MAM
The Minimalist strengthens leadership team
MUMBAI: The Minimalist, one of the fast-growing design and digital companies, has boosted it leadership team with the appointment of head of interaction design Rohan Saraf, lead, user interface Amit Rajapurka. The appointments also come at a time when the company is looking to expand its presence globally and become an organisation recognised for its domain-specific expertise and thought leadership.
Speaking on the appointments, The Minimalist co-founder Sahil Vaidya said, “We are excited and welcome both Rohan and Amit to The Minimalist. Over the past year, The Minimalist has successfully acquired a wide range of clients across the globe for all three business units. With an increasing level of digitalisation and product focus in the Indian business ecosystem, there is an immediate need for high quality and experienced product design services. Both Rohan and Amit bring very rich sector-specific experience and this will definitely amplify our ability to deliver intelligent products that provide seamless and unique experiences.”
“Most importantly Rohan and Amit share our vision of delivering sterling quality digital products and experiences. In a bid to become the most sought-after player in this space and with the addition of Rohan and Amit, we are sure we are on the right path,” he added.
Speaking on his new role, head of interaction design Saraf said, “I am excited on my new role and to be a part of a team that is diverse and dynamic. The company has a unique energy and the environment is conducive for design thinking to grow on a larger level. We are focused on strengthening our foothold for interaction design services and will continue to invest our energies here. I am excited on this new journey and look forward to solving problems strategically with simple design solutions.”
Rajapurkar added, “The Minimalist is a young organisation overflowing with creativity and fresh ideas. The culture is encouraging and allows one to be vocal about their thoughts and ideas which makes it easy for teams to work with a central objective thus achieving stellar success. The UI/UX domain has been growing rapidly with brands learning the importance of product usability. I look forward to delving deeper into this market, contributing towards the growth of the organisation and working towards achieving our larger goals.”
Saraf who will overlook the interaction design business unit will also lead user experience projects within the SBU. He is a certified usability analyst and a graduate in product design from MIT Institute of Design, Pune. He has worked extensively on user experience assignments for HDFC Bank, Future Group, Standard Bank (South Africa), and Sunlife Insurance, Philippines.
Rajapurkar, on the other hand, brings over 18 years of experience to The Minimalist. Going forward, he will lead the operations and design for UI. In his previous roles, he was responsible for designing UI for leading companies like Axis Bank, Maruti, Hungama, IRCTC and Microsoft. Prior to joining The Minimalist, Rajapurkar was associated with Fractal Ink.
Brands
Ascenta elevates Adheip Bakshi to sales director amid growth push
Move aligns with expansion plans and flagship Basalt Hills development
MUMBAI: Ascenta has elevated its co-founder Adheip Bakshi to the role of sales director, signalling a sharper focus on scaling operations and expanding its market footprint.
Bakshi, who has been instrumental in shaping the company’s sales and marketing strategy since its early days, brings over a decade of experience in real estate sales and operational planning. He has played a central role in building Ascenta’s channel network and refining its go-to-market approach.
The leadership move comes as the company gears up for its next phase of growth, anchored by Basalt Hills, a 20-acre low-density villa estate positioned within the emerging Mumbai 3.0 corridor. Designed as a hospitality-led, lifestyle-focused community, the project combines serviced plots, bespoke villas and curated infrastructure within a natural basalt landscape.
Speaking on his new role, Bakshi said, “I’m excited to take on this role at a pivotal stage in Ascenta’s journey. Our focus remains on building a disciplined, channel-driven sales ecosystem while aligning closely with evolving buyer expectations for lifestyle-oriented developments. Basalt Hills is a strong reflection of this direction, and we aim to scale thoughtfully while maintaining the integrity of the product and experience.”
Commenting on the elevation, Ascenta founder and managing director Karan Bahl said, “This elevation reflects a natural progression, recognising Adheip’s contribution to the business and his ability to scale sales operations in a competitive luxury segment. As we expand our portfolio of boutique, design-led developments, strengthening leadership across functions remains a key priority.”
With this leadership shift, Ascenta appears to be doubling down on structured growth while keeping its focus firmly on design-led, premium real estate, a space that continues to evolve with changing buyer aspirations.
