week of 16 Sept

PR veterans launch Compass Communications

Cashify onboards Ujjwal Sinha as marketing head

Cashify, India’s re-commerce platform, has appointed Ujjwal Sinha as Head of Marketing. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, Ujjwal aims to strengthen Cashify’s brand leadership in the re-commerce industry. Previously serving as associate vice president of marketing at CARS24, he drove the company’s growth through innovative strategies. His expertise includes enhancing online reputation and optimising marketing efforts in the automotive re-commerce space.

Tonic appoints Kiran Mandrawadkar as business head for south India

Tonic Worldwide has appointed Kiran Mandrawadkar as Business Head – South, based in Bengaluru. With over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, Kiran will lead business growth initiatives for Tonic and strengthen its partnerships across the southern region. Prior to joining Tonic, he managed the South division for Ethinos Digital and has worked with renowned agencies, including Dentsu Isobar and WPP GroupM Maxus. His portfolio includes brands such as L’Oréal and Panasonic.

Ek.indUS partners with Pitchfork for strategic communications in India

Ek.indUS, a joint venture aimed at helping Indian investors secure U.S. permanent residency through the EB-5 program, has appointed Pitchfork Partners to manage its corporate communications, social, and digital mandates in India. The decision followed a competitive pitch process, with Pitchfork selected to craft and drive the brand’s communications strategy. Ek.indUS is backed by IMMCO Investments, a U.S.-based family office with over 13 years of experience in the immigration investment sector, known for its successful real estate projects and green card approvals.

Ek.indUS provides Indian investors with end-to-end guidance, from verifying eligibility to navigating tax and legal processes, project selection, and securing U.S. residency. The company aims to offer a seamless pathway to U.S. permanent residency through its association with IMMCO’s proven track record. Pitchfork’s role will be to ensure Ek.indUS's message resonates with its target audience, reinforcing its reputation as a trusted immigration partner.

Neha Phale appointed head of corporate communications at VVF India 

Neha Phale has joined VVF India Limited as the head of corporate communications, following her role at Huhtamaki India Limited. In her new position, she will lead the company’s communications strategy, focusing on brand refreshment and aligning the corporate messaging with VVF’s growth and transformation objectives. She brings over 15 years of experience in communications and public affairs.

Prior to VVF, Phale held senior communication roles at Huhtamaki and other major firms like Welspun India, Huntsman International, and Dow Chemical. Her appointment comes at a critical time as VVF seeks to strengthen its presence in the industry, with Phale's strategic leadership playing a key role in this effort.

Shubhradeep Guha appointed global chief delivery officer at Publicis Sapient

Publicis Sapient has appointed Shubhradeep Guha as its global chief delivery officer, overseeing client delivery and the AI transformation of its global services. Guha, who previously led AI-driven solutions at Google, brings expertise in scaling operations and will focus on evolving the company's Strategy, Product, Experience, Engineering, and Data and AI (SPEED) capabilites.

Guha returns to Publicis Sapient, where he began his career, and succeeds Bob Van Beber, who transitions to global head of sales management. The company aims to strengthen its global delivery system and maintain its leadership in digital transformation.

Vikram Chandratrey joins Tata Consumer Products as vice president of marketing for ready-to-drink segment 

Vikram Chandratrey has transitioned from his role as director of marketing for Indonesia and head of innovation and equity for Southeast Asia at Mondelez International to join Tata Consumer Products (TCPL) as vice president of marketing for its ready-to-drink (RTD) category in India. He has relocated from Jakarta to Gurugram, where he will manage the marketing for brands including Himalayan Water, Tata Gluco+, and Tata Copper+.

Chandratrey’s move aligns with TCPL’s ongoing efforts to expand its presence in the RTD segment, which has seen significant growth following the company’s 2020 acquisition of PepsiCo’s stake in NourishCo Beverages. This acquisition has strengthened TCPL’s foothold in India’s packed beverages market. At Mondelez, Chandratrey played a key role in successful campaigns across Southeast Asia, such as the Oreo Blackpink collaboration and the launch of Ritz crackers in Indonesia.

GroupM promotes Bharat Rajamani to managing director of growth and acceleration

GroupM has promoted Bharat Rajamani to the position of managing director-growth and acceleration. Rajamani, previously serving as managing director-key projects, announced the news via LinkedIn. He is based in Mumbai and brings over 20 years of experience in the industry, with previous roles at companies like KPMG, and GetaFixM.

Rajamani's extensive background includes over two decades at EY, where he contributed to key projects and strategy development. In his new role, he will focus on driving growth initiatives and accelerating business for GroupM.

Prashanth Balarama has joined Honeywell as senior director of communications and CSR

Honeywell has appointed Prashanth Balarama as senior director of communications and CSR. He has over 27 years of experience from IBM, where he most recently served as global group communication lead for AI.

Known for his expertise in communications strategy, marketing communications, and brand journalism, Balarama has a proven track record of driving impactful internal and external campaigns. His deep knowledge of the global IT landscape and passion for leveraging technology to transform businesses and society will be instrumental in shaping the company's communication and CSR strategies moving forward.

House of Communication secures PR mandate for Surya Roshni 

House of Communication has been appointed as the public relations partner for Surya Roshni Ltd, a prominent Indian brand in lighting, home appliances, and steel pipes. The partnership is focused on enhancing Surya Roshni’s brand presence and connecting with a wider range of stakeholders.

House of Communication will be responsible for developing strategic PR initiatives, including media relations, to align with Surya Roshni’s brand goals. The collaboration aims to highlight the company’s vision and achievements through targeted communication across key media platforms.

Illustrake wins digital mandate for Overlays Clothing

Illustrake, a full-stack D2C enabler, has been awarded the digital mandate for Overlays Clothing, a fashion brand founded by Shlok Srivastava. The partnership focuses on enhancing the company's digital reach, aiming to connect with a wider audience across India through targeted ad content and innovative digital strategies.

Illustrake plans to implement a cohesive digital campaign to increase the brand's visibility, ensuring it aligns with Overlays Clothing’s ethos while catering to its diverse customer base. The collaboration marks a strategic effort to strengthen the fashion brand’s market presence online.