Brands
Cheil SWA elevates Kumar Awanish to group chief operating officer
Former chief growth officer to steer operations and AI push at agency
GURUGRAM: Cheil South West Asia has elevated Kumar Awanish to group chief operating officer, strengthening its leadership team as the agency sharpens its focus on technology and AI-led transformation.
Awanish, who previously served as chief growth officer, will now oversee the group’s operational strategy. He will report to Sungkyoon Kim, president and chief executive officer, and will be based at the agency’s Gurugram headquarters.
In his new role, Awanish will drive operational excellence across the group while fostering closer collaboration among its agencies. He will also help steer Cheil SWA’s ambition to evolve into an AI-first organisation, combining technology and data with creative capabilities to deliver future ready solutions for clients.
“Kumar has the right skill set and experience to lead the group into this dynamic phase,” said Kim. “Cheil SWA is entering a new chapter of advertising transformation led by AI. His passion for the organisation and enthusiasm for work are truly infectious, and I look forward to his next innings with the group.”
With more than two decades of experience across advertising, marketing and digital ecosystems, Awanish has built a career around scaling businesses through technology and data driven strategies. During his tenure as chief growth officer at Cheil India, he led a team of over 100 specialists and helped build the agency’s direct to consumer and commerce capabilities while sustaining strong growth in media operations.
Before joining Cheil SWA, Awanish held roles across several leading organisations including Bharti Airtel, Snapdeal, Times Internet, GroupM and Oppo.
Reflecting on the new role, Awanish said the agency’s next chapter will be driven by a deeper integration of technology and creativity. “We are doubling down on AI literacy across functions and group agencies, empowering our people to use AI not just for efficiency but as a catalyst for human creativity,” he said.
He added that the renewed integration of media and creative capabilities will help the agency remain agile while delivering full funnel impact for clients in an increasingly complex marketing 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.
