MAM
Mindshare names Sam Thomas as head – performance & product
Mumbai: Mindshare India, the flagship agency from GroupM, has announced the appointment of Sam Thomas as the head of performance & product in India.
Rehan Ali as partner – performance (North and East), Atishay Agrawal as senior director – performance (South), and Pratishtha Dehariya as partner – performance (West) are the other key appointments. They will be based out of Gurgaon, Mumbai, and Bangalore, respectively, and will report to Sam.
Sam will be based out of Mumbai and will report to Mindshare South Asia digital head Gopa Menon. He will look after the performance business, productizing services and building enhanced capabilities for clients. With over 16 years of experience in digital marketing, Sam has a hands-on approach to setting practices, building teams, promoting innovation, and growing client businesses. Sam is an internal and external specialist as an expert in data-driven marketing and analytics. He will continue to have a strong focus on performance and measures effectiveness.
Rehan will bring in more efficiencies for an existing set of clients and grow the performance marketing portfolio as well as support teams to bring on board new clients in the northern and eastern markets. Atishay will help grow the existing business efficiently and grow the performance portfolio for Mindshare in the South, while Pratishtha will lead the performance business for Mindshare West.
A crucial aspect for the team will be to work with various departments within GroupM and help fill in gaps wherever necessary. They will also collaborate with teams to understand the existing business and provide performance-driven solutions for existing clients and create performance strategies for new businesses.
Mindshare South Asia CEO Amin Lakhani said, “As we observe massive acceleration of digital adoption by consumers, it is imperative for us to deliver full funnel integrated products for our clients. Strengthening our performance capability further is a step in right direction. The expertise Sam and his team bring to Mindshare will allow us to continue supporting clients with their digital capabilities and performance excellence. I am certain that this team will play a pivotal role in the brand transformation journey for our clients and will drive Mindshare’s ‘Good Growth’ proposition for them.’’
Mindshare South Asia digital head Gopa Menon said, “Performance marketing is becoming increasingly important to marketers and Sam and his team brings in-depth knowledge of how brands can revamp their digital and performance strategies. We look forward to continuing enriching digital experiences for our clients.”
Sam Thomas said, “I’m excited to join an agency like Mindshare, which has been at the forefront of performance marketing to help companies reach their business targets. Performance marketing is the backbone of brands’ transformation as digital adoption takes over. I am looking forward to contributing to Mindshare’s ‘good growth’ journey by bridging the gap between seamless digital activation and implementation for its clients.”
Brands
Pernod Ricard, Chivas Regal parent, in talks for possible India IPO: Bloomberg
Deliberations in early stage, with no decision taken so far
PARIS: Pernod Ricard is evaluating a potential stock market listing of its Indian business, according to a Bloomberg News report citing people familiar with the matter.
The French drinks group has begun discussions with prospective advisers to assess the feasibility and merits of a separate public listing for Pernod Ricard India. The deliberations are at an early stage and no final decision has been made.
India is one of Pernod Ricard’s most important growth markets. The company is among the country’s largest alcoholic beverage players, selling premium global brands such as Chivas Regal and Absolut Vodka, and competing closely with Diageo across premium and mass-market segments.
The reported move comes as Pernod Ricard navigates heightened regulatory scrutiny in India. The group is facing antitrust proceedings and is also contesting allegations by authorities in New Delhi over potential violations of local liquor regulations. Pernod Ricard has denied any wrongdoing.
In the market, Pernod Ricard’s Paris-listed shares are up nearly 12 per cent so far this year, valuing the group at about $24.4 billion. That recovery follows a bruising 2025, when the stock lost close to a third of its value.
A separate India listing, if it materialises, could help unlock value from a fast-growing business, even as the group works through legal and regulatory challenges in one of its most strategically important markets.
