Saurabh Saksena, Former VML India President, Launches New Agency – Next Wave Worldwide
Former VML India President Saurabh Saksena has started a new company, Next Wave Worldwide, intending to revolutionize the marketing communications industry by utilizing AI to its fullest potential and utilizing the experience of seasoned professionals.
Saurabh Saksena launches Next Wave Worldwide, a new agency to revolutionize marcomms
He previously held the position of CEO for India at VMLY&R. He had spent almost nine years working for J Walter Thompson Worldwide. In India and Southeast Asia, he has led diverse, multi-cultural, multi-location, cross-functional teams to achieve sustainable business growth and profit. He has over 31 years of experience managing people, businesses, and country operations.
Saksena’s previous endeavors
He worked for WPP’s new agency, VML India, for five months before the launch of Next Wave Worldwide. Before the holding company announced the merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R to form the newly renamed creative powerhouse, VML, he worked for the latter as Chief Executive Officer for more than a year, beginning in December 2022.
He was employed by WPP’s Red Fuse Communications as President from August 2019 to December 2022. Before that, he worked in a variety of capacities at J Walter Thompson Worldwide’s offices in India and Malaysia from October 2009 to July 2019. In addition, Saksena has collaborated with DDB Mudra Group, Ogilvy Outreach, Mid Day, Red Fuse Communications, and more.
Read More: PepsiCo Promotes Adam Warner to VP – Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships
PepsiCo Promotes Adam Warner to VP – Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships
Adam Warner of PepsiCo has been elevated to the position of Vice President, Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships. Adam has spent 17 years working for PepsiCo. Before this, he was in charge of global partnerships and sports. He has a track record of delivering business and brand growth at scale as a creative and strategic marketing leader.
Adam Warner promoted to vice president of global sports & entertainment partnerships
After starting his work at PepsiCo as a senior brand manager, Warner held a number of positions requiring a variety of skills. His degree in commerce from the University of Birmingham is a bachelor’s degree. Ahmed ELsheikh, who oversaw PepsiCo as president for the India region, became chief executive officer of PepsiCo Middle East in Saudi Arabia in May.
Read More: Sports For All (SFA) Onboard Rohan Vyavaharkar and Kumar Darpan; Strengthen Leadership Team
AdInMo Launches InGamePlay SDK 3.0 with Clickable Ad Units
AdInMo, the most innovative and player-centric monetisation platform for mobile game developers, has announced the beta release of its InGamePlay SDK 3.0.
InGamePlay 3.0 builds on AdInMo’s existing tech stack which offers multi-format non-interruptive immersive advertising. The latest SDK launches clickable in-game ad units designed with the player experience at the forefront, driving better monetisation for free-to-play developers and higher engagement for advertisers.
One of the unique ways AdInMo’s SDK drives intentional clicks is through the ‘InGamePlay Magnifier’, which spotlights an advert within the game environment to improve its viewability. The SDK also features customisable visual options, such as a glowing or pulsing placement border to signify to the player whether an ad is clickable. Gameplay is not affected because the game is paused as soon as the player chooses to interact with the ad, and then is frictionlessly returned to the game.
Players are familiar with the idea that objects are interactive in a game world, AdInMo has harnessed this mechanic to integrate advertising in an immersive and non-disruptive way. Engaging with the advert will always be the player’s choice, making clicks intentional which is highly valuable for both advertisers and developers.
AdInMo CEO and Co-Founder Kristan Rivers, explains:
“Making a game that generates sustainable revenue while still being joyful for players is the perennial balancing act for developers. Our latest SDK offers a frictionless way to increase the effectiveness of in-game advertising without impacting the player experience.”
InGamePlay 3.0 SDK utilises AdInMo’s data-led PlayerPersonaFrameworkTM, to target the right player audiences with the right message which could be a brand awareness, direct response or in-app campaign using AdInMo’s new hybrid-monetisation solutions.
EVP Product and Market Development Adam Pattison, adds:
“For advertisers, the clickable InGamePlay placements solve the industry-harming problems of accidental clicks and lacklustre user attention.The InGamePlay Magnifier acts as a backstop while delivering quality attention and engagement metrics, and will help in-game shine as a premium media channel.”
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Sports For All (SFA) Onboard Rohan Vyavaharkar and Kumar Darpan; Strengthen Leadership Team
Sports For All (SFA), India’s largest company dedicated to professionalizing and commercializing participatory and grassroots sports, today announced the appointment of Kumar Darpan as Chief Revenue Officer and Rohan Vyavaharkar as Global Head of Partnerships and Strategic Communications. With these additions, SFA hopes to strengthen its leadership group and increase its influence within the sports sector.
Sports For All (SFA) – a leading player in the sports ecosystem
The company’s goal is to encourage more Indians to play sports and enjoy the joy of it. Rishikesh Joshi and Vishwas Choksi founded it in 2015. SFA is a prominent participant in the sports industry and operates the first and only tech-enabled multi-sport school championships platform in India. The SFA Championships provide athletes and schools with the opportunity to identify and develop new talent by showcasing competitive play in 31 sports at world-class venues. The SFA leadership team is at its strongest now that Darpan and Vyavaharkar have joined, and they are relentlessly pursuing their goal of developing a sporting culture in India.
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SFA onboard Kumar Darpan and Rohan Vyavaharkar
Kumar Darpan, the company’s first-ever CRO, brings nearly two decades of experience in media and entertainment from a variety of geographical areas. He specializes in TV and OTT platform monetization for clients like Disney Star, Warner Brothers Discovery, and Odisha Television Network. Darpan, well-known for his work in digital marketing, content production, and artificial intelligence in the media, has a proven track record of providing premium goods and services that are customized to meet the needs of customers and clients. He will use creative monetization techniques to drive revenue growth at SFA while maintaining fiscal sustainability.
Rohan Vyavaharkar has a broad background in sports management, marketing, and communications. Having developed strategic alliances, produced captivating content, and carried out successful campaigns for companies like Red Bull, Twitter India, Stepathlon, and Omidyar Network India, he is particularly skilled at these areas. As Global Head of Partnerships and Strategic Communications at SFA, Vyavaharkar will lead initiatives to promote international cooperation.
Additionally, SFA has begun accepting registrations for the SFA School Championships 2024–25. These events will take place in ten different cities: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Mumbai, Pune, Uttarakhand, and will feature up to 31 sports, including fencing, football, and speedcubing. To learn more, go to SFAPLAY.COM.
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Here’s what they said
Speaking on the expansion of the leadership team, founder Rishikesh Joshi said,
“We are delighted to have Rohan and Darpan join the SFA Leadership team. We believe this will truly boost SFA’s strength & capabilities as a business, propelling our journey to become the strongest sports platform and radically transform the way India plays and enjoys sport!”
On his new role, Kumar Darpan said,
“I’m thrilled to be a part of Sports For All’s mission to revolutionise sports in India. By creating opportunities for brands to build, own, and benefit from the growing list of participative sporting platforms at SFA, we can collectively have a transformative impact on sports in India. With its experience of nearly a decade, SFA is in a unique position to partner with brands to create unique consumer experiences for athletes, families, parents, and other key stakeholders.”
Rohan Vyavaharkar said,
“Sports For All is on a mission to change the landscape of Indian sport. We want to build a nation that is healthier, fitter and with strong values that can be best learned through playing sports. At SFA, we want to build deeper partnerships with all players, from academies to leagues to content platforms, because we believe that the only way to achieve our goals as a company and as a nation is by building a collaborative ecosystem.”
Read More: Jay Morzaria Joined McCann Indonesia as Creative Head
Jay Morzaria Joined McCann Indonesia as Creative Head
Jay Morzaria, the former Head of Creative at Rephrase.ai, has joined McCann Worldgroup Indonesia as Creative Head. He moved three months ago, and in April 2024 he started his new position officially. After working with Rephrase.ai for eight months, he decided to leave the company when it was bought by Adobe in November 2023.
McCann Indonesia appoints Jay Morzaria as Creative Head
With the platform undergoing a transition, Morzaria left the position, prepared to take on his next challenge. He played a key role in advancing creative content solutions and enhancing the platform’s creative capabilities during his time there. From January 2020 to November 2023, Morzaria served as an independent creative consultant for a number of companies and brands, entrepreneurs and managers, groups and individuals, including Owled, Isobar, Digitas, WeKreate, Waterfield Advisors, L&T Financial Services, SKORE condoms, and Oreo.
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Morzaria’s previous endeavors
Morzaria has worked in a variety of creative roles for more than ten years. Throughout his career, he has worked for prestigious companies and agencies like Tonic Worldwide, OktoBuzz, Spring Marketing Capital, Atom Network, Schbang, Wavemaker, Ogilvy and Mather, and The Glitch. In 2012, he began working for Bright Outdoor Media as an assistant media planner, which set the stage for his future success.
Through mentoring and instruction, he has also made a contribution to the industry. He has held positions as a mentor at The 30-Minute – University of Planning, a visiting faculty member at Mumbai’s KES Shroff College, and an instructor at Terribly Tiny Tales (TTT).
Here’s what they said
Sharing his experience on making the move from India to Indonesia, Jay Morzaria, Creative Head, McCann Worldgroup Indonesia, said,
“For over a decade, I had been working in a rich and diverse market like India. I am thankful that life has now presented me with an opportunity to work in yet another rich and diverse market like Indonesia in SEA.”
Read More: WPP Appoints Brian Lesser as Global CEO of GroupM
WPP Appoints Brian Lesser as Global CEO of GroupM
WPP and GroupM announce the appointment of Brian Lesser as the new Global CEO of GroupM, the world’s leading media investment company.
He succeeds Christian Juhl, who is stepping down after five years in the role. Christian will take up a new position with WPP as President, Corporate Development.
Brian spent 10 years with WPP including as CEO of GroupM in North America from 2015 to 2017. He will rejoin WPP and begin his new role with GroupM in September 2024. Christian will continue in his existing role until then and support the transition as he moves to his new position.
Brian first joined WPP with the acquisition of 24/7 Real Media in 2007. He went on to create the Media Innovation Group, building addressable advertising products and technology for GroupM, including one of the industry’s first data management platforms. In 2011 he founded Xaxis, the programmatic media buying platform which now forms part of GroupM’s media performance organization, GroupM Nexus.
After leading GroupM in North America he joined AT&T as CEO of AT&T Advertising & Analytics, a $3 billion business today known as Xandr. He took on his current role as CEO and Chairman of data company InfoSum in 2020.
Throughout his career, Brian has been at the forefront of technological advancements in the media industry, from the advent of programmatic advertising to the rise of connected TV. He is known for challenging the status quo to deliver better consumer experiences and more effective solutions for businesses.
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Christian became CEO of GroupM in November 2019, having previously held the same position at Essence, the digital media agency acquired by WPP in 2015. As President, Corporate Development for WPP he will work on various aspects of the company’s strategic development.
Under Christian’s leadership GroupM has grown significantly, winning notable assignments and playing a critical role in WPP wins such as the partnership with The Coca-Cola Company.
GroupM has also changed and evolved to reflect the new world. It has simplified its structure, today serving its roster of world-leading clients primarily through three media agency brands (EssenceMediacom, Mindshare and Wavemaker); media performance organization GroupM Nexus; and data product, service and technology company Choreograph. GroupM is the world’s leading media investment company, managing more than $60 billion in annual media spend on behalf of its clients.
Mark Read, CEO of WPP, said:
“I would like to thank Christian for his contribution to the success of Essence, GroupM, WPP and our clients over the last nine years. He has built a strong foundation for the ongoing transformation of GroupM, the integration of its offer, and accelerated future growth. I look forward to working with him in his new WPP role.”
“Brian is one of the industry’s most highly regarded executives with a track record of success in data- and technology-driven marketing. GroupM, its agencies and its brilliant people are in many respects the engine of WPP. Brian not only knows GroupM inside-out, but also has a strong vision for the future of the business. We are delighted to welcome him back to WPP.”
Brian Lesser said:
“WPP and GroupM are special organizations to me. I have experienced first-hand the culture of innovation and collaboration that leads to exceptional work for advertisers. I am thrilled to be rejoining GroupM as Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to building with my talented colleagues, collaborating with our industry partners, and investing with our fantastic roster of global clients.”
Christian Juhl said:
“It has been a privilege to lead this amazing business, to work alongside its incredibly talented people, and to partner with our wonderful clients around the world. We’ve achieved a huge amount together and I’m really proud of the progress GroupM has made towards its mission of making advertising work better for people. After five years the time is right for a fresh challenge, and I’m excited to get started in my new role with WPP. Brian is an exceptional leader and I’m happy he is rejoining the GroupM family.”
Read more: GroupM Consolidates its Content, Entertainment, and Sports Verticals
DViO Grabs the Marketing Mandate for Attero, an E-waste Recycling Company
Leading full-stack marketing and growth firm in India, DViO, recently announced the opening of a new specialty vertical aimed at growing businesses with a focus on sustainability and net-zero goals. This vertical covers sectors like recycling management, sustainable fashion, and e-mobility. By forming a partnership with Attero, a recycling company that specializes in lithium-ion batteries and e-waste, DViO has successfully launched this vertical. This expansion is aimed at sectors such as waste management, eco-fashion, and electric vehicles.
DViO secures marketing mandate for Attero
DViO and Attero have agreed to a partnership in which Attero will benefit from developing and implementing a comprehensive digital growth strategy by DViO. The plan seeks to increase awareness of Attero’s technology and how it helps position the company as a top “urban green metal miner.” It will also prioritize growing business and consumer demand for green metals and e-waste collection, encouraging responsible recycling of lithium batteries and increasing demand for its recycled materials. Additionally, it will concentrate on scaling its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services.
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Here’s what they said
Mayank Sinha, head of marketing and Selsmart (direct to consumer business) said,
“At Attero, our goal goes beyond business—it’s about pioneering a sustainable future. We champion the circular economy, ensuring resources are reused responsibly. Our commitment to EPR compliance sets industry standards, driving environmental stewardship. By enhancing our brand visibility through our strategic partnership with DViO, we aim to inspire others to join us in innovating, recycling, and leading the charge towards a greener tomorrow.”
DViO founder and CEO Sowmya Iyer added,
“We’re excited to partner with Attero in their sustainability and e-waste recycling mission. At DViO, we believe digital innovation can drive positive change. Our comprehensive strategy will not only help Attero reach its objective but also set a new benchmark for sustainable industry practices. This collaboration is a significant step towards a greener future, and we’re proud to support Attero in becoming the world’s leading urban green metal miner. DViO’s entry into the carbon-conscious market reflects our commitment to partnering with sustainable businesses for long-term success.”
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Publicis Media to lead Nestlé’s Media Strategy in China
Global food and beverage giant Nestlé has named Publicis Media China as its new media agency, tasking them with managing the company’s comprehensive media portfolio across China.
Under this appointment, Publicis Media China will oversee Nestlé’s media requirements, including planning and buying for social, mobile, and performance media in China. The agency’s responsibilities will span Nestlé’s entire product portfolio in China, covering categories such as confectionery, milk powder, coffee, snacks, beverages, and more.
Nestlé awarded its media account to Publicis Media China following a competitive pitch that highlighted the agency’s data and technology-driven capabilities. Publicis Media China impressed with a strategy demonstrating a deep understanding of Nestlé’s business in China, presenting innovative solutions aimed at broadening and deepening consumer reach and driving significant business results.
Publicis Communications has been partnering with Nestlé in China for 14 years, delivering creative services and customer relationship management (CRM). With the addition of media and eCommerce services through this recent appointment, Publicis Communications is poised to offer a more cohesive and integrated approach, enhancing its ability to support Nestlé’s strategic objectives in China.
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To bolster these efforts, Nestlé One, an exclusive team dedicated to Nestlé China, has been established. This initiative aims to foster greater synergy and alignment across creative, media, and CRM functions, driving forward Nestlé’s business goals. Plans are slated to commence in August 2024, with pivotal strategies and campaigns set for launch in the months ahead.
David Zhang, executive vice president of Nestlé S.A. and CEO Zone Greater China, said,
“Nestlé is always seeking new ways to connect with our consumers in the digital age. Publicis Groupe has shown that they are at the forefront of innovative digital strategies with their strong data capabilities and unique tools. We believe this continued partnership will allow us to create more meaningful connections with our customers, and we are excited to see where this partnership will lead us.”
Meanwhile, Jane Lin-Baden, Asia Pacific chief executive officer of Publicis Groupe, commented,
“We are honoured to be chosen as Nestlé’s trusted strategic partner. Nestlé places consumers at the centre of its brand strategy. It has shown foresight in its innovative marketing approach driven by digital and data, which is where Publicis’ expertise lies. We look forward to partnering with Nestlé to increase its effective investment in intelligent solutions to respond rapidly to Chinese consumers’ needs and supercharge Nestlé’s sustainable growth.”
Nestlé, a global leader in food and beverage, is dedicated to using food to improve the quality of life for all, present and future. It focuses on a unified marketing strategy that integrates e-commerce and digital transformation, ensuring comprehensive brand exposure across multiple channels.
Read more: The LEGO Group Hands Global Media Duties to Publicis One
Shaurya Tyagi joins JSW as head of digital marketing
JSW has appointed Shaurya Tyagi as head of digital marketing. He was associated with Reliance Retail as the head of digital marketing and loyalty (JioMart Partner) for the past two years.
Prior to this, he has worked with OPPO, HDFC Life, Publicis Groupe and more.
With over eleven years of experience in digital marketing and e-commerce, Tyagi has record of improving digital marketing efficiency, sales performance, and brand preference.
He has built and managed digital teams from the ground up, creating an impact in ever-changing, tech-dominated landscape.
VWO Partners with Performics India to Drive Advanced Digital Optimisation Solutions for Clients
VWO, the leading experience optimisation platform, is thrilled to announce its strategic partnership with Performics India, a premier performance marketing agency of Publicis Groupe India. This collaboration aims to empower businesses with cutting-edge optimisation tools and performance marketing strategies that enhance customer experiences and drive growth.
As digital experiences become increasingly critical to business success, the partnership between VWO and Performics represents a significant transformation and a conscious choice to drive in the industry.
VWO’s robust experimentation and optimisation platform will complement Performics India’s data-driven performance marketing expertise, creating a synergy that provides clients with comprehensive solutions to achieve superior digital performance and customer engagement.
By integrating VWO’s cutting-edge technology with Performics India’s expansive marketing capabilities, this partnership will deliver enhanced data insights, performance marketing, and optimisation strategies. Clients will gain deeper user insights through VWO’s advanced analytics and Performics India’s ‘Performing Funnels’, a data-led experimentation service for CRO, driving personalised experiences, higher conversions, and increased lifetime value (LTV). This collaboration will provide customisable frameworks for sustained growth and a competitive advantage.
Sparsh Gupta, CEO of VWO, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership,
“Performics India is a leader in performance marketing, and we are excited to collaborate with them. This partnership will enable us to provide unparalleled optimization solutions that drive business results. We look forward to working together to help clients achieve their digital goals and create exceptional customer experiences.”
Lalatendu Das, CEO, Performics India, said,
“I am excited about our partnership with VWO. We at Performics India continuously strive towards improving conversion rates on digital channels to deliver optimal RoAS for our clients. In that context, we find right synergies with VWO’s CRO and agile creative testing capabilities. I look forward to this collaboration in delivering significant value to our clients.”