Hires & Promotions: BMEG, Sebamed India, Nykaa, Creativeland Asia, AjnaLens, United Breweries

BMEG strengthens leadership team; Appoints Saurabh Jain as Country Head, Media

Bharat Media & Entertainment Group (BMEG) has named Saurabh Jain as the Country Head for Media at BMEG India. This move follows BMEG's recent onboarding of Yusuf Merchant to lead the OOH, retail and experiential business. 

This strategic addition to the leadership team is driven by BMEG’s goal to become the premier media and entertainment enterprise in India. Jain, also the former president of Havas Media South, brings a wealth of experience to BMEG. His proven leadership skills and impressive track record with marquee clients such as Nokia, Hyundai, Britannia, Swiggy, Ola, Puma, V Guard and Joyalukkas will significantly enhance BMEG’s capabilities. Jain’s current role at BMEG will focus on enhancing BMEG’s India offerings, fostering an innovative mindset, and serving as a strategic asset for the clients.

This move will further strengthen BMEG’s leadership team and position them for continued growth.

Andy Charles, CEO of BMEG, says, “We are committed to becoming India's premier media and entertainment enterprise, distinguished by intelligence, creativity, and passion. Achieving this vision requires exceptional leadership. It is a challenge to find leaders who embody the essential qualities we seek: integrity, expertise, humility, passion, curiosity, camaraderie, and the ability to lead by example and mentor others. Both Saurabh and Yusuf exemplify these traits perfectly. We are all excited, and I am particularly enthusiastic about the future that lies ahead.”

Jain adds, “After a decade of walking the talk at Havas Media and successfully expanding its business in the South, I wanted a bigger challenge—to build something new once again. Something that's still nascent but has great potential. In BMEG, I see a sapling waiting to grow into a giant, and like Jack and the Beanstalk, you never say no to such a rare opportunity. I believe the need of the hour for brands is to be at the intersection of tech and digital and that is what I'm going to focus on. My plan going forward is to strengthen our services, cultivate a unique way of thinking, and become a competitive advantage for all our clients. This can be achieved only by nurturing the talent we have and cultivating a strong bond between them. Because ultimately, it is team chemistry that wins championships.”

Sebamed India appoints Philip Kuncheria as new Country Head, elevating Skincare Vision

Sebamed has roped in Philip Kuncheria as the new Senior Vice President and Country Head for India. Having been a part of the core team that built the brand in India in the last five years, it reflects Sebamed India’s vision to build on the market-leading growth and signals an emphasis on continued expansion and innovation in the skin care industry.

Led by Kuncheria, the company aims to further strengthen its position in the Indian market and meet the evolving needs of customers. He brings a wealth of expertise to drive Sebamed’s growth and innovation in the Indian market having over two decades of experience in leading large teams at multinationals like Mars-Wrigley, Heinz, Fractal & 3M. 
 

In a statement released by Sebamed India, Philip Kuncheria expresses, “It is a great honour to lead Sebamed India and transform the way skincare and skin health is viewed in India today. I look forward to working with our exceptional teams and partners to continue to deliver market-leading growth while upholding the brand's values ​​of quality, integrity and innovation."

As the new Country Head, Kuncheria will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of Sebamed India's operations, strategic initiatives, expanding market presence, and driving innovation in skincare solutions.

Nykaa Board appoints Santosh Desai as Independent Director 

Nykaa has named Santosh Desai as an Independent Director on its Board, effective 15th July 2024, for three years, subject to the approval of shareholders. Desai served as the CEO of Future Brands for nearly 17 years, along with being the President of McCann. Having spent over two decades in advertising, he has been involved in strategically building key brands for numerous local and multinational organisations. 

Creativeland Asia welcomes Azazul Haque as the new Group Chief Creative Officer 

Creativeland Asia (CLA) has appointed Azazul Haque as its new Group Chief Creative Officer. 

A conceptual storyteller, Haque began his career with the Lintas Group in 2001 and has since worked with agencies such as Bates, Publicis, Lowe, Mudra, McCann and Contract and as a Chief Creative Officer with Ogilvy, Mullen India and most recently with Media Monks. His portfolio includes  campaigns for brands like Titan, ITC Foods, Amazon, Tata Tea, Nescafe, Coke, Nestle Maggi, Domino’s Pizza, etc.

Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder & Chairman, Creativeland Worldwide says, ""We are thrilled to welcome Azaz to our team. Over the last few years, at Creativeland Asia, we have been working on our next chapter that’s focused on building a robust global creative infrastructure for the future of brands and entertainment. 

Haque has an impressive track record in brand building with an exceptional blend of strategic insight and creative vision. His career spans a formidable body of notable work that includes recent projects for mainstream brands in categories such as tea, e-commerce, and fast-food chains, integrating tech, data, cultural insights, and distinctive storytelling. His approach aligns perfectly with our ethos and culture. We eagerly look forward to this exciting and ambitious new chapter together.” 

Haque adds, "Creativeland Asia sits at a unique intersection of content, technology, media, and brands and is breaking boundaries, which is incredibly exciting. CLA is rapidly evolving from an agency into a global powerhouse. I am thrilled to join and contribute to this transformative journey. It is one of the few Indian creative brands that has not only endured but also aspires to achieve global ambitions. 

What we see is just the tip of the iceberg. I am amazed by the depth and scope of the quiet work CLA is doing to build an Indian network with global capabilities. Being part of this journey—transforming an Indian agency into a worldwide network—is truly enriching, and no other agency offers such an experience."

AjnaLens onboards Ashish Bajaj as Head of Brand and Marketing

AjnaLens, a player in the XR industry, has appointed Ashish Bajaj as its new Head of Brand and Marketing.

With over 15 years of experience in the media and entertainment industry and a track record with organisations like NDTV, Star, and Zee, he brings expertise to AjnaLens.

"We are excited to have Ashish Bajaj join our team," states Abhishek Tomar, CEO of AjnaLens. "His extensive experience and visionary approach to branding and marketing will be instrumental in propelling AjnaLens to new heights."

Commenting on his new role, Ashish Bajaj asserts, "What ISRO is to Space, AjnaLens is to the XR industry. I am excited about this new venture and look forward to contributing to the growth and vision of AjnaLens."

Founded in 2014, AjnaLens is an innovative technology company based in India. Pioneers of High-Performance Spatial Computing (HPSC), AjnaLens is ushering in a new era of computing with its technology.

Ikea's Mohit Raina joins United Breweries as Category Director - Kingfisher

Mohit Raina, who led Ikea as Marketing Communications Manager, has been appointed by United Breweries as Category Director - Kingfisher.

Raina began his career at Gillette and went on to work across PepsiCo India, DNA Network's and Domino's.

As the General Manager - Marketing, Mango-based drinks and hydration, PepsiCo India, Raina managed the largest portfolio in PepsiCo India beverages. He built a cross functional team of internal and external stakeholders to manage global innovation platforms. He led transformation project of product and packaging to deliver on best tasting Mango drink agenda.

He led the expansion of the mango drink category through brand extensions in both value and premium portfolios. Further, he conceptualised and launched the 2013 integrated marketing campaign, Slice Taste Challenge nationally.