MAM
Publicis Groupe launches PubHub, Rajesh Ghatge named chief growth officer
Delhi : Publicis Groupe on Wednesday announced the launch of PubHub, a comprehensive ecosystem that will create bespoke marketing transformation solutions at scale ,through the integration of specialised capabilities across data, content, technology, production, and commerce.
PubHub will tap into PG India’s established model that provides services to some of the top global clients across multiple markets.
The model has demonstrated success in connecting people, processes, systems and data needed to fuel marketing transformation in all aspects of design and delivery. It is built to be open source, connecting with tech partners and clients’ partner agencies alike to deliver on client goals better, faster and efficiently, said the agency.
PubHub will be led by Indigo Consulting CEO Rajesh Ghatge, who now additionally takes on the role of chief growth officer, Publicis Groupe India. Ghatge is already leading the implementation of Global Hub for GSK.
Last year Publicis won the global production mandate of Circle in partnership with Tag. It is a first ever model set up to deliver marketing transformation, using data, content , technology and production capabilities and will be servicing close to 90+ brands across 90+ markets.
Ghatge has been with the Groupe for close to four and a half years and has close to three decades of experience across marketing and technology. Previously he has launched and built organisations in the space of travel, training and brand activation . Before joining Publicis, he also led a technology-enabled social enterprise which trained and certified school drop-outs to become certified elder care workers.
Publicis Groupe, South Asia, CEO Anupriya Acharya says, “Today, the demand for scaled marketing transformation solutions is growing exponentially– on the back of accelerated adoption of digital and tech. For Publicis Groupe , India has emerged as a massive capability centre for digital and tech-led deep expertise across contemporary and innovative marketing and business transformation solutions. Large mandates across global and national brands are being managed across the Groupe in India. The launch of PubHub is timely and apt. With an intrinsic model to scale fast, it has been designed to be agile and responsive while leveraging our proficiency and vast experience across the creative, technology and media competencies.”
Rajesh Ghatge said, “As a client organisation, the choices of agency partners, consulting partners , tools and technologies are immense. These choices are giving rise to one big challenge – that of being able to weave together the right components of creative , data and technology to effectively win in the platform world. Moreover, reclaiming growth has become the number one priority for most enterprises in a dramatically changed world. In this added mandate , I am looking forward to leverage our diverse capabilities and experience to create repeatable and scalable solutions for our clients via PubHub, and fuel significant growth for them.”
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
