MAM
Sanjiv Mehta re-appointed as jury president for Marquees 2018
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club’s second edition of award ceremony Marquees has reappointed Hindustan Unilever CEO and MD Sanjiv Mehta as jury president.
The other jury members include industry stalwarts and media mavens like WPP India country manager CVL Srinivas, RPG Enterprises chairman Harsh Goenka, Taproot Dentsu founder and chief creative officer Agnello Dias, TPG Capital senior advisor Naveen Chopra, Viacom18 COO Raj Nayak andPerfect Relations founding partner and group chairman Dilip Cherian.
The awards will be held on 29 August 2018 at St Regis, Mumbai.
The Advertising Club Madison Communications and president Group CEO Vikram Sakhuja said, “The Ad Club launched the Marquees in 2017 to celebrate Excellence in Marketing. In its second year, we are happy to have the same stellar jury chaired by Unilever’s Sanjiv Mehta deciding on this year’s laurels. The Ad Club sets the gold standard for excellence in creativity through Abbys, effectiveness through Effies, media through Emvies and now marketers through Marquees. Stay tuned to see the winners in each category and the Special awards on August 29.”
BARC India CEO and chairman Partho Dasgupta says, “Marquees has been able to carve out a niche for itself and I am glad to be a part of this journey. After a successful debut edition last year, I am looking forward to some great entries this year.”
“As they say, an award is as good as its jury and in this case the jury can’t get better than this. The jury with its years of experience and wisdom will be able to recognise the extraordinary work done by marketers over the past one year,” he added.
The event had huge success in the last year with 300 top marketers of the country gathered to receive awards.
The award is known for its brands that showcase resilience and emerge successful in the face of numerous adversaries, thus iterating the well known adage. Marquee is all set to bring all the leaders and industry veterans from advertising, marketing and media fraternity.
MAM
Sameer Nair steps down as CEO of Applause Entertainment
Veteran media executive exits after a decade at the Aditya Birla Group-backed studio.
MUMBAI: After a decade of calling the shots, Sameer Nair is taking a bow from Applause Entertainment. The veteran industry leader and CEO of the prominent content studio is stepping down from his role, according to sources familiar with the development. This marks a significant leadership transition at one of India’s key players in the television and digital content space.
Applause Entertainment, part of the Aditya Birla Group, has built a strong reputation under Nair’s leadership for its high-quality adaptations of international formats and a slate of original series across OTT platforms. Nair, who joined the company a decade ago, was instrumental in shaping its growth and positioning it as a notable force in India’s evolving streaming landscape.
Prior to Applause, he held senior roles at major media organisations, including Star India, where he played a pivotal part in the launch of the iconic show Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2000. He also worked with Balaji Telefilms and NDTV Imagine.
It remains unclear who will succeed Nair or what his next professional move will be. Queries sent to Nair did not receive a response, and Applause Entertainment declined to comment on the matter.
His exit comes at a time when the Indian content ecosystem is undergoing rapid changes, with streaming platforms recalibrating investments, focusing on profitability, and adjusting content strategies amid shifting viewer preferences and increasing competition.
Industry insiders suggest the transition could signal a strategic reset for Applause as it navigates the next phase of growth.
In the fast-paced world of Indian entertainment, where hits can fade as quickly as they rise, Sameer Nair has enjoyed a remarkably steady and influential run. As he steps off the stage at Applause, the spotlight now turns to what comes next for both the executive and the studio he helped build.
