MAM
MEC Interaction picks Ritesh Singh as national director
MUMBAI: MEC India has appointed Ritesh Singh as head of digital. He will be designated as MEC Interaction national director.
Singh moves in from Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG) where he was business head – India for SMG Digital He will report to MEC MD India T Gangadhar and GroupM Interactions – South Asia managing partner Tushar Vyas.
Vyas said, “Ritesh comes to MEC with unrivalled pedigree in managing the digital marketing services business and has the right blend of diversified media experience. We are delighted to have him lead MEC‘s digital agenda and help deliver integrated communications planning for our brands.”
Singh said, “I am excited to join MEC and thrilled to have an opportunity to work for some of the best brands in the country. In these exciting times for digital media, I look forward to work with MEC‘s talented digital team to create new benchmarks.”
Singh comes in with over 13 years of experience in activation and digital. Prior to SMG, he has also worked with Samsung, Aircel, Western Union, General Motors, SAB Miller and Himalaya.
Brands
IndiGo appoints captain Rohit Rikhye as head of operations control centre
Leadership change follows dgca penalties and december flight disruptions
MUMBAI: IndiGo has appointed Captain Rohit Rikhye as the new head of its operations control centre (OCC). The appointment, effective immediately following an internal announcement on Friday, sees Rikhye take over from Jason Herter. He will report directly to the chief operating officer (COO), Isidre Porqueras.
Captain Rikhye brings over 11 years of experience within IndiGo to the role. He previously served as chief pilot for standards, QA, and ops safety. In his new position, he is responsible for the airline’s central nerve centre, overseeing flight operations, including real-time coordination, planning, and dispatch; tracking and compliance, ensuring all flights adhere to air traffic control and safety regulations; and resource management, handling crew scheduling and rostering across the network.
The leadership transition comes after a period of significant operational challenges in December 2025. These lapses resulted in strict intervention from the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) in January 2026.
According to statements made by additional solicitor general Chetan Sharma on behalf of the civil aviation ministry, the regulator imposed penalties totalling Rs 22 crore on the airline. The regulatory response also led to the dismissal of a senior vice-president to address the systemic issues identified during the disruptions.
The OCC is critical to the airline’s daily performance, managing everything from flight paths to crew availability. By appointing a veteran from the safety and standards division, IndiGo aims to strengthen its regulatory compliance and ensure operational stability moving forward.
