Moves and wins roundup: Week of 22 July

Shalu Zala becomes VP for marketing strategy at HSBC

Shalu Zala has been appointed as vice president of marketing strategy and social media at HSBC. Previously, she served as head of brand and marketing communications for the Enterprise division at Vodafone Idea. Zala announced her new position on LinkedIn. With over 15 years of experience in marketing across retail, telecommunications, lifestyle, and FMCG sectors, she has held roles at Reliance Retail, Trent Hypermarket, Welspun Global Brands, and Animation International India.

Social Panga bags digital creative and communication mandates for Balaji Wafers

Social Panga, an integrated creative and digital marketing agency, has secured the digital creative and communication mandate for Indian snack brand Balaji Wafers. The agency will enhance Balaji Wafers' online presence and engage with consumers through innovative social media campaigns, following a multi-agency pitch win.

Balaji Wafers, known for its extensive range of snacks, has chosen Social Panga to lead its social media strategy, aiming to boost its digital presence and audience engagement. The agency's approach and expertise are expected to elevate the company's brand's story and foster meaningful connections with consumers.

Metro Brands appoints Nandadeep Jayakar as business head of Foot Locker India

Metro Brands has appointed Nandadeep Jayakar as the business head for Foot Locker India. With three decades of experience in operations, management, product development, merchandising, and supply chain, he will be responsible for driving the brand's business growth in the country. His role includes ensuring an exceptional customer experience as the company prepares to launch its first Foot Locker stores in the country.

Jayakar joins Metro Brands at a time as the company aims to expand its operations in the athletic footwear segment. His previous roles at Adidas India, Future Group, Sony Music, Bajaj Auto, and Voltas have equipped him with the expertise to lead Foot Locker India's business operations effectively.  

Mandrake Mydia bags integrated PR mandate for Natural8 India

Gamoski Networks, a gaming and technology company in India, has appointed Mandrake Mydia as the integrated PR agency for Natural8 India, an online poker platform. This partnership aims to enhance Natural8 India's brand presence and popularise online poker in the country through strategic PR and communication efforts.

Mandrake Mydia will implement a comprehensive PR strategy to boost brand visibility, engage with poker enthusiasts, and expand the platform's reach. The agency will use both traditional and digital media to communicate the brand's value proposition and establish it as a prominent player in the competitive online gaming market.

Sanjay Gupta promoted as Google’s Asia Pacific president, after Scott Beaumont steps down

Sanjay Gupta has been appointed as the new president for Asia Pacific at Google, following Scott Beaumont's announcement of his retirement from the role yesterday, marking the end of a nearly 16-year journey with the tech giant.

Sharing the news via a LinkedIn post, Beaumont reflected on his experiences and the diverse cultures he encountered while working in London, Shanghai, and Singapore. He also expressed his gratitude for his colleagues, as well as the numerous partnerships, collaborations with commercial partners, customers, entrepreneurs, governments, and NGOs.

Beaumont joined Google in 2009 as the managing director for partnerships in north and central Europe, later becoming the president of Google Greater China and Korea in 2013, and eventually ascending to the role of president for Google APAC in 2019. Before his tenure at Google, Beaumont was the executive vice president of alliances and partnerships at T-Mobile and co-founded the tech startup Refresh Mobile, where he served as CEO. Since 2021, he has also been an advisor for the McLaren racing team.

Gupta, who was most recently the country head and vice president for India for Google the past four years, spent 16 years at Unilever before leaving for stints at Bharti Airtel and Star India, prior to joining the tech giant.

Gozoop Group elevates Iyer Premkumar as COO of Gozoop Hawk

Gozoop Group has promoted Iyer Premkumar to chief operating officer (COO) of Gozoop Hawk. Reporting to Global CEO and co-founder Ahmed Aftab Naqvi and chairman and co-founder Rohan Bhansali, he will oversee daily operations, drive innovation, and ensure customer satisfaction.

Having started as a client servicing intern, Iyer has held roles such as online marketing head, vice president of global operations, and president of Gozoop HAWK. As COO, he will focus on efficiency, future-proofing the company by diversifying offerings.

Flags Communications wins PR mandate for Bharat in Paris Olympic Awareness Final Run

Flags Communications has secured the PR mandate for Bharat in Paris Olympic Awareness Final Run, held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on July 14th, 2024. The event aimed to rally support for the Indian Olympic contingent heading to the Paris Olympics, with enthusiastic runners participating to show their solidarity.

Flags Communications leveraged media channels nationwide to highlight the event and the runners' support for the athletes. Its efforts included developing supporting materials and content, which allowed the organisers, UNIV Sportatech, to focus on broader event activities.  

Ashok Nambissan and Nitin Nadkarni retire from Sony Pictures Networks India

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) announced the retirement of general counsel Ashok Nambissan and chief financial officer (CFO) Nitin Nadkarni, effective August 31, 2024. Nadkarni, who joined SPNI in 2005, has been pivotal in driving the company’s financial initiatives globally. As CFO, head of broadcast operations and network engineering, and head of commercial, he was instrumental in optimising SPNI's operations and ensuring profitability, along with guided its sustainability efforts.

Nambissan, who has been with SPNI since 2007, played a critical role in shaping the company’s legal and regulatory framework. Overseeing corporate relations, legal and regulatory affairs, and standards and practices, he ensured compliance across all operations. He successfully navigated complex legal landscapes and was instrumental in significant achievements, such as renegotiating IPL rights and acquiring Ten Sports.  

Kartikeya Tiwari appointed as creative digital partner for FCB Group India

FCB has appointed Kartikeya Tiwari as creative digital partner of FCB Group India. In this role, he will help shape the digital capabilities, product and talent across the agencies in the group.

Tiwari previously served as the national creative director at FCB Kinnect. He played a pivotal role in shaping the company's creative solutions and driving its digital agenda. His creative vision was instrumental in delivering campaigns such as 'Vigil Aunty' for HDFC Bank, 'Chatpat' for SOS Children's Villages of India, and 'Brave New Art' for Lenovo.

OTT platform Hari Om appoints in Angira Vats as content head

Hari Om, India's first mythology OTT platform, has appointed Angira Vats as content head. With over two decades of experience in writing and direction, Vats will lead the development of original content, overseeing conceptualisation, screenplay, and storytelling, as well as managing a team of specialised researchers, writers, and creatives.

Vats' career includes assisting in the direction of films like 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' and 'Lucky: No Time for Love', and leading creative direction for TV shows such as 'Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev' and 'Siya Ke Ram'. 

Three Fourth Solutions to enhance Halder Group's brand visibility for 100th anniversary 

Marketing agency Three Fourth Solutions (TFS) has been chosen to enhance the brand visibility of Halder Group as it celebrates its centenary. Operating from their Kolkata office, TFS will manage Halder Group’s social media presence, digital strategy, and public relations to articulate the company's vision and strengthen its presence across multiple platforms. Founded in 1924 as BC Halder Rice & Oil Mills, Halder Group aims to highlight its long-standing excellence in the rice and oil manufacturing industry while showcasing its corporate philosophies.

As part of this initiative, the Halder Group is rebranding its logo and updating the packaging of its Odaana Oil product to modernise its image and align with current market trends. Additionally, it plans to introduce retail packs, further expanding its market presence.  

Karan Kumar joins BPTP as chief marketing officer

After a nearly two-year stint in healthcare at Art Fertility, where he was responsible for marketing and growth for the Middle East and India operations, Karan Kumar has returned to the real estate sector, joining BPTP as its chief marketing officer. Nearly two decades old, BPTP has a significant role in residential and commercial real estate in North India.

Pallavi Patil rejoins Madison Media as vice president—insights and strategy

Madison Media, a unit of Madison World, announced the return of Pallavi Patil as vice president—insights and strategy. In her new role, she will report to Vikram Sakhuja, group CEO of Madison Media and OOH.

With over 19 years of experience in data science, insights, and strategic planning, Patil’s portfolio includes handling brands like Heinz, UTI Mutual Fund, Citibank, Vodafone Idea, MTS, Cadbury, Tata Motors, Audi, Levi’s, Samsung, Diageo and Google. She has previously spent six years at Madison and has also worked with companies such as Kinetic Worldwide, Nielsen, and Kantar TNS. Before rejoining Madison, she was associated with Dentsu—Posterscope.

LS Digital promotes Dipshika Ravi to vice president and executive creative director

LS Digital has promoted Dipshika Ravi to vice president and executive creative director of LS Creative. In her new role, she will lead the creative and social media teams, execute marketing campaigns, and steer the agency's overall creative direction. She will continue to report to Manesh Swamy, managing director and chief creative officer of LS Creative.

With over 16 years of experience, Ravi has worked with global brands like PepsiCo, HDFC Life, and Tata Steel. She has been recognised with numerous awards, including being named among India's Top 40 Creative Leaders and Content 40Under40. Her leadership will be crucial in driving LS Digital's growth and implementing data-driven marketing strategies.

EssenceMediacom promotes Averill Sequeira to chief strategy officer

EssenceMediacom, GroupM’s media agency, has promoted Averill Sequeira to chief strategy officer in India. Based in Bangalore, she will report to Navin Khemka, CEO of EssenceMediacom South Asia.

With over 20 years of experience, Sequeira previously led the Creative Futures team at EssenceMediacom India. She is known for her data-driven and collaborative approach and will focus on optimising ROI and strengthening the brand as the agency pursues new creative strategies and growth.

Nxtdigital appoints Jaydeep Sampat as chief technology officer

Nxtdigital, a division of Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. focusing on digital media, has appointed Jaydeep Sampat as its chief technology officer (CTO). Sampat, with over 30 years of experience in the communications industry, will oversee technology functions across broadband, digital television, and enterprise solutions.

Previously, he served as CTO at Tikona Infinet, where he managed multi-site operations and IT infrastructure. At Nxtdigital, he will leverage new technologies to launch and optimise products, working with the company's extensive broadband and television franchisee network to meet market demands.

Smart Soc Solutions appoints Shruthi Bojamma as director of marketing and communications 

Smart Soc Solutions, a product engineering company specialising in semiconductor, embedded, artificial intelligence, and automotive domains, has named Shruthi Bojamma as director of marketing and communications for India. She brings nearly 15 years of experience in public relations, social media, and marketing communications, having held senior roles at Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages, Himalaya, and Fortis Healthcare.

In her new role, Bojamma will develop and execute marketing and communications initiatives aligned with Smart Soc Solutions' strategic objectives, strengthening the brand's presence, engaging with the target audience, and driving business growth. Prior to this, she was deputy general manager for marketing and communications at Quess and holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication and a Digital Marketing certification from ISB.