MAM
Rentokil Initial appoints Mark Gillespie as Asia MD
Mumbai: Pest control and hygiene services company Rentokil Initial on Friday announced that Mark Gillespie, currently managing director, Rest of World region, will succeed Paul Cochrane as the new managing director, Asia & Menat region. Cochrane retired at the end of March, after serving Rentokil Initial for more than three decades.
With over 18 years of experience at Rentokil Initial, Gillespie has built and developed several high-performing teams, leading the execution of key regional growth strategies for the business. Based in Singapore, Gillespie will be responsible for sales and business operations, as well as driving the strategic growth across Asia and the Middle East, North Africa & Turkey (Menat), said the statement.
“The last two years, though challenging, have seen Rentokil Initial delivering our purpose of protecting people and enhancing lives through high-quality pest control and hygiene services,” said Mark Gillespie. “Asia and Menat are amongst the most important regions for Rentokil Initial, and I am pleased to be taking on this responsibility from Paul, with an endeavor to carry forward the legacy of a high degree of efficiency of service to our customers in the region.”
Asia has been a vital growth market for Rentokil Initial, and the company’s continued success in the region is a testament to the increasing market demand for pest control and hygiene services as well as the competencies of the dedicated leadership team and employees. In Asia, its business operations cover Brunei, China, Hong Kong, India, (through a Joint Venture with PCI), Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
“As the industry leader, Rentokil Initial has been continuously developing new technologies that are environment-friendly and sustainable, thereby improving the hygiene solution standard within the industry and I am excited to work with the Asia team to unlock new growth opportunities for Rentokil Initial in Asia,” Gillespie further said.
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
