MAM
Dentsu Aegis Network appoints Deven Dharamdasani as CEO, SVG Media
MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network India has promoted erstwhile COO Deven Dharamdasani to the new role of CEO, SVG Media. The network took the decision following the sad and sudden demise of Anurag Gupta, former CEO – SVG Media, in July this year. Additionally, Nitin Sabharwal, former chief business officer – SVG Columbus, has now been elevated to Chief Operating Officer.
Deven is a veteran in setting up and operating Internet businesses across emerging markets. He has been instrumental in consolidating and diversifying SVG’s legacy in Mobile and Desktop across global footprints including Dubai, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Korea and Bangladesh amongst others.
For the past decade, he has been deeply involved with the efforts to drive digital marketing growth globally through advocacy and innovation. He played a key role in the process of incubating Seventynine (a successful video advertising platform), which merged under SVG Media in 2014.
On his elevation, Deven Dharamdasani said, “Nobody can fill in the void that Anurag has left behind. However, we will put in all our efforts and see to it that Anurag’s vision for SVG Media is met with.”
Adept at developing innovative products for advertisers to solve both digital and offline inefficiencies across industries, Nitin’s forte lies in providing unique solutions to clients. Commenting on his role, Nitin added, “I will continue to spearhead Columbus India and be responsible for driving growth and operations across its advertisers.”
Ashish Bhasin, CEO, Greater South, Dentsu Aegis Network and Chairman & CEO India said, “Anurag’s passing is a deep and a shocking loss for SVG, for DAN and for the entire Digital fraternity. Deven, Chirag, Ashwani and Nitin are integral to SVG and they understand and resonate with Anurag’s vision for the agency. I wish them all the luck and look forward to SVG’s growth under their vigilant leadership.”
Meanwhile, SVG Media’s Mobile business will continue to function under Chirag Shah, CEO, SVG Mobile.
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.
