MAM
Akash Sharma leaves Zee Media to become chief strategy officer at Admerly
The publisher monetisation platform snaps up a decade of hard-won industry experience
Admerly, a publisher monetisation platform operating within the BE Group ecosystem, has recruited Akash Sharma as chief strategy officer, poaching him from Zee Media Corporation, one of India’s largest media conglomerates, where he served as assistant vice president of digital monetisation.
The move is a sharp pivot: from running revenue at scale inside a broadcasting giant to shaping the strategic direction of a scrappy platform built to rewire how India’s digital publishers make money. Sharma brings more than a decade of publisher-side muscle to the role: programmatic strategy, yield management, direct advertiser partnerships, and the unglamorous but critical business of revenue operations.
At Admerly, his remit is broad. He will define the company’s go-to-market strategy, deepen ties with enterprise publishers, and steer the product roadmap to meet the shifting demands of an advertising ecosystem that shows no sign of slowing its churn.
Sharma was unambiguous about what drew him across the table. “After more than a decade on the publisher side, building revenue engines, managing demand partnerships, and learning what it takes to monetise content at scale, I made a deliberate choice to move to a platform that I believe is solving the right problem in the right way,” he said. “The best monetisation strategies are the ones that work for the viewer, not just the balance sheet. At Admerly, that principle isn’t a secondary consideration. It’s the foundation of how the product is built.”
Arun Raghav, founder and business head at BEdigitech, made no secret of why the hire matters. “Akash has lived that world. He’s built revenue systems, managed complex demand relationships and made the tough calls that come with monetising content at scale,” Raghav said. “Having that perspective in our leadership team changes how we build, how we sell and how we show up for our customers.”
For Admerly, landing a practitioner who has felt every pressure publishers face is less a luxury than a statement of intent: that it means to be taken seriously, and fast.
Brands
OPPO Initiates Rs 150 crore media pitch to reset strategy in Indian market
Smartphone giant seeks planning and buying partners for project-based campaigns
NEW DELHI: The Indian smartphone arena is about to get a little louder. OPPO has officially dialled into the market to find a new media partner, initiating a pitch for its India business valued at approximately Rs 150 crore.
According to media reports, the mandate is strictly focused on media planning and buying, leaving the creative side of the dial untouched. Interestingly, the brand seems to be moving away from the traditional long-term marriage of a retainer, opting instead for a project-based relationship. This “pay-as-you-go” model is becoming a popular ringtone for many smartphone manufacturers in India who prefer flexibility over long-term commitments.
This move comes as a bit of a surprise, arriving just over a year after OPPO India handed its integrated media keys to PHD India, an agency under the Omnicom Media Group umbrella. The decision to review so soon hints at a strategic reset, likely triggered by a fiercely competitive market where performance-driven marketing is now the name of the game.
While the media side is up for grabs, the creative department remains settled. OPPO recently chose RepIndia to spearhead its integrated creative mandate, tasking them with everything from social content to brand strategy.
The brand’s recent playbook has been heavy on celebrity shine and sporty flair. By leaning into digital platforms and collaborating with cricketers and content creators, OPPO has been working hard to capture the attention of Gen Z consumers.
The estimated Rs 150 crore budget is expected to be rolled out in strategic bursts. Rather than a steady stream of spending, the funds will likely be funnelled into high-impact television spots and digital blitzes during flagship launches and festive seasons. In the background, always-on influencer marketing will keep the brand humming.
As the pitch progresses, all eyes will be on which agency can offer the best reception for OPPO’s ambitious growth plans in one of the world’s most crowded mobile markets.
