MAM
Unstop expands globally, teams up with HR Tech for early talent revolution in the Middle East
Mumbai: In a landmark move set to transform the landscape of early talent acquisition and engagement in the Middle East, hrtech, a premier HR Technology Solutions and Analyst firm, has joined forces with Unstop, a talent discovery, community engagement and hiring platform for students and freshers, where talent meets opportunities. This strategic partnership is poised to reshape how businesses in the rapidly evolving Middle Eastern market discover and engage with emerging talent.
This alliance leverages hrtech’s deep market insights and consulting prowess alongside Unstop’s cutting-edge platform, offering enterprises and startups in the Middle East a unique solution for engaging and hiring early talent. The collaboration is uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between the region’s emerging talent and its burgeoning business sector, fostering a vibrant ecosystem encompassing Early Talent, Colleges, and Recruiters.
Unstop founder Ankit Aggarwal, expressed his enthusiasm about this collaboration, stating, “Our alliance with hrtech is more than a partnership; it’s a commitment to the Middle East’s future leaders. Unstop is dedicated to being an unstoppable force in talent development, and with hrtech, we are set to revolutionize how the Middle East discovers and nurtures early talent, aligning with our vision to provide innovative and localized solutions.”
hrtech founder & CEO Sriram Iyers shared his excitement about the partnership, saying, “Partnering with Unstop, renowned for their dynamic approach to talent engagement, marks a significant milestone in our mission. We are eager to redefine the HR landscape in the Middle East, confident that our combined expertise will introduce groundbreaking HR solutions tailored to the unique dynamics of this vibrant region.”
This partnership is more than a collaboration; it’s a catalyst for change in the Middle Eastern talent landscape, promising to bring innovative solutions and new opportunities to the region’s burgeoning workforce and dynamic business environment.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
