MAM
Prakash Wakankar joined Xynteo India as a director on its board
Mumbai: In a strategic move to reinforce its commitment to enhancing the well-being of people and facilitating planet-positive growth, Xynteo India announced the onboarding of industry veteran Prakash Wakankar as a director to its board. With an illustrious 38-year career spanning various industries and geographies, he brings a wealth of experience and enhances the diversity in leadership.
Prakash’s journey began in Pharmaceuticals with Pfizer & Hoechst (now Aventis), setting the stage for a remarkable professional voyage. Starting with Pharmaceuticals (Pfizer & Hoechst), over the past four decades, Prakash has worked in FMCG, Packaging, Hospitality, Energy, & Retail Two-wheelers and International Business, He has held leadership and board-level positions, including president, Coca-Cola Bottling (CBU) in India, director east Asia & Pacific, Essel Propack Ltd., president & CEO, Mahindra Holidays & Resorts, managing director, Perfetti van Melle, and recently as chief of international operations (FES), Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. and CEO of Mahindra Two-Wheeler Businesses. He brings extensive domestic and international understanding, spanning India, ASEAN, the Far East, Europe, and parts of Latin America and Africa.
Post his superannuation in March 2023, Prakash continues to advise the Mahindra Farm Sector.
Commenting on this significant development, Xynteo India senior partner Vipul Kumar, said, “Having Prakash Wakankar onboard marks a valuable addition to the Xynteo India family. His extensive expertise and unwavering dedication to diversity perfectly resonate with our commitment to purpose-driven initiatives. At Xynteo, we are focused on steering organisations toward addressing global societal and environmental challenges. Prakash’s strategic vision aligns seamlessly with our mission, enhancing the dynamism of our board and playing a pivotal role in propelling Xynteo India towards excellence. Together, we look forward to advancing our common objective of creating positive societal and environmental impact through purposeful transformations.”
Beyond his corporate achievements, Prakash is an accomplished sports broadcaster for the BBC, ABC, Cricket Radio, and Akashwani, showcasing his ability to balance his passion for Cricket with corporate responsibilities. He is widely recognized as a sought-after speaker and trainer across diverse genres.
Xynteo director Prakash Wakankar said, “I am excited to contribute my diverse experiences to the dynamic team at Xynteo. Aligned with the organisation’s purpose-driven approach, I am enthusiastic about collaborating with the team to foster innovation and drive planet-positive change in the industry. Together, we aim to advance Xynteo’s vision of a world where businesses thrive by addressing global societal and environmental challenges and guiding leaders through purposeful transformations that fuel sustainable growth.”
In its pioneering collaborative initiatives with global industry leaders, Xynteo is dedicated to fostering growth that benefits both the planet and human well-being. Embracing the possibilities of achieving net-zero emissions and transitioning to a circular economy, Xynteo enthusiastically develops socially inclusive solutions and reshapes stakeholder ecosystems to promote greater equity. This approach introduces a fresh perspective on how businesses are guided by Xynteo’s leadership, approach thinking, leadership, partnerships, and overall conduct.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
