MxMIndia

Tag: Kartik Sharma

  • He will report to Kartik Sharma, Group CEO of OMG India

    Anand Chakravarthy joins Omnicom as Chief Growth Officer

    By Our Staff

     

    Anand Chakravarthy
    Anand Chakravarthy

    Omnicom Media Group (OMG) India has appointed Anand Chakravarthy as its new Chief Growth Officer. He will report to Kartik Sharma, Group CEO of OMG India.

     

    Speaking on his appointment, Kartik Sharma, CEO of Omnicom Media Group India, said, “I am delighted to welcome Anand on board. His extensive knowledge, values-based leadership style and commitment to delivering results will undoubtedly be a great asset to our business going forward. His work speaks for itself and shows that he has the propensity to lead and help companies capitalize on new growth opportunities in an emerging market.”

     

    Said Chakravarthy (Andy to friends and colleagues): “I am thrilled to be a part of OMG India and getting the opportunity to work with Kartik and his leadership team, for whom I have immense respect. OMG is recognized globally for its thought leadership and building future forward capabilities – a critical need in the industry today. Working in this ecosystem with this team and leveraging these capabilities to help brands evolve without any limitations is a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to fully committing to OMG’s vision and pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth.”

     

  • To inspire a new generation of media planners

    OMG unveils second edition of digital bootcamp

    By Our Staff

     

    Omnicom Media Group returns with the second edition of its Digital Bootcamp to train and nurture a bevy of digital marketing acolytes, with a focus on media planning this time around. The OMG Digital Bootcamp will focus on helping young graduates hone their craft and ultimately give them a crucial head start in the digital marketing space. The paid internship program has been launched once again with the collaborative efforts of Executive Upskilling platform, Eleves.

     

    Said Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group, India: “Our continuing success, curiosity to explore new realms in media and the potential to become even better motivates us to constantly push the boundaries and set an example as a pioneering force in the industry. With this returning edition of the Bootcamp, we seek to attract even more bright minds who believe in creating a digitally sustainable future with zero limitations. Some of our best experts will serve in collaboration as a guiding force in empowering and nurturing upcoming talent.”

     

    Added Anand Chakravarthy, Co-Founder of Eleves: “We live in a very different world today than what it was even 3 years ago. As more brands and services move online to cater to the fast-growing internet population in India, Digital Marketing is key for their success. But this requires a practical perspective of digital platforms and how best to leverage them to build brands online. We are thrilled to partner with OMG and run the second batch of the Digital Ninja Bootcamp, where our faculty will give them hands-on and practical upskilling across key digital platforms.”

     

  • Anisha Iyer has taken charge of the agency as its new CEO

    OMD India is 15

    By Our Staff

     

    OMD, Omnicom Media Group’s full-service media agency and the world’s largest media network, is marking its 15th year in India this February. Having commenced operations in Mumbai on February 7 2007, the agency boast an impressive roster of clients – Apple, Beiersdorf, Sony, Mercedes Benz, Renault, Wipro, Au Bank, to name a few.

     

    At OMD India meanwhile, Anisha Iyer takes charge of the agency as its new CEO. Speaking on the occasion, Iyer said: “Completing 15 years in the Indian market is a fabulous milestone for OMD. I have for long admired the team’s pioneering efforts and the faith vested in it by our valued stakeholders. Anniversaries are a great time to look back at accomplishments thus far and I am proud to be working alongside a team who are a reflection of some of the industry’s finest talent. At its core, we believe in a fair balance of being people and result-oriented, driven by our DNA of empathy and innovation. And I am confident that we will metamorphose into an agency with not just consistent business growth, laced with digital expertise, but also build on OMD’s current momentum to champion a culture of pride. I congratulate all my peers on this milestone. Here’s to many more, together!”

     

    Added Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group India: “It is a remarkable moment for us as OMD India celebrates this milestone. The agency is a leader in benchmarking deep data-driven solutions and we are proud of the brand of integrated capabilities, adaptability and knowledge it has been bringing to the ecosystem over the past 15 years, thanks to an exceptional team and leadership. As we laud this moment, OMD India is gearing up to create the next wave of transformative experiences for both our clients and our people, and we are excited about building for the future,”

     

  • Iyer was recently Chief Product Officer at Omnicom Media Group Thailand

    Anisha Iyer is CEO, OMD India

    By Our Staff

     

    Anisha Iyer
    Anisha Iyer

    Omnicom Media Group India’s media network OMD has named Anisha Iyer as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective January 2022. She will be reporting in to Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group India.

     

    With over 18 years of experience in the advertising business, with a niche in digital and technology, she joined OMD in 2019 as Managing Director for Malaysia. Iyer has since been with Omnicom Media Group (OMG), moving on to OMG Thailand earlier this year as its Chief Product Officer.

     

    Said Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group India: “Anisha embodies OMD’s vision efficaciously. With her digital prowess and creative mindset, I am confident that she will lead the organization to greater heights and accelerate the momentum of growth. With her understanding of our clients, industry and the market, she is undoubtedly the inimitable successor for the role. We look forward to welcoming her back to India and working with stakeholders to unlock greater potential and empowering our clients to make Better Decisions, Faster.”

     

    Speaking on her appointment, Iyer commented, “The Indian market has undergone significant changes since the pandemic and it is a challenging yet exciting time to join at the helm. It’s a pivotal time for our industry and I am excited to navigate the tides in creative collaboration with stakeholders and driving OMD India to new avenues of growth and development.”

     

  • To empower aspiring digital specialists

    Omnicom Media launches OMG Digital Bootcamp

    By Our Staff

     

    Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has announced the launch of its first-ever OMG Digital Bootcamp, a four-week, full-time intensive learning programme designed to provide a launchpad to aspiring digital marketers looking to kick start their career in digital marketing.

     

    Speaking of this new initiative, Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group, India, said: “Progress and purpose are always at the heart of everything we do, and we believe that wherever learning thrives, so do people. One of the ways we have decided to support this is by nurturing budding talent in-house. In an industry where we are often faced with the challenge of onboarding entry-level aspirants in the digital ecosystem, we paused to take a hard look at how we could empower talent in-house and set them up for success within our agencies, thereby empowering business growth in the long run. This Bootcamp is one of the ways in which we have decided to support present and future talent, in-house, by enhancing their digital proficiency.”

     

    Added Anand Chakravarthy, Co-Founder, Results & Outcomes: “With 2.5 million digital jobs set to be created over the next 5 years, the need for ‘ready for business’ talent is critical for organizations. With rapid digitalization, it is imperative to rethink learning and how upskilling should be delivered. Results & Outcomes is pleased to collaborate with OMG India to curate and deliver an application-oriented and hands-on, progressive digital learning program delivered by domain experts – experienced professionals who themselves have run digital campaigns for years.”

     

  • Will handle marketing communication campaigns using data-driven insights

    OMD India wins mandate for AU Bank

    By Our Staff

    OMD  has won the marketing and media mandate for AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank). OMD will be responsible for end-to-end customer-focused campaigns and the delivery of faster business outcomes.

    Said Uttam Tibrewal, Executive Director, AU Small Finance Bank: “At this important life stage of the bank, partnering with a reputed agency like OMD, will add a new dimension to our brand considering their experience & expertise. Additionally, OMD’s capabilities with data & analytics will help us to connect better with our customers as we concentrate efforts to strengthen our base and presence across the country.”

    Added Priti Murthy, CEO, OMD India: “We are excited to bring alive AU Bank’s vision of bringing differentiated offerings to an otherwise underserved segment. What I love about AU Bank is that they are ready to push boundaries and want consumers to demand more from banks. In this sense, AU is geared to offer more to customers in a unique manner. Our media offering for AU Bank is just like that – unique and creating magic for customers. AU Bank is now expanding its geographical presence pan-India, and we are honoured to be a part of this progressive journey. Since the bank has taken a digital-led approach, its partnership with OMD will act as a gamechanger in AU Bank’s overall brand positioning and create higher recall among its existing customer and attract new ones.”

    Said Kartik Sharma, Group CEO, Omnicom Media Group-India: “Having a deep domain knowledge of the banking sector coupled with our proprietary tools and services in the data and analytics space helped us win the AU Bank mandate as its brand marketing and communications partner,” OMD will implement smarter strategies to create innovative campaigns using predictive functionality and a more quantitative approach to map empathy.”

  • As Head of Content

    OMG appoints Shailja Varghese to head content

    By Our Staff

    Shailja Varghese
    Shailja Varghese

    Omnicom Media Group India welcomes aboard its new Head of Content, Shailja Saraswati Varghese.

    Said Kartik Sharma OMG India Group CEO: “We are delighted to welcome Shailja on board at OMG, and are excited to transform our content-led solutions with her talent and expertise. With diverse expertise and in-depth insights gleaned from years of experience across organisations, we are confident that this new journey is going to be exciting and productive!”

    Added Varghese: “Why I am excited to join OMG as Head of Content is because a media agnostic, future-ready company like OMG will enable effective content solutions and storytelling. As data and technology are the two arms of result-oriented content solutions, I look forward to make commerce follow the consumer through connected content and solutions, to make scalable, replicable and sustainable business solutions.”

     

     

  • The Wavemaker CEO – South Asia speaks on the GroupM agency's three years in India, his journey at the helm, Gurugram v/s Mumbai, and the rivalry with sibling Mindshare

    MxM Live with Ajay Gupte

     

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wavemaker India celebrates its third anniversary on Monday, November 9, and we speak with Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker, on the occasion.

     

    Gupte took charge in January 2020, and we know of the tumultuous times across the world after that. A coincidence of course. The marketing services business was badly hit given the events and advertising spends going south post that.

     

    But in this period, Wavemaker – part of WPP’s GroupM network – has managed to reinvent itself and forge ahead, says Gupte. There is a beefing up of the top deck. Some noteworthy work. And development of analytical tools that are now adopted within Wavemaker global framework.

     

    In a freewheeling interview with MxMIndia Founder and Editor-in-Chief Pradyuman Maheshwari, Ajay Gupte speaks on a cross-section of issues around the business, around Wavemaker, his settling back into the country, the job, Gurugram versus Mumbai, the rivalry with sibling Mindshare. And more.

     

    Watch. Enjoy. Like.

     

  • The position was created after Harish Shriyan’s exit was announced in July 2019

    Omnicom Media Group Kartik Sharma to helm Omnicom Media Group in India

    Caption: Photo Montage: Rafiq Barak. It may be noted that Kartik Sharma will join OMG only in mid-2020.

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s now confirmed. Omnicom Media Group has appointed Kartik Sharma as CEO for its operations in India. Sharma joins the Omnicom entity from GroupM’s Wavemaker, where he was most recently CEO for South Asia. He is slated to join the network mid-year. His exit from Wavemaker was announced on Wednesday (January 29). The position was created after former OMG CEO Harish Shriyan’s exit was announced in July 2019.

     

    With over 25 years of media experience under his belt, Sharma has served in a leadership capacity at some of the largest agency networks, including Mindshare, Lintas Media, Madison Media and Maxus and managed clients such as L’Oreal, Mondelez, Netflix and Vodafone. In his new role, Sharma will work closely with Priti Murthy, CEO of OMD India, and Jyoti Bansal, CEO of PHD India, on chartering the continued growth of the agency brands in India.

     

    Speaking on the appointment, Tony Harradine, CEO of Omnicom Media Group Asia-Pacific, said in a statement: “A revered leader with an impressive track record, I am thrilled that Kartik has joined us. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to steer our business to even greater heights in one of the most important markets in Asia.”

     

    For those not in the know, Omnicom Media Group is the media agency network owned by Omnicom, the global. advertising services conglomerate. According to a report in Campaign, OMD occupies the top spot by projected billings in the COM vergence 2019 global billings rankings report. GroupM’s Mindshare is second in the ranking and Carat is #3. In India, GroupM occupies the top slot amongst media agency networks, and OMG is as of now perhaps at #5.

     

    Clearly, Sharma has his role cut out for him. He took charge of Maxus from Ajit Varghese in January 2014 and there has been no looking back since. Sharma has led both Maxus and Wavemaker to winning the coveted Agency of the Year title at the Emvies.

     

     

  • Gupte, who is currently COO of Wavemaker India, takes over from Kartik Sharma who steps down to pursue other opportunities in the industry

    Kartik Sharma quits. Ajay Gupte is new Wavemaker CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ajay Gupte

    Wavemaker has announced the appointment of Ajay Gupte as Chief Executive Officer for Wavemaker, South Asia. Gupte, who is currently COO of Wavemaker India, takes over from Kartik Sharma who steps down to pursue other opportunities in the industry.

     

    Gupte will continue to be based out of Wavemaker Gurugram and will report into Prasanth Kumar, CEO – GroupM South Asia and Gordon Domlija, President Wavemaker Asia-Pacific and China CEO.

     

    Said Prasanth Kumar, CEO – GroupM South Asia: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Kartik for his contribution over the years and wish him all the very best.”

     

    Commenting on Gupte’s appointment he added, “At GroupM we always believe in building on the hard work and passion of our people and it gives me great pleasure to see Ajay take over as the new CEO of Wavemaker South Asia. He comes with vast experience working in multiple markets and categories. He is a well-rounded professional, and I see him bring in distinctive and increasing value for our clients and the overall ecosystem. I am confident that he will continue to grow Wavemaker as an agency of the future.”

     

    Added Domlija: “India is a hugely important market for Wavemaker, and we’ve got a very successful team here. I’ve gotten to know Ajay as a strong client and team leader, and I’m convinced he is the right choice to help Wavemaker to future sucesss and, ultimately, to keep looking for better ways to unlock growth for our clients, our agency and our people.”

     

    Said Gupte: “I am humbled and very excited to take over the role of the CEO of Wavemaker South Asia. It is an exciting time for the Indian market as the Indian advertising industry is also having a global impact, and I see lots of opportunities for growth.”

     

     

  • Earlier this month, BCCI invited online bids for the title sponsorship rights for the BCCI organised domestic and international cricket matches

    Wavemaker, ESP Properties help Paytm bag BCCI title sponsorship

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wavemaker and ESP Properties, GroupM’s sports and entertainment marketing agency, have facilitated the renewal of the partnership between Paytm and BCCI for the title sponsorship rights for BCCI’s International and Domestic cricket matches at home from September 1, 2019 to March 31, 2023. Paytm first bagged the title sponsorship rights in 2015.

     

    Earlier this month, BCCI invited online bids for the title sponsorship rights for the BCCI organised domestic and international cricket matches. BCCI confirmed that Paytm will be the title sponsor of all domestic series/events organised, managed and administered by BCCI and played in India, between 1st September 2019 and 31st March 2023.

     

    Said Jaskaran Singh Kapany, Head- Marketing, Paytm: “We decided very early in our journey to partner with India cricket. Over the last few years, our association with the sport has given us a huge platform to be visible in front of half a billion Indian cricket fans. This has helped the brand immensely at various levels to build long term salience & stature. Paytm is a brand for the masses and continuing as the Title Sponsor of Cricket in India will help us bolster Paytm’s leadership position in the minds of millions of consumers, on the back of the most popular sport in the country.”

     

    Said Kartik Sharma, CEO, Wavemaker – South Asia: “Partnering with ESP properties to help Paytm win BCCI title sponsorship rights for the second time in a row is a huge feat for all of us. It is our constant endeavour to offer best platforms to all our partners and help them grow along the journey.”

     

    Added Vinit Karnik, Business Head, ESP Properties, GroupM India: “Paytm over the last four years has demonstrated its faith and commitment towards Indian Cricket. They understand & appreciate the potential of the game very well. Paytm and BCCI continuing their existing relationship will be huge win for both. The following that cricket gets in the sub-continent is at times more than any other sporting event across the planet and Paytm can continue to benefit from this. Earlier this year in ESP’s annual trends report we predicted that cricket would dominate the media and mind measure in 2019 and with such start to the new cricketing season we believe that this will only grow and improve over the next few months and years to come.”

     

     

  • Gupte will be located at Wavemaker Delhi office

    Wavemaker appoints Ajay Gupte as COO, South Asia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ajay Gupte

    Wavemaker has announced the appointment of Ajay Gupte as the Chief Operating Officer for Wavemaker, South Asia. In his new role, Gupte will be located at Wavemaker Delhi office and will report into Kartik Sharma, CEO – Wavemaker, South Asia.

     

    Gupte moves from Wavemaker Indonesia where he was Managing Director of the agency. He led the MEC-Maxus merger in Indonesia. Under his stewardship, Wavemaker Indonesia won several blue-chip clients and many global and local accolades for the agency.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Kartik Sharma, CEO – Wavemaker, South Asia said: “It is an absolute pleasure to have Ajay back in India. Under his leadership as MD of Indonesia since 2011, Wavemaker (erstwhile MEC) has grown exponentially and is now ranked as Top 3 agency in the country. I am confident with his strong experience of agency and client domain, Ajay will be will be able to grow Wavemaker further as an agency of the future.”

     

    Commenting on his new role, Gupte said: “I am very excited to be back in India. The media scene in India is vibrant and offers unlimited opportunity for marketeers. With our future-focused offering around Media, Content, and Technology, Wavemaker is uniquely positioned to deliver maximum impact for our clients. I am delighted that the next lap of my journey continues with Wavemaker where I can contribute to delivering this promise.”