MAM
Paytm Insider elevates Varun Khare to COO
Mumbai: Paytm Insider, one of India’s leading entertainment experiences platforms, announced the elevation of Varun Khare to chief operating officer (COO). In his new role, Varun will lead the company’s operational strategies, driving growth and innovation across all facets of the business.
Having been with the organisation for four years, Varun as the business head showcased exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the evolving needs of the customers and partners. Under his management, Paytm Insider witnessed over 100 per cent growth in GMV each year over the last two years whilst quadrupling the revenue in the last two years. With a clear understanding of the brand’s vision and the need to build the event’s infrastructure in India, Varun was instrumental in making significant inroads into tier two and three markets by collaborating with artists, organisers, and promoters to enhance live event experiences.
Before joining Paytm Insider, Varun worked with Fountainhead MKTG and eventually Oranjuice Entertainment. With a robust background spanning 17 years in the live events and entertainment industry, he specialises in meticulously crafting and executing intellectual properties (IPs).
Talking about his new position, Paytm Insider COO Varun Khare said, “When I moved to Paytm Insider, the intention was to scale up and work with a brand whose value system and culture resonated with mine. Working with a team of 150 exceptionally talented individuals and earning their respect has been one of the most gratifying and significant achievements of my career. We have successfully expanded to over 170 cities having reached a diverse customer base across genres making my journey both challenging and rewarding.”
He further added, “I am grateful to all the passionate people who have been a part of my journey. I am looking forward to this new phase. We’ve only just gotten started and have put ourselves in a great position to make live entertainment the preferred choice of entertainment across the country.”
Talking about Varun’s promotion, Paytm Insider founder & CEO Shreyas Srinivasan expressed, “Paytm Insider was founded with the vision of making events a preferred choice for entertainment in India. Over the last five years we have built a full-fledged platform that supports organisers with a range of services that spans ticketing, sponsorship, artist booking, marketing and more. Varun has been instrumental in this build-out, his vast experience across all aspects of organising an event has allowed us to build a platform which will champion events and organisers across this country. I am super confident that this team has the right mix to make Insider the dominant events platform in India.”
Digital
Kausik Misra joins BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president- strategy
Content veteran from Zee to steer strategy at independent agency
MUMBAI: Kausik Misra is switching from prime-time hits to brand playbooks. The former non-fiction content head at Zee Entertainment Enterprises has joined BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president–strategy, as agencies race to pair storytelling with hard business outcomes.
Announced in Mumbai, the hire adds a 15-year content and marketing hand to BigTrunk’s leadership as it courts brands seeking cultural relevance and measurable returns. Misra spent years shaping tentpole shows on Zee TV, helping build franchises such as Dance India Dance, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Zee Rishtey Awards and Zee Cine Awards, and pushing them across television and digital ecosystems.
At BigTrunk, he is expected to tighten strategic planning, deepen audience insight and refine narrative frameworks for clients chasing long-term brand equity. Misra pitches the move as a chance to blend consumer insight, storytelling and commercial discipline in one shop.
Founder and ceo Akhil Nair is betting on content DNA to fuel growth, arguing that brands now demand culture-literate strategy, not just media weight.
Founded in 2013, the agency operates from Delhi and Bangalore, with outposts in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Its client roster ranges from Warner Bros. and H&R Johnson to Unibic Foods, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited, ORRA Jewellery, Saraswat Bank and Discovery Kids.
As brands hunt attention in a crowded market, agencies are raiding the content world for talent. Misra’s bet is that sharp stories still sell—and that strategy, like television, is a game of hits.
