MAM
“This year’s’ was the best lineup of speakers at Goafest,” Nakul Chopra
MUMBAI: Be it statistics or experience, Goafest 2016 has outdone previous editions by a healthy margin much to the pride of Goafest Organising Committee chairman Nakul Chopra.
“We got lot of feedback on the spot in Goa, and most complimented the speaker sessions. They all also appreciated the leadership summits. For many, this year’s was the best line up of speakers atGoafest. Broadly speaking, the feedback has been good on the whole production of the event as well,” Chopra added.
While on the one hand the likes of Arjuna Ranatunga, Rajdeep Sardesai, Shobha De, Karan Johar, R Balki upped the ante of the celeb factor at the three day conference, international creative geniuses like Benny Thomas, Fergus O’Hare, Tara Marsh, Carter Murray and Jean Lin gave industry insights and look aheads from a mature market perspective.
Looking at logistics and itinerary, “This year was a huge improvement on timings. While last year wasn’t bad either, for this one we managed to stay on time for the most part,” Chopra shared. While day one saw a slight delay at the Abbys, the organisers tried their best to make day two and day three awards nights within enjoyable timings and kept the delays under check.
Speaking about the highlights of the three day Abbys Chopra said, “I am definitely happy about Publicis’ performance at the Abbys. We have won several metals for meaningful work and that makes me proud of the team.
Between several small and big tweaks, the organising committee did manage to address several logistical and experiential issues, and introduced a fresh fervour to the advertising festival. “We tried introducing Wifi for all at the venues and the Goafest 2016 app kept everyone tuned in with the proceedings of the day, those inside the auditorium or outside on the lawn alike. The innovations were a huge success and we plan to work and make it even better for the coming year as well.”
Going by sheer numbers, Goafest outweighed its predecessors fairly well. “The total number of organisations who participated, either through their delegates or through their entries in the creative Abbys has gone over 350 this year, which is saying something,” revealed Chopra..
This year also saw the biggest number of sponsors for the advertising festival. While this couldn’t be confirmed, the very obvious branding on display for various media showcased the collective interest in making the festival more interactive and fun. Starting from the Times Network branding at the entrance to the several fun booths that TLC, ABP Live, Magic Bricks Now, Movies Now Plus, and ZOOM etc., set up across the festival, the sponsors truly livened up the three days in creative and interactive ways.
Given the successful execution of this year’s Goafest, the bar is definitely set higher for next year. Chopra however is optimistic that this ‘ By the fraternity, of the fraternity and for the fraternity’ festival will only get bigger and better in years to come.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
