MAM
Amit Dhawan joins Art-E MediaTech as partner & CEO
MUMBAI: Art-E MediaTech, a full-service marketing and advertising agency, has announced the appointment of Amit Dhawan as its CEO and the newest partner in the firm.
An IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Dhawan was previously with Schbang as the founding partner and business head for their Delhi office, where he was responsible for setting up the business in the North as well as leading the company’s media business. In his eight plus years of experience, he has worked with a diverse set of 200+ brands, including Johnson & Johnson, Panasonic, Godrej, Cipla, Realme, and more.
“While we empower ourselves to meet the changing marketing landscape, we must have the solid support of people that will propel us forward. Having someone of Amit Dhawan’s calibre join us brings rich expertise in driving our clients to a reputable position in the marketplace, combined with qualitative and admirable leadership skills and knowledge,” said Art-E co-founder Rohit Sakunia. “We are delighted to welcome Amit as our partner as we continue to grow and disrupt the industry.” Art-E was founded by Rohit Sakunia, Tejender Sharma, and Animesh Mukherjee in 2018.
Amit Dhawan said, “I am excited about becoming a part of Art-E, which has always been at the forefront of delivering meaningful and true solutions to its clients by seamlessly integrating creative, tech, and media. By applying the learning I have had so far, I hope to make a meaningful difference to the business of our clients.”
Dhawan has also been featured in the ’30 under 30′ list by Agency Reporter as well as amongst the Top 100 smartest digital marketing leaders by the World Digital Marketing Congress, Global Federation of Digital Marketing, World Federation of Marketing Professionals, and CMO Asia.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
