MAM
Saif Shaikh elevated as COO, Madison Media Pinnacle
Mumbai: Homegrown media agency Madison Media on Tuesday announced that it has elevated Saif Shaikh to the position of chief operating officer (COO), Madison Media Pinnacle. The unit will house the agency’s first and leading account, Godrej Consumer Products for traditional and digital media, it said in a statement.
Shaikh comes with an overall experience of over 19 years in strategy, planning implementation and buying, having joined Madison Media in 2017, he has led the AOR for Godrej across the company’s larger portfolios such as Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, Godrej Properties and other businesses like frozen foods and has managed media campaigns for almost 20 brands across portfolios such as hair colour, soaps, handwash, home insecticides, car and room freshener along with real estate.
Madison Media & OOH, partner & group CEO, Vikram Sakhuja said, “Over the past few years Saif has consistently delivered on the biggest challenges given to him thanks to his hands on, passionate, inclusive and never say die approach. We congratulate Saif on his promotion.”
On his new role, Shaikh said, “I’m happy to lead Madison’s foremost client, Godrej. I look forward to leading the integrated account and further strengthening the brand and helping it achieve its outcomes.”
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
