MAM
Genesis Burson-Marsteller launches Step Up
MUMBAI: Genesis Burson-Marsteller has launched a new initiative, Step Up, catering exclusively to the communication needs of the two most important stakeholders of the entrepreneurial ecosystem: the start-ups and investor networks.
Designed to provide affordable and relevant service offerings spanning traditional as well as new digital formats, Step Up, helps young companies and SMBs take the next leap in their journey to success, by not only narrating their story creatively but also by communicating on what impacts their business.
Commenting on the launch, Genesis Burson-Marsteller principal and founder Prema Sagar said, “Step Up is our endeavour to go back to our roots. We know, feel and understand the challenges having been a start-up ourselves, 22 years back. With Step Up, we have already begun to partner with new and upcoming brands in their journey so as to take it to the next big thing. What differentiates Step Up from the rest is our strong understanding of the ecosystem and the changing media scape, the right talent and the ability to provide affordable services.”
The new initiative offers customised services from branding and partnerships to media engagement. The offering to start-ups have been created keeping in mind various challenges faced by early-stage ventures. These offerings aim to develop and device a compelling and effective communication strategy to narrate the story of the ventures in the most innnovative manner.
Genesis Burson-Marsteller public relations president Nikhil Day said, “We are delighted by the creativity of our young colleagues to have come up with the idea, presented the strategy to the India Management Team, developed the proposition and already won their first client!. Our firm has, from the very beginning, encouraged entrepreneurship – it is for our people to take the initiative. And Step Up is a great example.”
The clients could be from Consumer (e.g. FMCG, beauty, sports, art, theatre, music, movies), Technology (e.g. products, services) Health and Wellness (e.g.pharma, services, ayurveda) and Corporate (e.g.financial, engineering, aviation). Genesis Burson-Marsteller’s experience already exists for large companies, learnings from which will be applied for Step Up companies.
Step Up India lead Atul Sharma added, “In the last few years, the Indian start-up environment has made a mark on the global entrepreneurial map by producing unique and globally relevant propositions. Being noticed by the right audience can make a great difference to a young company’s journey. This unique initiative by Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Step Up, aims at empowering these innovative start-ups to create a space for themselves in an otherwise cluttered market. We are looking to create the next ‘whatsapp’ story in India! ”
Step Up is inspired by Genesis Burson-Marsteller and has the same gene pool of expertise and excellence but, it aspires to bring alive creative communication in a completely different genre of companies, which may have not enjoyed the benefits of experienced communications partners owing to their size.
Brands
Hiili names Sanjay Hemady as country manager India
Media veteran to drive digital decarbonisation push
MUMBAI: Climate tech firm Hiili has announced its entry into India, appointing industry veteran Sanjay Hemady as India country manager to steer its growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
Hemady, a familiar name across India’s media and consulting circles, will lead Hiili’s India operations from Mumbai. His mandate is clear: help Indian companies measure, manage and reduce the carbon emissions generated by their digital services.
Hiili offers a scientifically validated platform, certified by the UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute, that enables businesses to improve the efficiency of their digital infrastructure while cutting emissions. As organisations race to meet ESG targets, the company positions itself as a practical bridge between climate pledges and measurable action.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as country manager, India at Hiili,” Hemady said in a LinkedIn post, adding that the company aims to move beyond broad sustainability promises towards precise, science-based decarbonisation.
Hemady brings more than three decades of experience spanning print, television, radio and digital media. He has previously served as chief executive officer at HIT 95 FM, assistant general manager at CNBC TV18, and held leadership roles at MTV India and The Indian Express, among others. Most recently, he worked as an independent business consultant advising firms across media and technology.
With India’s digital economy expanding at pace, the environmental cost of data, streaming and online services is climbing quietly in the background. Hiili’s bet is that carbon efficiency will soon sit alongside cost efficiency in boardroom conversations.
For Hemady, the move marks a shift from selling airtime and ad inventory to championing climate accountability. If successful, Hiili’s India play could make digital growth not just faster, but cleaner too.
