MAM
Publicis Groupe acquires Mumbai-based healthcare agency Watermelon
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has decided to acquire a majority stake in Mumbai-based healthcare advertising agency, Watermelon Healthcare Communications.
On completion of the transaction, Watermelon will become part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) and will be renamed Publicis Life Brands Watermelon.
Watermelon‘s founders, Abhijit Shitut and Kiran Pai, will be appointed joint managing directors of the new company. Said Shitut and Pai, “We are excited to be part of PHCG and believe that this will help us change the landscape of healthcare communications in India. Because PHCG is revered for its excellence in global communications in the healthcare sector, we look forward to working together in leveraging their knowledge and global network in our local market.”
Watermelon‘s clientele includes pharma and biotech companies like AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck Specialties, MSD Pharmaceuticals and Novartis.
Added PHCG Asia Pacific region (APAC) president Ash Kuchel, “PHCG is delighted to welcome Watermelon to our network. Watermelon is the right fit and has the expertise to further develop our healthcare communications credentials in new media and best-in-class practices in this important and rapidly emerging market. PHCG will continue to expand its global presence throughout the region in the near future.”
MAM
JBCN Education appoints The Other Circle for PR mandate
Mumbai agency to lead communications for progressive K–12 group.
MUMBAI: JBCN Education just circled in a fresh voice because when your classrooms already think outside the box, the next logical step is to get the story out of the classroom. JBCN Education has appointed Mumbai-based communications agency The Other Circle (TOC) to handle its public relations and strategic communications mandate. The partnership aims to amplify the institution’s distinctive Educreative philosophy, which blends rigorous academics with experiential learning, creativity and values-led development.
TOC will shape JBCN’s narrative through educator-led thought leadership, media engagement and strategic storytelling, fostering deeper conversations with parents, educators and the academic community on modern, meaningful learning.
JBCN Education, senior vice president for marketing Nikhil Sharma said, “Every institution has a unique narrative, one filled with innovative learning, passionate faculty, and the next generation of Changemakers. The Other Circle’s strategic approach and deep familiarity with the education sector make them the right partner to strengthen our brand presence and forge meaningful connections.”
The Other Circle Group of Companies co-founder & CEO Aakanksha Gupta added, “The best communications work happens when the story is already true—you just have to find the right way to tell it. JBCN Education represents a powerful shift in how learning is imagined and delivered in India, and that story is rich: a philosophy that’s lived in the classroom, educators who believe in it, and outcomes that speak for themselves.”
The appointment marks a new phase for JBCN as it seeks to lead national conversations around progressive education, inquiry-based learning and preparing students for an interconnected world.
In an education landscape where the real competition isn’t marks but mindset, JBCN isn’t just teaching kids, it’s teaching the country what forward-thinking learning can look like, and now it’s got a voice loud enough to make sure everyone hears it.
