MAM
Value 360 Communications appoints Archana Hindocha to lead Bangalore
MUMBAI: What’s the secret to turning a good PR firm into a great one? Leadership.
As part of its ambitious growth strategy for 2025, Value 360 Communications has named Archana Hindocha as the head of its Bangalore operations. This bold move signals the first step in the company’s plans to achieve hypergrowth, geographic expansion, and a deeper dive into new industry capabilities.
With a stellar career spanning over 20 years, Hindocha is no stranger to steering big brands towards communication success. Her impressive resume includes leading strategies for titans like Wipro Technologies, Bharti AXA General Insurance, Bosch, Dell, and AWS. Whether it’s corporate communications, PR, or marketing strategy, Archana’s track record speaks volumes.
Her mission at Value 360? To anchor and amplify the firm’s presence in South India, a region rich with opportunities but fiercely competitive. Armed with a deep understanding of business development and marketing, Hindocha is well-positioned to take the Bangalore office to new heights.
Commenting on this key appointment, Value 360 Communications group CEO & co-founder & joint CEO, Kunal Kishore stated, “Value 360 Communications is at a critical inflection point as we prepare to unlock our next phase of accelerated growth. The year 2025 will witness our hypergrowth strategy in action, with a sharp focus on geographical expansion, industry diversification, and capability building. Archana’s appointment is a strategic step in this journey, and we are confident that her experience and leadership will drive our Bangalore operations to new heights.”
But what does Hindocha think of this challenge? She’s thrilled to take the reins.
“I am thrilled to join Value 360 Communications at such a transformative time in the company’s journey. The firm’s vision, client-centric approach, and innovative strategies resonate deeply with my professional values. I look forward to leveraging my experience to contribute to the company’s ambitious growth plans and deliver impactful communication solutions for our clients in South India,” she said.
With a client roster boasting big names like Kia India, Tata Motors, Pernod Ricard, Audi India, Mondelez, and EaseMyTrip, Value 360 isn’t just playing to win—they’re redefining the game. The company plans to expand its footprint across key regions while boosting its capabilities in emerging industry verticals.
In an industry where adaptability and vision are everything, strong leadership isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the difference between staying relevant and becoming indispensable. Will Value 360’s bold strategy set a new benchmark for PR and communications in India? Only time will tell, but the pieces are certainly in place.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
