MAM
Grapes appoints Akshay Bhatla as VP of growth
Mumbai: Grapes, one of the leading integrated communication agency has appointed Akshay Bhatla as vice president of growth for SEO and organic verticals.
At Grapes, he will take the helm of the organic vertical, where he will oversee a diverse array of functions including SEO, ASO, ORM, CRM, and advanced analytics across multiple geographies. His leadership will be pivotal in driving the exponential growth of Grapes organic department growth.
Akshay has more than a decade of experience and in his previous stint, he served as vice president of growth & marketing at EQL Fintech where he led digital marketing, user growth and retention, product marketing, etc. Prior to this, he worked with some renowned brands like Times Internet, Meesho, Zee Media, Dainik Bhaskar and Augnito, to name a few. As a VP of growth, he will oversee the SEO and organic strategy, will align various initiatives and enable his digital capabilities to support growth at Grapes.
Grapes founder and CEO Shradha Agarwal commented, “In today’s landscape, digital offers multiple services bringing from Tech, SEO, Growth, Creative, PR and it’s challenging to streamline the process in same growth. Whereas, clients seek a one-stop solution that comprehensively understands these services and seamlessly integrates them to develop a robust long-term strategy. With Akshay Bhatla on board, we aim to establish multiple strong verticals capable of leading each client’s specific priorities, while being connected to the overall brand and business objective, remaining aligned with the overarching strategic marketing approach that grapes offer.”
Grapes’ VP – growth Akshay Bhatla commented, “I am honored to be a part of such a great organization. Grapes has been integral in blazing the digital marketing trail for the industry on a large scale, and it’s incredibly exciting to be a part of this team. As I take this opportunity to deliver winning growth strategies that enrich the customer experience across the board, I look forward to cherishing this industry-leading work as head of SEO and other organic channels.”
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.
