Hires & Promotions: YuktaMedia, Creativeland Asia, FCB India, Cosmos Maya

Sanjay Trehan joins YuktaMedia as advisor

YuktaMedia has onboarded Sanjay Trehan as its strategic advisor to accelerate the growth and impact on the global media ecosystem to make it connected, transparent, and inclusive.

On the news, Aditya Bhelande, founder and CEO of YuktaMedia asserts, “YuktaMedia is in an exciting growth phase now! We are engaged with India’s largest Media Houses that rely on our YuktaOne Media ERP for running various functions of their mission-critical ad business, from lead generation to billing and reconciliation. We have rapidly evolved from our focus on Digital and expanded it to Broadcasting / TV, Print, OTT, and OOH. Today YuktaOne Media ERP is being leveraged as the go-to digital transformation technology for Media Houses to navigate the current turbulent times and come out bigger and stronger.”

Trehan is a leading CXO consultant in the new media business and works with several industry giants. As a digital visionary, he has a keen interest in technology and works in an advisory role with top brands in digital media, marketing, and advertising. He is associated with new-age companies including Adtech firm, AdPushup, EssentiallySports and is also an advisor to PwC India’s TMT practice. He mentors young companies to help scale their business, audience acquisition and explore new revenue streams.

In the past, Trehan held leadership positions in top media companies like NDTV, HT Media, Times Internet, etc. He also led MSN at Microsoft India. As a pioneer of the digital revolution in the media industry, he spearheaded digital and new media initiatives for these companies. He was a key player in developing GTM strategies for their global partnerships and expansion.

Talking about his association with YuktaMedia, Trehan mentions, “I am delighted to be associated with YuktaMedia, one of the best-kept secrets in the publishing ERP space. It was humbling to meet Aditya and learn of the company’s impressive footprint and plans. I am looking forward to contributing to its global growth strategy and am enthused by the opportunity.”

Creativeland Asia welcomes Divya Agarwal as chief strategy officer to drive innovation and thinking

Creativeland Asia (CLA) has appointed Divya Agarwal as its chief strategy officer. Agarwal will also head Crossbow Insights, Creativeland Asia’s research and consumer insights division.

An adept marketing professional, she previously led brands at agencies like Ogilvy, Leo Buenett, McCann, Edelman, and others, and worked with Tata Group companies. Agarwal has won the GrandPrix at Effies alongside 30+ metals at India and APAC, Cannes Effectiveness, WARC awards, and more for her work and campaigns.

"I am excited to be a part of Creativeland Asia Network and lead the strategy and research functions. This is a unique company with a strong culture of creative strategy. On one axis is technology and innovation, and on another, a little bit of spirituality and an Indic ethos. Then there's everything else in between. I’m as excited as I’m intrigued. I look forward to building these further.

It's more imperative today than ever to map the multiplicities we live in and connect the right dots. The traditional formats of structured thinking need to compete with (and complement) unstructured ways of seeing. I'm keen to do that and solve problems for brands and unlock new ways to drive impact for our brands, business and people," says Agarwal.

Agarwal will also be heading Creativeland Asia's research and insights division, Crossbow, which provides intel on culture and consumers, and brings together creativity, technology-based deep learning, and science to help re-think problems and get a renewed perspective.

“Creativeland Asia’s primary area of focus has always been about crafting compelling stories and building strong brand narratives for clients. Our strategy department’s diverse experience and integrated thinking prowess coupled with Crossbow Insights’ field experience in India becomes a potent combination to unlock newer, diverse, and disruptive creativity for our clients. 

Divya’s appointment reflects our commitment to this vision. She’s a seasoned strategist, who profoundly understands human behaviour and the market, and we are excited to have her onboard,” adds Sajan Raj Kurup, founder and chairman, Creativeland Asia.

FCB India elevates Udayan Chakravorty & Anusheela Saha as NCD

FCB India has promoted Udayan Chakravorty and Anusheela Saha, erstwhile ECDs at FCB India, to national creative directors. Saha will also take on the additional role of head of design at the agency. 

Chakravorty has delivered work for brands such as Google and Horlicks. Saha's passion for design innovation has shaped FCB India's design capabilities on brands such as Horlicks, Uber, Bata, Royal Stag and many more.

In their new capacity as NCDs, both will be responsible for driving creative strategy and execution, working closely with the senior management team. As head of design, Saha will also oversee the implementation of design initiatives across all client projects, ensuring a cohesive and visually compelling brand experience.

In addition to this, Swati Bhattacharya will step down from her role as creative chairperson for FCB India to take some personal time. Since joining the agency in 2016, Swati's tenure at FCB Group India has been marked by significant contributions that have propelled the agency to new heights. She played a crucial role in shaping the agency's creative reputation and bringing international recognition through path-breaking campaigns, while her keen insights and bold approach to storytelling have left an indelible mark on the organisation, inspiring creativity and pushing boundaries. Swati will remain at the agency until the end of March. 

Commenting on the above, Dheeraj Sinha, group CEO of FCB Group India and South Asia says, "It's always a pleasure to see our leaders moving up and taking on greater challenges. Udayan and Anusheela are two creative leaders who have amazing talent and energy, and have continually demonstrated a future-thinking approach. With their enthusiasm and passion for creating globally competitive work for our clients, I am convinced they will help write a new future for FCB India and the FCB Group overall. 

We are grateful to Swati, who has played a pivotal role in shaping FCB India's creative direction and fostering a culture of creativity and excellence. She helped put the agency on the global creative map, and we wish her the very best in her future endeavours," Dheeraj continued. 

Megha Tata moves on from Cosmos Maya

Veteran media professional Megha Tata has decided to move on from Cosmos Maya where served as the CEO. Confirming the move, she is currently serving her notice period until the end of February. 

When asked her about her plans, she wishes to take some time off before switching to another role. 

Tata was appointed as the CEO in October 2022. Before this, she served as the managing director at Discovery Communications India for over three years. 

With over three decades of experience, Tata has worked with many leading companies serving leadership roles in Star India, Turner International India, HBO India, BTVI.