Hires & Promotions: Talented, VML, Pepperfry, Metro Brands, Flipkart, BBH India

Binaifer Dulani appointed the founding partner at Talented

Independent agency Talented has promoted Binaifer Dulani to the role of founding partner. Dulani, who has been with the agency since its inception in 2022, is the first creative leader to join what Talented’s founders Gautam Reghunath & PG Aditiya call, the agency’s partner track.

“It really makes us happy when amazing things happen to amazing people. Binny is a champion creative but more importantly she’s a champion ally for everyone here, obsessed with bringing the best out of those around her. While we’ve always relied on her for counsel and advice as part of our leadership team, with this, she now becomes the third person and our first creative colleague to officially join Talented’s partner track. This is us merely providing her more of the stage she deserves to be able to continue having the incredible impact she’s already had on our company, colleagues and clients”, says Gautam Reghunath & PG Aditiya, co-founders of the agency.

Dulani is known for her work for 'Marriage Conversations' and 'The Interview' for Tanishq, '1947% More History' for Britannia and Chhota Kaam & Chhoti Soch for Urban Company. In the past, she’s been part of the leadership team at Dentsu Webchutney, where she led India's most awarded piece in Cannes Lions History: The Unfiltered History Tour winning multiple Grand Prix, and the Titanium Lion. All of this resulted in her adding accolades including Creative Director of the Year 2022, by the Cannes Lions Creativity Report. Binaifer has also been at the forefront of industry diversity efforts and sits on the leadership team of Indian Creative Women, the nonprofit working to bridge the gender gap in senior creative leadership.

In her role, Dulani comments, “Talented is already ‘giving iconic’ in our industry. I’m a huge fan of how we’ve gone about building this place and the change we’ve been driving. Not just through our work but the refreshing ways in which we deal with people. I take this new designation very seriously and am conscious of everything it implies and the lofty agency vision I need to live up to. This is also what I believe creating equity really looks like - a commitment to a culture of sponsorship. While many organisations pride themselves on the quality of mentorship they provide young talent, especially young female talent; what we need more than ever before is sponsorship - where powerful allies, both male and female, put their neck on the line for talented women around them, and accelerate their careers. Talented is the best example of a creative agency that practises sponsorship - and our early success is testament to why the industry should follow suit. In my new role, I continue to stay committed to our founding philosophy and creating the best talent experience for Creatives to do their life’s best work.”

Jaibeer Ahmad named managing partner - North at VML

Jaibeer Ahmad has been appointed as the managing partner – North at VML. He will be looking after the agency’s Delhi business.

Jaibeer Ahmad will be reporting directly to Babita Baruah.

Ahmad was earlier associated with Wunderman Thompson (now VML) for over six years.

Before this, he was the chief transformation and growth officer at Havas India.

With an experience of over 24 years in the advertising industry, Ahmad has worked with many leading agencies such as Lowe Lintas, Draft FCB Ulka (now FCB India), Wunderman Thompson, Ogilvy, Rediffusion, Saatchi & Saatchi amongst others.

Pepperfry appoints Mahip Dwivedi as vice President and head of marketing

Pepperfry has named Mahip Dwivedi as the new vice president of marketing. In his role as the head of marketing, Dwivedi, who assumed office on 20 December 2023, will spearhead the organisation’s marketing strategy, brand communication, performance marketing, retention, and public relations functions.

Ashish Shah, CEO at Pepperfry says, “We are thrilled to welcome Mahip Dwivedi to the Pepperfry family as our new Head of Marketing. Mahip’s wealth of experience and proven track record in driving successful marketing campaigns align seamlessly with our vision for Pepperfry's future growth and innovation. We are excited about the invaluable contributions he will bring to the table. We eagerly await the positive impact Mahip’s expertise will have in steering Pepperfry towards unprecedented success.”

Dwivedi holds an MBA degree from MS Ramaiah Institute of Management in Bangalore and brings over 14 years of extensive experience in digital and performance marketing to Pepperfry. Before joining the ecommerce furniture company, he served as the CMO of Tyke Investment & the head of performance marketing & SEO growth at Flipkart. In fact, as a seasoned leader and strategist in the online space, Dwivedi has successfully led and executed multiple campaigns and initiatives to drive user acquisition, retention, and engagement for various brands like Big Basket and Commonfloor, among others.

Dwivedi also adds, “I am honoured to join Pepperfry, a brand synonymous with quality and innovation in the e-furniture and home decor sector. I look forward to leading the marketing team and making valuable contributions to ensure the ongoing success and growth of Pepperfry.”

Metro Brands appoints Roch D’Souza as senior Vice president of marketing

Metro Brands has named Roch D’Souza as senior vice president of marketing.

With over 22 years of experience in the retail and FMCG sectors,  D’Souza brings strategic acumen and innovative approaches to the table. He has a successful track record of building brands and driving them to greater success, the company said.

In his new role, he will report to Alisha Rafique Malik, president at Metro Brands and will actively contribute to driving the company's marketing initiatives, reflecting the brand's dedication to fostering growth and innovation in the fiercely competitive footwear industry. Roch will spearhead marketing strategies for in-house brands Metro Shoes, Mochi, and Walkway along with UK-based brand FitFlop.

Commenting on his appointment, D’Souza says, “With Metro Brands at the forefront, extending its reach into multiple cities and brand domains, we are embarking on an exciting journey. Each brand under MBL's umbrella presents a unique opportunity to engage with our target demographic and cater to diverse market segments. I look forward to enhancing our marketing strategy and fortifying the brand's presence."

Before joining Metro Brands,  D’Souza held significant leadership positions at companies like Future Group and Parle. A notable achievement was his instrumental role in expanding Brand Factory from 30 to 105 retail outlets within six years.

Alisha Rafique Malik. president at Metro Brands adds, “At Metro Brands, we are dedicated to nurturing a forward-thinking and innovative workplace environment. Roch's two decades of experience and strong marketing skills are highly valuable. I look forward to his leadership in guiding us towards becoming the foremost contemporary Indian footwear retailer with a strong omnichannel presence nationwide, thereby enhancing our brand portfolio strategically.”

Flipkart names Vikash Singh as director of growth

Flipkart has appointed Vikash Singh as the Director of Growth.

Vikash Singh joins the ecommerce company from GrowthX, where he was operator in residence for two years.

Before that, he was with Paytm as general manager - growth and marketing.

Singh has also worked at Tata Health in senior marketing roles.

He is the Founder & CEO of Sportzify.  

Singh has 11+ years of experience in full-funnel growth and marketing.

BBH India appoints Nisheeth Srivastava as executive creative director

BBH India has roped in Nisheeth Srivastava as the executive creative director (ECD). Based out of Delhi, Srivastava's mandate involves working across brands handled by both offices of the agency and reporting directly to Parikshit Bhattaccharya, chief creative officer of BBH India.

Welcoming Srivastava to the BBH team, Bhattaccharya says, “Nisheeth’s appointment is in line with our objective of building a high talent density team. His vast body of work is a potent combination of culturally rooted insights and progressive ideas. His experience in handling big brand mandates will add another dimension to our game, specifically in Delhi. He joins a high-energy, super collaborative creative leadership team comprising Ashwin Palkar, Swati Balani and Arvind Menon. I look forward to their combined magic as they curl a few into the top right corner for our clients.”

With 15 years of experience across industries such as advertising, radio and the internet, Srivastava can look at business and its communication with more than just one lens.

In advertising, he started his career with Mudra Ahmedabad as an account planner and moved to Lowe Lintas as a copywriter. He has worked on a diverse set of brands like Moov, Krack, Google pay, Dulux Paints, OLX, Philips to name a few.

Before resuming his advertising journey in 2018 at Lowe, Srivastava has also worked as a brand creative lead at OLX. In 3.5 years of his stint at OLX, he garnered hands-on digital-first experience and teamed with various partners to make OLX one of the most well-integrated brands. The social experiment done to demonstrate hoarding culture in India was one of the highlights of that stint.

This exciting confluence of mainline and digital experience has given Nisheeth a unique edge. He believes, today, brands have the power to take a stand to shape a more inclusive future.

Speaking about his new role, Srivastava comments, "I am stoked to be a part of BBH and its envious creative culture. It is challenging yet exciting at the same time, and I couldn’t have asked for a better energy at this point in my career. I look forward to effectively leading, collaborating, and building on the Zag of BBH India.”