MAM
Sujata Bhakat takes charge as south region head at Times Internet
BENGALURU: Times Internet has appointed Sujata Bhakat as its new region head – south, strengthening its leadership bench as it sharpens focus on regional expansion.
Bhakat joins from Network18 Media & Investments, where she has served as senior manager since 2022. In her new role, she will lead growth initiatives across southern India, deepen client partnerships and expand the company’s presence in high-potential markets.
Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Bhakat said she was excited to begin her new position at Times Internet.
Before Network18, she held senior roles at Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd, Dun & Bradstreet, Radio Mirchi and IFB Industries. She began her career in 2010 as assistant manager – marketing at IFB Industries, building early expertise in brand and marketing strategy.
With over 14 years of experience, Bhakat brings a strong background in key account management, business development, sales, marketing strategy and vendor management, positioning her to steer Times Internet’s regional ambitions in a competitive digital landscape.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
