Hires & Promotions: Wakefit, Cheil, PNB MetLife, Asirvad MFI, SPNI, Duroflex, Madison Digital

Wakefit appoints Kunal Dubey as CMO

Wakefit has appointed Kunal Dubey as its Chief Marketing Officer.

Dubey was previously the CMO of Flipkart-owned Cleartrip.

He started his career at Reliance Communications and went on to work across McDonald's India, eBay India, Flipkart, Dentsu and PhonePe.

Cheil India appoints Mandeep Sharma as the National Head, Cheil India – Samsung Business

Cheil India has roped in Mandeep Sharma as the National Head, Cheil India- Samsung Business. He will report to Sanjeev Jasani, COO, Cheil SWA.

His expertise lies in CRM, customer engagement, sales and product management.

Before his stint with Cheil India, Sharma was part of the McCann World Group, where he led one of their fastest-growing disciplines, MRM, stated the agency. In the past, he has also held positions with Thompson Connect (JWT) and Ogilvy One.

As a part of Sharma’s remit, he will be responsible for identifying, and crafting innovative strategies and systems. He will drive the integrated marketing campaigns for the key client Samsung India.

Commenting on the appointment, Carlos Limseob Chung, MD, Cheil SWA mentions, “Cheil is leading the advertising mandate for Samsung -one of the most well-known brands in the country, with a portfolio of products that straddles across multiple categories. We wanted to hire someone who is able to harness data and digital alongside the brand marketing so as to deliver gold-standard work. Mandeep, with his stellar record of providing integrated marketing solutions to multiple brands is a perfect choice and I am elated to welcome him to Cheil India."

“I am thrilled to be a part of Cheil India, an agency that I believe is truly integrated in line and spirit. They have done a stellar job in driving business outcomes for Samsung and I hope we would collectively as a team continue to push the boundaries in pursuit of achieving industry best practices and excellence,” adds Sharma.

PNB MetLife Names Sameer Bansal its MD and CEO

PNB MetLife India Insurance has named Sameer Bansal as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2024, subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

Bansal has over 25 years of experience in financial services, including extensive and successful experience in leading distribution through bancassurance, agency, digital, employee benefits and direct marketing business models. He joined PNB MetLife in 2007 and is currently the Chief Distribution Officer and a member of the leadership team.

Bansal succeeds Ashish Srivastava, who has been appointed Managing Director for MetLife Inc.’s Global Shared Services team in India.

“We are very pleased to support the appointment of Sameer Bansal to lead our joint venture company,” comments Lyndon Oliver, Chairman of the Board, “He is a skilled and seasoned leader whose deep knowledge of the industry and our business will ensure the continued growth of PNB MetLife.”

Bansal will lead the business growth of a key market for MetLife with 149 branches in over 18,600 locations through bank partnerships with one of the largest bancassurance networks in India.

“I am honoured to take on this role. We are in a fast-changing and competitive marketplace with significant opportunities and I am very excited to lead our company as we deliver on our Circle of Life promise to our customers, and live our purpose: Milkar Life Aage Badhaein, for all our stakeholders,” says Sameer Bansal.

Asirvad MFI appoints Satish Nair as President and CEO

Asirvad Micro Finance, a subsidiary of Manappuram Finance, has appointed Satish Nair as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

Commenting on the development, V.P. Nandakumar, Chairman, Asirvad shares, “Satish comes aboard to lead the Asirvad team at a time when the microfinance sector is witnessing significant growth. He is the right person to help elevate the company’s reach and consequently, implement the company’s vision of financial inclusion. I am confident that his understanding of the financial services sector will help Asirvad grow sustainably. I wish him and the team the very best.”

B.N. Raveendra Babu, Managing Director, Asirvad adds: “We welcome Satish into the Asirvad family. Satish has rich experience in diverse functions, including treasury, compliance, business development, fixed-income research, corporate finance functions, marketing, etc. He has also executed roles in mortgage, credit rating agencies, and internet companies. I look forward to working with him and the team into a realm of growth and success.”

Satish Nair, President and CEO, Asirvad mentions, “I am delighted to join Asirvad and the Manappuram group. Microfinance sector presents a dynamic opportunity to meet the unmet needs of India’s diverse, multi-cultural and large population. With Asirvad’s core strength of its people and tech platform, I believe we can deliver and service the under-penetrated segments in the country with simple, easy and faster access to micro-credit. I look forward to working alongside peers in the industry, regulators, government and other stakeholders to continue on our path to serve the underserved and underbanked sections of India.”

Before joining Asirvad, Nair was head of treasury and corporate affairs at Vastu Housing Finance. He has led various functions in the financial services sector, including credit, business development, investor relations, fixed-income research, marketing, etc. Satish has previously been associated with credit rating agencies such as Fitch Ratings, India Ratings & Research and Brickwork Ratings. Nair is an alumnus of the University of Mumbai from where he graduated in business management and accounting.

MAFIL currently owns 97.59 per cent of Asirvad. 

SPNI elevates Jaideep Janakiram to lead International Business and Operations

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has reported the promotion of Jaideep Janakiram, formerly the Head of International Business (Americas) to Head of International Business and Operations, succeeding Neeraj Arora.

Jaideep Janakiram brings extensive experience in managing the US and Canadian markets. His leadership and business acumen have positioned him to lead SPNI's international endeavours to new heights. Janakiram will now report to Rajesh Kaul, Chief Revenue Officer of Distribution & International Business and Business Head of Sports Cluster.

Rajesh Kaul expresses his confidence in Janakiram's new role, "Jaideep has been an integral part of our team, demonstrating remarkable expertise and leadership. I am confident that our international business will continue to thrive and expand under his guidance."

In this transition, Shalin Patel, Head of International Business (Europe); Sharon Patel, Manager of Revenue Accounting; Naveen Kunal, Senior Manager of Ad Sales; Kavita Paul, Lead of International Operations; and Moitrani Dhar, Lead of Research and Programming Strategy, will report to Janakiram. The teams in the US and Canada will also continue to report to him.

Duroflex appoints Ullas Vijay and Sudhanshu Krishna as CMO and CSO

Duroflex has appointed Ullas Vijay as Chief Marketing Officer and Sudhanshu Krishna as Chief Sales Officer – Consumer Business. This move is part of Duroflex's ongoing efforts to strengthen its market position.

Vijay, who joins as the CMO, will take the reins of Duroflex's marketing. With over 16 years of experience managing brands across lifestyle, fashion, sports, and FMCG categories, Ullas has a proven record of accelerating market share and building strong brands. In his last role as head of category and communication at Bata India, he excelled in identifying market gaps, leveraging consumer insights and ensuring product-brand alignment.

Speaking about his appointment, Vijay says, “I’m delighted to join Duroflex, a company renowned for its pioneering innovations in the sleep solutions industry for over six decades. I look forward to driving growth and strengthening our relationships with our customers. By focusing on innovation, and enhancing customer experience at every touchpoint, I hope to make Duroflex the most loved sleep solutions brand.”

Krishna, who joins Duroflex as the CSO, will leadsthe sales function for the consumer business of the organization. Before Duroflex, Krishna was with Eureka Forbes as Vice President and CoE Head of Direct Sales. With over 18 years of experience, he has steered many prominent brands to success. Beyond his leadership in sales and business, Krishna brings strategic thinking, analytical acumen and a talent for driving organizational change. His unique leadership style presents an opportunity for optimizing resources, refining sales processes and enhancing overall company performance.

Commenting on this new role, Krishna shares, “I’m delighted to join Duroflex, a brand which is committed to quality and innovation in the sleep solutions industry and has earned immense trust from its consumers. With Duroflex, I hope to set a standard for excellence in the industry through superior solutions. I look forward to building strong relationships with our channel partners and continuously improving our skills to deliver exceptional results and drive profitable business growth."

Sridhar Balakrishnan, Group CEO, Duroflex, adds, “We are glad to welcome Ullas Vijay and Sudhanshu Krishna to the company’s leadership team. Their combined experience will be instrumental in further driving the growth and success of the organisation. We are excited to onboard these leaders who will steer Duroflex to become the top sleep solutions provider in India by enhancing our market position and value to the consumers as well as stakeholders.”

Nimesh Shah rejoins Madison Digital as General Manager

Madison Digital, the digital unit of Madison World, has reported the return of Nimesh Shah as General Manager for Madison Digital. He will co-lead the western region alongside Vineet Shah and will report directly to Vishal Chinchankar, CEO of Madison Digital and Madison Media Alpha.

Shah has over 14 years of experience in digital marketing out of which six years have been at Madison. He has a proven track record of success across brands and agencies and has also had an entrepreneurial stint. Apart from Madison, he has worked in companies like Kuoni India, Talwalkars Fitness and prior to joining Madison, he was at Essence Mediacom. Across his career, he has worked on multiple reputed brands such as Tata Consumer Goods, Piramal Healthcare, Bluestar, Bayer Consumer Health Products, Hygienic Research Institute, and Exide Batteries, among others. He holds a bachelor's degree in BMS from Mumbai University and a postgraduate diploma in Business Management from Rizvi Institute of Management.

Vishal Chinchankar, CEO, Madison Digital and Madia Alpha, expresses, "I am confident that his leadership will strengthen our capabilities in the western region, and I am extremely certain that his core abilities of strategic acumen and client focus will bring tremendous value for Madison and our clients."

Nimesh Shah, General Manager, Madison Digital, says, “I'm thrilled to reunite with Madison World and contribute to its digital initiatives in this ever-evolving landscape. I have had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of digital and its impact on consumers. My focus will be on driving innovation, with a particular emphasis on data and technology-driven solutions to facilitate digital transformation and foster business. Together, we aim to redefine possibilities and create impactful, strategic experiences for our clients. I am super excited to be a part of this journey.”