Moves and wins roundup: Week of 07 April

Westin Mumbai names Ahemer Shaikh as sales and marketing director

The Westin Mumbai Garden City has appointed Ahemer Shaikh as its new director of sales and marketing. The move is part of the hotel’s effort to strengthen its commercial leadership and align business strategies across its segments. Shaikh brings more than 17 years of experience in the hospitality sector, with a career spanning marketing, sales, reservations, and events. He has held roles at several Marriott properties including JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar and Courtyard Marriott Mumbai, and has worked across business, convention, and resort portfolios. He has led multiple initiatives aimed at revenue optimisation, business alignment, and team development. His experience includes work in the MICE segment and in strategic collaboration across Marriott’s property-level and above-property teams. Shaikh has received several internal performance awards during his tenure at Marriott and is recognised for his contribution to talent development and segment-specific growth. His new role at The Westin Mumbai is expected to drive strategic sales planning and strengthen customer engagement across the hotel’s offerings. The Westin Mumbai Garden City is part of Marriott International’s portfolio in India, serving business and leisure travellers.

Creativefuel buys MissMalini for ₹6 crores

Creativefuel has acquired MissMalini Entertainment from the Good Glamm Group in a deal valued at ₹6 crores. The move aims to strengthen Creativefuel’s position in the digital content and influencer space, giving it control over a leading lifestyle media brand. As part of the deal, Creativefuel will take over the MissMalini domain and associated social media assets. The talent management division will remain with the Good Glamm Group. This acquisition follows Creativefuel’s earlier purchases of YouTube channels Hasley India and Pataakha. MissMalini, established in 2008, is a digital lifestyle and celebrity blogging platform, which later expanded into verticals such as MissMalini Media, Girl Tribe, Ignite Edge, Agent M, and MM Studios. The platform was acquired by Good Glamm Group in 2021 as part of a multi-brand content strategy. Good Glamm Group is currently divesting several non-core businesses amid financial restructuring. Recent moves include the sale of Sirona and exits from ScoopWhoop and sneaker brand, 7-10. The group is reportedly seeking new funding at a valuation significantly lower than its peak.

EVENTFAQS acquires SportzPower

EVENTFAQS Media has acquired a majority stake in SportzPower as part of its expansion strategy. The acquisition is expected to enhance SportzPower’s presence in the Indian sports business media space while enabling its entry into Middle Eastern markets. SportzPower, a flagship brand of Sportz Network, has built a niche across sports, gaming, and esports through a combination of media, conferences, and research offerings. The brand is known for its single-sport knowledge platforms including India Football Forum, India Cricket Forum, India Golf Forum, and India Pro Leagues Forum. EVENTFAQS, founded in 2007, operates in the events and experiential marketing space and reaches a wide network of stakeholders through its publications, events, and digital content. SportzPower will continue to focus on B2B content, particularly in the emerging segments of esports and gaming. The collaboration is aimed at creating new business synergies in media and conferences, helping both organisations scale their reach and engagement.

Maxposure acquires UK-based Neutral Digital

Maxposure has acquired Neutral Digital, a London-based provider of immersive XR and CGI solutions for the aviation industry. The acquisition aims to integrate Neutral Digital’s interactive technology with Maxposure’s inflight entertainment offerings. Under the terms of the acquisition, Neutral Digital will continue to operate independently within Maxposure’s portfolio while benefiting from expanded resources. The partnership will focus on scaling immersive content offerings and redefining the passenger experience using next-generation inflight engagement tools. Neutral Digital specialises in extended reality (XR) technologies and has developed interactive passenger engagement tools for global airlines. Its client base includes Boeing, Airbus, Qatar Airways, Emirates, British Airways, and Lufthansa. It also partners with technology providers such as Panasonic and Viasat. Maxposure, headquartered in New Delhi, has been into aviation content and marketing solutions for nearly two decades. The acquisition is expected to create cross-selling opportunities and enhance Maxposure’s global reach. The company provides inflight entertainment services for clients including IndiGo and Air India.

SmartWinnr appoints Jyothish Jayan as global marketing head

SmartWinnr has appointed Jyothish Jayan as its global marketing director to support the company’s global growth strategy. The move is aimed at advancing SmartWinnr’s presence in AI-powered sales enablement, especially within regulated sectors such as pharmaceuticals, BFSI, and medical devices. With over 14 years of experience in enterprise SaaS and B2B marketing, Jayan is expected to lead SmartWinnr’s global marketing functions, including product marketing, demand generation, brand positioning, and customer advocacy. His previous roles include senior marketing positions at Orbit, Leena AI, and Icertis. Jayan will be working with the company’s sales, customer success, and product teams to sharpen the brand’s positioning and scale its presence across international markets. His appointment aligns with the company’s continued focus on AI-led role-plays and gamified coaching as part of its sales training platform. SmartWinnr provides AI-powered enablement tools to help enterprises drive performance through learning reinforcement and real-time role simulations.

Rugby Premier League announces Jiostar tie-up

Rugby India and GMR Sports have named Star Sports and Jiostar as broadcast partners for the inaugural Rugby Premier League (RPL), set to take place from 1–15 June at the Andheri Sports Complex in Mumbai. The league, played in the Rugby 7s format, will feature six franchise teams representing major Indian cities. The competition will include 30 international players from leading rugby nations such as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, and Fiji, alongside 18 players from countries including Canada and Germany. Thirty Indian players will also compete, selected through an auction from a pool of 71. The event will host 34 matches over 15 days. A key feature of the RPL is its slot in the global rugby calendar, with World Rugby providing an exclusive window that ensures no conflicting international matches. The league has also secured a roster of internationally renowned coaches, including figures from the USA, New Zealand, and Australia. Organisers aim to raise the profile of rugby in India and provide domestic athletes with exposure to high-level competition. GMR Sports, which also owns teams in other Indian and international leagues, sees RPL as a platform for long-term investment in the sport. Rugby India, recently recognised for its development efforts, views the tournament as a critical step in the sport’s national growth.

Britannia awards brand and communications mandate to Tilt Brand Solutions

Britannia Industries has appointed Mumbai-based Tilt Brand Solutions as its brand and communication agency for its cake, rusk, bread and croissant portfolio. The agency will develop brand strategy for Britannia's adjacency business to strengthen consumer relationships. Tilt's responsibilities include creating and executing communication assets across multiple platforms to deliver brand experiences for both new and existing consumers. Britannia Industries'
adjacency portfolio represents product categories beyond the company's core biscuit business. Tilt Brand Solutions will work to position these products effectively in the market while supporting Britannia's growth objectives.

SoCheers introduces brand value measurement framework

Digital agency SoCheers has implemented a new strategic framework focused on long-term brand growth and measurable business impact. The co-founder Siddharth Devnani has assumed the role of chief operating officer to lead the new initiative. The framework aims to quantify the value created through campaigns beyond conventional metrics, measuring success through brand growth, market influence and business outcomes. The system will evaluate contributions from employees and vendor collaborations to recognise all stakeholders in the SoCheers ecosystem. The agency plans to introduce new measurement tools, AI-powered creative solutions and data-driven marketing strategies to redefine success evaluation in digital marketing. Founded in 2013 by Mehul Gupta and Siddharth Devnani, SoCheers is a digital-first creative agency with a team size of 250 professionals.

Eurosport India to broadcast MLS Sundays Night Soccer

Eurosport India has acquired exclusive rights to broadcast Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Sunday Night Soccer for the 2025 season. The deal allows Indian audiences to watch key weekly fixtures featuring high-profile clubs such as Inter Miami and LA Galaxy. Sunday Night Soccer is a new prime-time broadcast slot introduced by MLS in 2025 to showcase its most anticipated matches. It is positioned as the league’s flagship viewing experience, featuring fixtures including El Tráfico (LA Galaxy vs. LAFC), Hudson River Derby (New York Red Bulls vs. New York City FC), and Cascadia Cup (Seattle Sounders vs. Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps). The 2024 season saw LA Galaxy claim their sixth MLS Cup, while Inter Miami CF topped the league with the best regular-season record to win their first Supporters’ Shield. Inter Miami’s lineup includes global footballers Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba. Other international players in the league include Lorenzo Insigne (Toronto FC) and Cucho Hernández (Columbus Crew).

S8UL enters five titles at EWC 2025

Indian esports organisation S8UL will compete in five titles at the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 7 to August 24. These titles include Chess, EAFC 25, Tekken 8, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends. Additional titles and team rosters will be announced in the coming weeks. With this, S8UL has become one the first few Indian organisations to compete across diverse esports titles on an international stage. The organisation launched a promotional video featuring content creator BeYouNick and S8UL creators to announce its participation. The video has generated over 35 lakh views across YouTube and Instagram. S8UL is planning to launch a nationwide campaign covering over 20 Indian cities leading up to the World Cup. The initiative will include content creation, in-person experiences, roster announcements and behind-the-scenes access. The Esports World Cup 2025 will feature 24 esports titles and award a Club Champion title to the top-performing organisation. The event will include over 50,000 square metres dedicated to fan activities and entertainment.

RVCJ and Salt Media form a joint venture

RVCJ Digital Media and Salt Media have formed a joint venture (JV), Salt Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, an integrated media solutions platform. The JV will offer services including IP creation, content marketing, branded content, web series production, fiction shows, and film production to brands in India. The partnership aims to combine digital engagement expertise with cinematic production capabilities. Salt Media brings production experience while RVCJ contributes digital content creation and audience engagement capabilities. The collaboration creates a unified approach to storytelling across multiple formats and platforms. The JV positions itself as a one-stop destination for brands, filmmakers, and content creators. The two companies have completed their first co-production titled 'First Copy', featuring Munawar Faruqi, Gulshan Grover, Krystle D'Souza, Ashi Singh, Meiyang Chang, and Inamulhaq. The series will premiere on Amazon MX Player in June. Two additional web series are currently in production for other streaming platforms.

MWG India names Sumeer Mathur as chief strategy director

MWG India has appointed Sumeer Mathur as chief strategy director and implemented a new cluster-based organisational model within its strategic planning division. Mathur will join the agency by the end of April 2025 from Dentsu, where he served as chief strategy officer. During his tenure at Dentsu, Mathur was involved in driving growth across creative, customer experience, media, and technology functions. He also set up the first strategy department within Dentsu Creative and focused on integrating cultural, data-led, and technological insights into the creative process. As per the new structure, MWG's business has been divided into geographical regions and strategic clusters, each overseen by national planning heads. These leaders will manage both regional clusters and key client relationships. The agency stated that the structure is already in place, with strategy heads assigned and operational. According to MWG India, the reorganisation would provide focused and specialised services to clients, increase responsiveness to regional market conditions, and promote collaboration among planning teams. MWG India is part of McCann Worldgroup and has historically prioritised strategic planning as a core element of its business operations.

Socxo pivots to SMART advocacy platform

Socxo has repositioned its platform to focus on employer branding and employee advocacy, branding itself as the SMART platform. The move aligns with internal findings on the evolution of advocacy tools over the past five years. The restructured platform aims to help businesses enhance brand credibility and visibility by engaging employees as brand ambassadors. The SMART model—simple, measurable, achievable, rewarding, and tactical—has been integrated across Socxo’s technology and strategic consulting. Key features include content sharing, engagement tracking, and analytics designed to support brand-building through employee-led initiatives. As part of this shift, Socxo is offering a limited-time SMART bundle, allowing customers to explore the platform’s capabilities before purchase. The company, founded in 2018, operates under the brands Socxo and Socxly, with offices in Bangalore, Kochi, Singapore, and San Francisco.

Prashant Nigam joins as VP – revenue at Vibhu Agarwal Group's OTT platforms

Prashant Nigam has been appointed vice president – revenue at Atrangii, Ullu, and Hari Om OTT under the Vibhu Agarwal Group. He will lead business and revenue functions across the three platforms, focusing on content syndication, acquisitions, alliances, and international content aggregation. Nigam brings nearly 30 years of experience in media and entertainment. Prior to this appointment, he was vice president – international operations and content syndication at Rainshine Entertainment. His earlier roles include setting up the content syndication division at Helios Media and leading new business development at Zoom TV.

Under 25 names Jeel Gandhi as CEO

Under 25, a youth media network owned by Collective Artists Network, has appointed Jeel Gandhi as its new chief executive officer. Her appointment marks a key leadership change as the platform expands its presence across India and scales its offerings for students. Since joining Under 25, Gandhi has overseen the hosting of 100 Summits at Campus (SACs) and extended the network’s reach to over 30 cities. The platform has directly impacted 1.5 lakh students and recorded more than 500,000 app downloads. Its digital content has surpassed 300 million views. Under her leadership, the platform has generated ₹3 crore in student wallet impact, with over 40,000 students accessing paid experiences via the Under 25 app. Under 25 provides a platform for Indian youth to earn, learn, build, and grow. Its focus areas include digital content, college programmes, and community-building initiatives designed to prepare students for life beyond academics. The appointment comes as Collective Artists Network integrates Under 25 into its broader media ecosystem. The network’s acquisitions also include storytelling platform Terribly Tiny Tales, AI-based community marketing platform Galleri5, and its proprietary tech platform Big Bang Social, which supports brand-creator collaborations.

Frudia enters India through Kindlife

The South Korean skincare brand Frudia has entered the Indian market exclusively through beauty and wellness platform Kindlife. India has an estimated 70 crore young consumers interested in health, beauty and wellness products. During the past few years, there has been a growing influence of Korean beauty trends in India. Given these trends, Frudia wants to leverage the opportunity that the Indian market offers. The South Korean brand specialises in fruit-based skincare products developed through its proprietary R VITA W extraction method, which preserves nutrients at low temperatures. The brand's name combines 'fruit' with the Greek word "dia" meaning 'by' or 'of'. The product range includes targeted skincare lines such as Blueberry Hydrating for moisture, Green Grape Pore Control for oil balance, and Citrus Brightening for skin tone improvement. Products available include the Citrus Brightening Cream (INR 1999), Blueberry Hydrating Honey Lip Balm (INR 549), and Green Grape Pore Control Serum (INR 1,799). Frudia has conducted over 30 years of research into fruit-based skincare formulations, creating products with high concentrations of fruit extracts. The brand targets younger consumers seeking innovative and effective skincare solutions. Kindlife has expanded to over 1,000 brands with a community of 25 lakh users in three years. The platform specialises in Korean and Japanese beauty brands for the Indian market.

SW Network marks 10-year milestone

SW Network has completed 10 years as an integrated advertising agency. Founded in 2015, the agency has evolved from a small creative setup to a multi-division firm delivering full-funnel marketing solutions. The company now operates through four verticals: SW Creative, SW Studios, Youthbeat, and SW Growth Labs. During this period, SW Network has worked with clients including Panasonic, Flipkart, BMW, P&G, and AB InBev. The agency’s work spans sectors such as fashion, consumer goods, automotive, and technology, focusing on campaigns that deliver measurable business results. With operations in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, the company is now targeting international markets, particularly the UAE, Europe, and APAC regions.

Jigsaw appoints Khyati Sarang as strategy lead

Jigsaw Brand Consultants has appointed Khyati Sarang as director – insights and strategy. The appointment strengthens Jigsaw’s leadership in brand and marketing strategy, with Sarang bringing over 17 years of experience in consumer research and brand consulting. Sarang has worked with agencies such as Mullen Lowe Lintas, Wunderman Thompson, DDB Mudra, Dentsu Aegis Network, and Cheil India. Her portfolio includes strategy roles across FMCG, retail, BFSI, consumer durables, pharma, and household care sectors. She contributed to brand development for companies such as Zydus Wellness, Eureka Forbes, Tata Power, Yes Bank, and Godrej Goodknight. Founded in 2016, Jigsaw has worked with clients including Unilever, Marico, Tata Consumer, Reliance Retail, and Johnson & Johnson. The firm specialises in brand strategy, design communication, and marketing research.

Valerie Pinto steps down as Weber Shandwick India CEO

Valerie Pinto has stepped down as CEO of Weber Shandwick India after ten years in the role. The firm announced the transition through a holding statement, confirming that Pinto would continue for the next six months to support a smooth handover process. For the interim period, Shashikant Someshwar and Karan Bhandari will continue as managing directors, reporting to Tyler Kim, CEO of Weber Shandwick Asia Pacific. Weber Shandwick stated that this leadership change would not affect its strategic delivery or client servicing commitments in India. Pinto joined Weber Shandwick in January 2015 to lead its India operations and has been a member of the firm’s Asia Pacific board. She also served on the India leadership council alongside then vice chairman Atul Ahluwalia. The firm credited Pinto’s leadership as pivotal to the development of Weber Shandwick India over the past decade.

PHD India wins Atomberg’s integrated media mandate

PHD India has won the integrated media mandate for Atomberg, an Indian smart home appliance brand. The agency will manage media services and integrated solutions for Atomberg. Atomberg, which specialises in energy-efficient home appliances, has seen rapid growth since its inception in 2012. Some of Atomberg’s popular products among Indian households include BLDC fans and mixers.

Fujifilm India awards PR mandate to The Mavericks India

Fujifilm India has appointed The Mavericks India as its public relations partner. The appointment covers all four of the company’s business segments in India: healthcare, electronics, business innovation, and imaging. The Mavericks India will be responsible for managing media relations, stakeholder engagement, and thought leadership across the company's entire product and solutions portfolio. This includes endoscopy systems, photo imaging solutions, electronic imaging, instant photo systems (instax), optical devices, graphic communication solutions, multifunction printers, recording media, and industrial products. The mandate aims to strengthen Fujifilm India's brand reputation and ensure consistency in messaging across its verticals. The PR engagement is also expected to support the company’s communication efforts related to industry leadership and corporate vision.

Motorola appoints Gagandeep Bedi as marketing head

Motorola Mobility India has announced the appointment of Gagandeep Bedi as head of marketing. Bedi, who brings over 17 years of experience in marketing and brand strategy, will oversee Motorola's marketing efforts in India. He will report to Shivam Ranjan, Head of Marketing, Motorola Asia Pacific. This appointment is part of Motorola’s strategy to strengthen its presence in the Indian market as it continues to innovate and introduce new products. Bedi’s past experience includes leadership roles at companies such as Infinix & Tecno Mobile, Reliance Jio, and Samsung.

Snitch invites agency proposals

Snitch has invited media agencies to submit proposals for its upcoming multi-channel campaign, which aims to boost brand awareness, engagement, and sales across India. The announcement was made by Anindita Datta, head of growth at Snitch, in a LinkedIn post. The men’s fashion brand is seeking a media partner with strategic capabilities across OOH, digital, social, OTT, radio, print, and more. It is looking for expertise in media planning, buying, execution, and data-driven performance tracking. The selected agency will work alongside a creative partner aligned with Snitch’s bold brand identity. Proposals are due by April 30, 2025.

Moksha 360 to support independent artists

Industry veterans Bobby 'Beebob' Baskaran and Richard Dudley have launched Moksha 360, a platform for independent artists. Moksha 360 will offer a range of services for indie musicians, including label support, artist management, and live concert promotion. It also incorporates XR and AI technology to boost artist visibility. Moksha 360 will provide artists in India with the tools they need to succeed in the local as well as global music scenes. The platform’s goal is to empower musicians to maintain creative control while achieving financial success. The initiative marks a significant step for independent artists in India.

Kuku FM, Penguin India launch Hindi audiobooks

Kuku FM and Penguin Random House India have partnered to launch 15 exclusive Hindi audiobooks. The collaboration marks Penguin's entry into the Hindi audiobook market and will feature titles from well-known authors such as Vikram Sampath, Piyush Pandey, Gaur Gopal Das, Devdutt Pattanaik, and Indira Nooyi, among others. The audiobooks are available for purchase on Kuku FM’s Android app. This partnership is aimed at expanding access to bestselling books in audio format, catering to the growing demand for audio content in India.