MAM
The 120 Media Collective announces top management changes
MUMBAI: Roopak Saluja’s The 120 Media Collective, one of India’s most impactful digitally oriented agencies, has today announced senior level promotions within the organisation.
Jack in the Box Worldwide president Kaizad Pardiwalla has been elevated to president and COO. Pardiwalla brings with him 24 years of experience in the advertising world and has been with The Leo Burnett Group, where he ran Orchard India; Lowe Lintas; Grey and Ogilvy, where he headed OgilvyOne nationally. In addition to leading the content and communication group’s agency business, he will now oversee its integrated digital video content offering, as well as the scaling up of its content marketing and platforms client base.
The 120 Media Collective founder and CEO Roopak Saluja said, “As The 120 Media Collective moves into its next phase of growth, where creating content for business impact is our holy grail, it is imperative to allocate responsibility and build accountability across the group. Kaizad has been an exemplary partner to me and has led JITB to new heights since he came on board in 2016. Rishi and Praveen have proven their ability to inspire teams and get stuff done, allowing us to deliver the level of output that has come to be expected of us over time. This year has already been one of great momentum for 120MC, with new client acquisitions across financial services, healthcare and our traditional stronghold, FMCG. We have set lofty goals for ourselves for 2020 and these developments will take us a few steps closer in achieving them.”
Integrated Operations associate director Rishi Sen has been promoted to chief of staff at The 120 Media Collective. Aside from leading traffic and internal operations, his new role entails working closely with Saluja and Pardiwalla to manage growth and innovation, strategic partnerships and corporate communications. Sen comes with 11 years of experience in media, events and advertising and has been at The 120 Media Collective for four years.
Associate creative director Praveen Nair has been promoted to creative director, Jack in the Box Worldwide. Prior to JITB, Nair helmed the creative teams at Isobar and Grey Digital. Through his career, he has worked on multiple award winning campaigns on brands like Bournvita, Volkswagen and Tata Motors, to name a few. He will now lead JITB’s copy and social media teams, driving excellence across all of its clients.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
