MAM
Milestone on hiring spree
MUMBAI: Integrated OOH brand communications agency Milestone Brandcom has beefed up its staff, making 30 new appointments across senior and middle management positions.
The pimary areas of appointment are Milestone OOH And Milestone Connect as the company aims to enhance the service management and capabilities of the group.
The appointments at Milestone Connect include Ranbir Basses as business head and VP operations, Dhruv Jugran as group director brand communication, Swati Ratnakar as creative and content director planning, Yash Vardhan Verma as director brand communication and Gaurav Singh Chauhan as senior manager brand communications.
Milestone Brandom also got new joiners in the form of Kaushik Chakraborty as AVP client servicing and 360 integration and John Barretto as management supervisor.
Besides the new additions to the team, Ravi Ambrose who held the post of senior VP integration and new initiatives, has been given additional charge of South India operations with Prashant Mishra moving up as Milestone OOH regional head north.
The addition of industry professional and expansion of Milestone’s portfolio reflects the company’s capital efficiency and its commitment to business growth. The agency recently expanded its service portfolio, including Milestone Connect and Milestone Last Mile, with service opportunities to meet the evolving needs of clients.
Today Milestone Brandcom services close to 70 brands, some of which are Tata Docomo, Colors, McDonald‘s, Binani Cement, Viacom18, Axis Bank, L’Oreal, HDFC Mutual Fund, Dish TV, DSP Blackrock and Franklyn Templeton.
Milestone Brandcom founder and managing director Nabendu Bhattacharyya said, “In just two years we have reached a stage where we are one of the leading agencies in the country. We have already touched Rs 2 billion mark in turnover. This year we will try and offer our existing clients more solutions and we will continue to expand our services. We have been growing 100 per cent since the last two years, and this year is going to be no different!”
In the future too, Bhattacharya believes that Milestone Brandcom will continue to benefit owing to its diversification, superior industry talent and proactive approach to investment in the industry.
“I am glad to announce such an exciting force lined up aboard. We were looking to inject excitement into brand communication for our clients with unique brand experiences through consumer connect programs. With such boundless energy and young & enthusiastic team joining us, we are confident to take brand communication and consumer experiences to scale new heights”, added Bhattacharyya.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
