MAM
OPEN wins for luxury packaging design at the Dieline awards ’21
Mumbai: Open Strategy and Design, the Mumbai-based independent brand design consultancy, is the only Indian design agency to win at the prestigious Dieline Packaging Awards 2021, a global award platform to recognise the best in packaging design from around the world. Their work for Unsaid Library, a precious gifting brand based in Europe, won the award in the Luxury category.
The idea of Unsaid Library is a precious jewellery gifting brand, like no other. Tapping into a deep understanding of human relationships, Open Strategy and Design led the task of designing the brand and its experience to help people express what is often left unsaid. Packaging therefore was vital to delivering on this ambition. It had to be designed for the site of the magic. The pack had to make the gift feel personal, not something bought off-the-shelf.
Open Strategy and Design creative head Ashutosh Karkhanis said, “Our gifts are beautiful time-travel machines. With the packaging we wanted to design the moment of reveal in a manner that emotionally moved the receiver. The unboxing was designed as an experience for the gift to come alive layer by layer, with an emotionally charged personal message leading the way. This win at the Dieline award is thrilling, even more so, because we won for creating a deep experience in a category that tends to obsess with craft.”
Walking Tree CEO – the Mumbai-based group behind the brand- Ankit Mehta said, “We imagined Unsaid as a chronicler of human relationships, bound by the art of gifting. We have worked closely with Open to develop the brand over the last couple of years, and to see the work find both commercial and critical global acclaim is very gratifying.”
Awards were judged across five categories—creativity, marketability, innovation, execution, and on-pack branding, ultimately going through two rounds of rigorous critique and appraisal. Founded in the year 2007, the Dieline Awards felicitate the best consumer product packaging and design globally, thereby raising awareness around the enormous value of packaging design and branding. In 2021, Dieline awards received nearly 1,600 entries, the maximum number of entries ever received. The jurors included the who’s who from the global design world, including luminaries like Design Matters’ host Debbie Millman, Design Army co-founder and CCO Pum Lefebure, A Plastic Planet’s Sian Sutherland, amongst others.
MAM
PwC India announces leadership change in Deals practice
Shashank Jain steps down as co-leader after nearly three decades with the firm.
MUMBAI: When one dealmaker steps off the pitch, another is ready to take the baton because in the fast-moving world of transactions, the game never really stops. PwC India has announced a leadership transition in its Deals practice, with Shashank Jain stepping down from his role as co-leader to pursue an opportunity in the industry. The practice will continue to be led by Mohit Chopra, ensuring continuity and sustained growth momentum.
PwC India partner and leader for advisory dinesh Arora paid tribute to Jain’s contributions. “We deeply appreciate the significant contributions made by Shashank over close to three decades he has spent with PwC, particularly his defining role in shaping and strengthening our Transaction Services practice in India,” he said. Arora highlighted Jain’s support for clients through some of the most complex and significant transactions in the Indian market, noting his deep technical expertise, sound judgment and nuanced understanding of the evolving M&A landscape.
The Deals practice remains a key growth driver for PwC India, and the firm expects continued expansion under Mohit Chopra’s leadership. He will continue to guide clients through complex transactions and transformational business moments, building on the strong foundation established over the years.
Reflecting on his journey, Shashank Jain said, “I have had an exceptional journey at PwC. I owe my growth and learning to the nurturing environment and leadership development that PwC provided.” He added that he had been working closely with Mohit and the larger team to ensure a smooth transition and expressed confidence that Chopra would take the Deals practice to newer heights.
From intern to respected deals leader, Shashank Jain has clearly closed many successful transactions and now, it seems, he’s ready to strike a new deal of his own.
