MAM
Mindshare & Google launch Mobile Garage
MUMBAI: Mindshare and Google are jointly launching ‘Mobile Garage‘, a venture that will let the agency network use Google‘s mobile expertise to supercharge the use of mobile for its global client base.
To start with, Mobile Garage will see setting up mobile hubs in New York, London and Singapore where Mindshare clients will get access to mobile strategists and product experts.
The hubs, which will consist of a mix of Mindshare and Google employees, will work across all aspects of the mobile eco-system like search optimisation, app development, strategy, planning and creative optimisation.
The new venture aims to give Mindshare clients an advantage in the race to harness the growing global trend of mobile device usage. Mobile search traffic has increased 400 per cent over the past two years and will continue to grow. The GSMA, the industry body for mobile operators, and research company Machina, predict there will be 24 billion connected devices by 2020 creating an industry worth $4.5 trillion and covering innovations such as connected cars, building automation and traffic management.
Additionally, the venture will also give Mindshare clients competitive advantage in emerging markets, with Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers‘ (KPCB) Mary Meeker recently showing that mobile internet usage had surpassed desktop internet usage in India.
Mindshare Worldwide CEO Nick Emery said, “We designed Mindshare to be open source and to work with the best partners for the benefit of our clients. It‘s about trial, experimentation and speed to re-design our business. Working with Google on mobile will give our clients a competitive advantage in a key battleground both now and for the future.”
Google VP sales and operations Northern and Central Europe Matt Brittin said, “We have adopted a ‘mobile first‘ philosophy at Google to keep pace with the rapid acceleration in consumer mobile usage. We are delighted to team up with Mindshare on a similar strategy for their clients. Mindshare have already shown strong momentum in the mobile marketing space, and have a great opportunity to lead their clients to win on mobile in the future.”
Mobile Garage will complement Mindshare‘s existing relationship with WPP‘s mobile agencies Joule and H-Art.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
