Brands
Iqoo plays its ace, hunts for a gen z gaming guru with Rs 10 lakh bounty
MUMBAI: Hold onto your controllers, Gen Z gamers—Iqoo has decided it’s time to level up your gaming obsessions into something that pays real cash. The tech brand known for smartphones faster than your pizza delivery has now set out to find India’s ultimate gaming pro. The reward? A jaw-dropping Rs 10 lakh. Forget bragging rights; we’re talking serious gamer currency here!
Iqoo has kicked off the epic quest for its 2025 chief gaming officer (CGO), a role packed with more perks than a cheat code. The chosen gaming genius will help co-create new smartphones, steer the brand’s ambitious eSports vision, and hobnob with India’s gaming elite. Sounds better than a power-up mushroom, doesn’t it?
The CGO gets exclusive first dibs on the latest Iqoo gadgets and the chance to represent the brand at epic global gaming events. Better start practising those winning speeches and perfecting your gaming stance—your big break might be just a button-click away.
Iqoo India CEO Nipun Marya says, “We have always believed in the power of India’s gaming community, and the phenomenal response to our previous CGO hunt reaffirmed this. After receiving countless requests from our community, we knew we had to bring it back. At Iqoo, we are committed to empowering young gaming enthusiasts by giving them a platform to step into the eSports industry and shape the future of mobile gaming in India. With CGO as an I.P, we continue to create opportunities for Questers to turn their passion into a profession and be a part of the vision.”
With registrations open on Iqoo India’s website until 30 March 2025, young gamers aged 18-25 are invited to apply for this dream gig. The CGO will not only strategise with Iqoo’s top brass but also interact closely with over two million Questers from Iqoo Connect, the brand’s vibrant community.
The Indian gaming community is exploding like popcorn in a microwave, growing at 14.6 per cent annually from 2018 to 2024, according to IMARC. India now boasts nearly 48 crore gamers—a number larger than some countries’ entire populations!
Iqoo has already made waves, teaming up with gaming legends like Dynamo Gaming, GamerFleet, Mortal, Payal Gaming, Scout, Shreeman Legend, and UnGraduate Gamer. These superstars have stress-tested Iqoo’s devices, ensuring they’re battle-ready for the toughest gaming showdowns.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
