MAM
DTV introduces D’Artist Plus, transforming collaborations between celebrities and brands
Mumbai: D’Artist Talent Ventures (DTV) presented D’artist Plus, a pioneering service revolutionising celebrity-brand associations tailored for start-up brands, through a groundbreaking structured deals approach.
With over 15 years of experience in celebrity-brand collaborations across diverse sectors and geographies, DTV boasts a network with an extensive portfolio of top Indian and international celebrities. Evolving with the times, DTV also actively engages with curated digital-first celebrities to extract substantial and meaningful benefits for brands.
Leveraging profound expertise and robust business relationships, DTV aims to empower the start-up universe through a scientifically refined strategy, termed “Enhanced Endorsements.” This strategic initiative transcends conventional practices, promising unparalleled economic advantages for both celebrities and brands, fueled by overall brand growth.
“In introducing D’Artist Plus, we aim to foster enduring, value-driven relationships between influential personalities and dynamic consumer brands. Our goal is not merely endorsements but forging deeper partnerships,” expressed Darshana Bhalla, CEO and founder of DTV.
Incorporating the principles of Structured Deals,’ D’Artist Plus will harness the demographic and influential power of celebrities and personalities with high consumer affinity and credibility to contribute impactful and dynamic solutions to consumer brands. Thus, leveraging a celebrity’s efforts and involvement to create transformative value for start-ups, while creating substantial upside for their efforts.
“D’Artist Plus addresses specific marketing challenges faced by start-ups, offering opportunities to surpass measurable expenditures and access high-impact marketing propositions. By integrating high-profile celebrities from entertainment, sports, and digital realms, we envision symbiotic associations fostering mutual benefit and growth..,” Darshana added.
Additionally, D’Artist Plus introduces a comprehensive marketing advisory services program, ensuring the optimization and maximization of potential in unique brand-celebrity associations across different growth stages and various domains.
“This service is administered by a highly adept and scholarly team operating in the backend, distinguished by their profound expertise and advanced capabilities” Darshana concludes
Our prior successes with promising start-ups, coupled with collaborations underscore our ability to deliver substantially enhanced value in this mutually beneficial partnership. The formal launch of D’Artist Plus, marks a significant milestone, bringing together the start-up brands at various developmental stages and also aligning with Atmanirbhar principles.
This initiative not only benefits from the homegrown and global celebrity’s influence on Indian businesses, but also contributes to the growth and promotion of indigenous brands, skills, and initiatives, resonating strongly with companies valuing self-reliance and talent keen to support Indian Brands.
Being a celebrity sourcing agency, our all-encompassing, solution-oriented, non-conflicting, service proposition distinguishes us as an agency dedicated to curating tailored solutions, aligning seamlessly with the distinctive needs of the brands we serve, hence elevating their marketing strategy in entirety.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
