Moves and wins roundup: Week of 30 Sept

FCB Interface promotes Ruchita Purohit to president

FCB Interface has promoted Ruchita Purohit to the position of President and Head of Office for its Mumbai operations. Purohit, previously the Executive Vice President, will oversee the agency’s efforts in innovation, client relations, and business growth.

Purohit has been with FCB Interface for two decades, starting as a management trainee. During her tenure, she managed key accounts such as Max Life Insurance, Hero Motocorp, and DBS Bank. Her focus has been on building digital capabilities and strengthening the agency’s market presence. In her new role, Purohit will aim to enhance the agency’s growth and service offerings, further.

YRF Talent appoints Kanupriya as film strategy head

YRF Talent has appointed Kanupriya as Head of Talent film strategy. The firm represents a range of celebrities, including Rani Mukerji and Anushka Sharma.

Kanupriya previously served as CEO of Colour Yellow Films and has worked in the Indian film industry for over 15 years. She has produced films such as Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Tumbbad, Manmarziyaan, and Newton.

In her new role, Kanupriya will oversee the films division at YRF Talent. She will also manage strategic relationships between artists and studios, producers, and platforms for the actors represented by the firm.

IAA India elects new leadership

The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has elected its new leadership team. Abhishek Karnani has been named president, with Jaideep Gandhi serving as vice president.

The leadership team also includes Nandini Dias as honorary secretary and Janak Sarda as honorary treasurer. Additional managing committee members include Srinivasan Swamy, Shreyams Kumar, Prasanth Kumar, and Neha Barjatya.

The IAA continues to promote innovation, inclusivity, and excellence within India’s marketing and communications industries.

JioCinema appoints Ishan Chatterjee as CBO

JioCinema has appointed Ishan Chatterjee as its chief business officer. Chatterjee will oversee overall monetisation for the platform, including revenue from sports and small-to-medium businesses across entertainment sectors.

Chatterjee joins JioCinema from YouTube India, where he was the managing director and led the platform’s strategy and growth. His career includes roles at Google, McKinsey, and Hindustan Unilever, and he is an alumnus of The Wharton School and St. Stephen’s College, Delhi.

In his new role, Chatterjee will work closely with JioCinema’s leadership team as the platform continues its growth and digital transformation.

Manu Varghese joins Vertices Partners

Manu Varghese has joined Vertices Partners as a partner in its corporate practice. He will operate from the firm’s Mumbai and Bengaluru offices.

Varghese brings over 17 years of experience in private equity, mergers, acquisitions, and cross-border transactions. He has previously worked at Samvad Partners and Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, advising on strategic business transactions and investments.

Vertices Partners expects Varghese’s experience to contribute significantly to its growth and operations, enhancing its corporate advisory services.

Hansgrohe India names interim head

Hansgrohe India has announced the departure of Gaurav Malhotra as managing director, effective 30^th September. Malhotra, who led the company since 2017, has taken a personal sabbatical.

Thomas Stopper, vice president for Asia, will assume Malhotra’s responsibilities on an interim basis. Stopper has been with Hansgrohe for 15 years and will oversee operations during the transition.

Hansgrohe India aims to maintain its market growth and leadership in bathroom solutions.

Viral Pandya leaves Cog Culture

Viral Pandya has stepped down from his role at Cog Culture to pursue opportunities outside the advertising industry. Under his leadership, Cog Culture won several major awards and grew into a well-recognised creative agency.

Pandya’s exit marks a shift in his career as he plans to engage in client-focused ventures, embracing technology and creativity beyond traditional advertising.

Cog Culture remains a prominent player in India’s advertising landscape, serving clients across multiple sectors.

Tulsea partners with Ralph for content

Tulsea has partnered with global creative agency Ralph to develop audience-centric content strategies in India. The partnership will leverage Tulsea’s talent roster and Ralph’s expertise in content creation to expand brand engagement.

The collaboration aims to produce strategic content for clients across social media, brand development, and innovative distribution, aligning talent with creative needs.

The partnership’s first initiative will include a joint event in Mumbai to launch Ralph magazine in India.

Flags Communications secures PR mandate for FMS Dental Hospitals 

Flags Communications has been appointed as the public relations partner for FMS Dental Hospitals, a Hyderabad-based dental care chain. The partnership is aimed at enhancing FMS Dental's brand visibility, highlighting its advanced dental care services, and positioning it as a global leader in the healthcare sector.

Flags Communications will manage the hospital's PR efforts, focusing on promoting its innovative healthcare services and commitment to patient care. The collaboration is expected to strengthen FMS Dental's presence in the competitive healthcare landscape of Hyderabad and beyond. 

Kwame Taylor-Hayford appointed president of D&AD for 2024/25 

D&AD, the non-profit promoting creative excellence globally, has named Kwame Taylor-Hayford as its new president for the 2024/25 term. Based in New York, he is the first D&AD president from the United States, marking the organisation's growing influence in the region. He succeeds Jack Renwick and will lead the D&AD Board of Trustees in advancing its mission to nurture creativity.

Taylor-Hayford has been closely associated with D&AD for years, serving in roles such as Impact Council member, Impact Jury President, and Trustee. As the executive creative director of D&AD's Shift NYC programme, he has helped foster diverse creative talent. His presidency will focus on mentorship and advancing mid-career professionals while promoting purpose-driven creative work that benefits both businesses and society.

dentsu X India secures digital media mandate for LG Electronics 

dentsu X India has won the digital media mandate for LG Electronics, a major player in India's consumer electronics sector, following a competitive pitch. The partnership will be managed from dentsu X's New Delhi office and will provide LG with a wide range of digital media solutions. These include social media marketing, content creation, influencer marketing, media planning, analytics, and full-funnel management for both LG’s B2B and B2C segments.

This collaboration aims to enhance LG Electronics' digital presence by leveraging dentsu X's expertise in media, data, and technology. The agency plans to develop innovative strategies to expand LG’s footprint in the digital space, supporting the brand's growth and reinforcing its leadership in the consumer electronics market.

SRV Media appoints Anushka Dey as vice president of public relations 

SRV Media has appointed Anushka Dey as its new vice president of public relations to strengthen its communication services. With over ten years of experience in integrated communication, she is set to lead SRV Media’s PR initiatives, helping the agency enhance brand reputation and visibility for its diverse range of clients. This appointment reflects the agency’s continued focus on expanding its public relations capabilities across various sectors.

Dey has previously worked with agencies such as MSL, Value360, GBM, and Social Panga. In her role at SRV Media, she will develop and implement comprehensive PR strategies aimed at fostering client relationships and driving measurable results. Her expertise is expected to contribute significantly to SRV Media’s mission of offering innovative marketing and communication solutions.

Equentis partners with Veritas PR

Equentis - Wealth Advisory Services has appointed Veritas Reputation PR to lead its public relations efforts and position the company as a top SEBI-registered investment advisor in India. The collaboration aims to boost Equentis' brand visibility and establish its leadership in the equity advisory space.

Veritas will develop a strategic campaign to support Equentis’ focus on long-term wealth creation and client engagement through informed investment decisions. As part of the plan, Equentis aims to expand its digital presence, targeting growth from 10 lakh to 50 lakh registered users over the next two years.

Veritas will help amplify the brand’s reach with a comprehensive public relations strategy. Veritas Reputation PR specialises in financial sector clients, including banks, insurance firms, and fintech companies.

Jigsaw Brand Consultants appoints Ishita Desai as insights and strategy director 

Jigsaw Brand Consultants has appointed Ishita Desai as its new insights and strategy director. With a strong background in consumer insights and strategic brand development, her expertise spans business development roles at L’Oréal and Unilever, followed by a focus on qualitative research at Ipsos. Her skills in communication testing, brand equity evaluation, and product innovation will be instrumental as she steps into this role at Jigsaw.

Desai has worked with major brands including Tata Motors, Mondelez, and Ikea, bringing valuable experience in AI-driven research methodologies and brand tracking. At Jigsaw, she will play a key role in strengthening strategic brand analysis for a diverse range of clients, contributing to the consultancy's continued growth in the industry.

Sofitel Mumbai BKC appoints Tarana Lalchandani as marketing manager

Sofitel Mumbai BKC has appointed Tarana Lalchandani as its new marketing and communications manager. She joins from Courtyard by Marriott near Mumbai international airport, where she led marketing strategies and managed social media initiatives.

Lalchandani's experience includes roles as a PR executive at a communications agency, handling media relations and influencer marketing, and as a marketing executive at a luxury lifestyle brand, overseeing branding and event coordination. She will lead the marketing and communications strategies for Sofitel Mumbai BKC, leveraging her expertise in the lifestyle and luxury sectors.

Former Lintas, Paytm execs launch Buzzlab

Sushant Sadamate and Sindhu Biswal have launched Buzzlab, a content-led firm focused on scaling brands, startups, and creators across platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Spotify. Buzzlab aims to use data analytics and generative AI workflows to drive growth through proprietary frameworks.

Sadamate has previously held leadership roles at agencies like Lowe Lintas and L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, managing major brands such as Hero MotoCorp and Dell. Biswal, a second-time entrepreneur, has led growth strategies at Paytm Insider and other startups. He also served as a growth advisor for top Indian creators. Buzzlab will focus on performance marketing, aiming to minimise customer acquisition costs and improve ROI for its clients through tailored playbooks.

Ravi Ahuja to succeed Tony Vinciquerra as Sony Pictures CEO

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) has announced that Ravi Ahuja would succeed Tony Vinciquerra as chief executive officer, effective January 2, 2025. Vinciquerra, who has held the position since 2017, will transition to a non-executive chairman role until December 2025, continuing in an advisory capacity.

Ahuja, currently president and chief operating officer of SPE, has been with the company since 2021. During his tenure, he has overseen the production of series such as The Crown, The Boys, Better Call Saul, and The Last of Us. His promotion to CEO reflects his pivotal role in shaping SPE’s production strategy and content development.

Vinciquerra’s leadership has seen the company undergo significant changes, including the sale of most of its cable networks and the acquisition of anime streaming platform Crunchyroll. His decision to step down follows a seven-year period marked by rising profitability for SPE. His legacy includes a strengthened film slate and strategic partnerships, positioning Sony Pictures for sustained growth under Ahuja’s leadership.

In his new role, Ahuja will report to Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman of Sony Group, and Hiroki Totoki, its president and COO. His will focus on continuing the company’s expansion across film and television production, and developing its global operations further.

Nivea India appoints Shweta Dalal as marketing director

Nivea India has appointed Shweta Dalal as its new marketing director. At Nivea India, she will be responsible for overseeing marketing strategies aimed at strengthening the brand’s presence in India and aligning with the company’s global skincare mission. 

Dalal brings 16 years of experience from Unilever and L’Oréal, where she held leadership roles in global brand strategy. In her previous position as global brand director for Lux, she contributed to significant brand growth across multiple regions, including South Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Rana Barua re-elected as president of The Advertising Club

Rana Barua, group CEO of Havas India, has been re-elected as president of The Advertising Club for the fiscal year 2024-2025. The announcement was made during the organisation’s 70^th annual general meeting (AGM).

Barua will lead the newly appointed managing committee, which includes FCB Group India's Dheeraj Sinha as vice president. The other appointments include industry veteran Dr Bhaskar Das as secretary, former Madison Media's group CEO Punitha Arumugam as joint secretary, and business consultant Mitrajit Bhattacharya as treasurer.

The new managing committee members include Network18 Media & Investments' Avinash Kaul, Sideways chief growth officer Malcolm Raphael, GroupM South Asia's Prasanth Kumar, Google's Mansha Tandon, former Aditya Birla Capital's CMO Ajay Kakar, Genesis Burson-Marsteller's Sonia Huria, and MullenLowe Lintas Group's Subramanyeswar S. Co-opted members are Swiggy's Mayur Hola, Eros International's Pradeep Dwivedi, Bennett Coleman & Co's Sagnik Ghosh.

Special invitees include Percept Ltd's Ajay Chandwani, Microsoft's Alok Lall, Leo Burnett South Asia's Amitesh Rao, Landor's Lulu Raghavan, Music Broadcast Limited's Ashit Kukian, House of Cheer Networks' Raj Nayak, Google's Satyanarayan Raghavan, Republic Media Network's Vikas Khanchandani, Initiative's Vaishali Verma. The Times of India Group's Partha Sinha will serve as the immediate past president.

Efficacy Worldwide bags AOR contract from Hero Cycles

Efficacy Worldwide has secured the Agency of Record (AOR) role for Hero Cycles following a multi-agency pitch. The agency will manage Hero Cycles’ media presence across various platforms. Efficacy, established in 2021, has gained prominence for its data-driven marketing and strong client relationships. This mandate aims to enhance Hero Cycles’ media reach and brand identity through targeted campaigns. Efficacy’s past clients include Kohler, Foundit, Suzlon, Omega, Rado, Hero Motocorp, LG, Zee Learning, and Eeve India.

One Health Assist ropes in PR, digital partners

One Health Assist has appointed Concept PR as its public relations partner and Alpha Beta Marketing Solutions LLP for digital strategy and performance marketing. The partnerships aim to enhance the company’s brand visibility and strengthen its presence in India’s healthcare sector. Concept PR will manage communication efforts, focusing on media outreach and stakeholder relationships. Alpha Beta Marketing will handle digital campaigns to boost consumer engagement and brand visibility. One Health Assist aims to expand its reach through these alliances, leveraging PR and digital strategies to support its healthcare services across the country.