ITV News
Think9 acquires Whoppl, launches Nova9 for culture-led marketing
New unit blends creators, strategy and data to power fast-moving brand stories
MUMBAI: Think9 has acquired digital-first marketing firm Whoppl, marking a decisive step in its push to build culture-led, future-ready brands. The deal also signals the launch of Nova9, a new unit designed to help brands move at the speed of the internet with high-velocity storytelling systems.
Founded by Ashni Biyani, Avni Biyani, and Santosh Desai, Think9 is bringing together Whoppl’s creator-first approach with its own brand-building expertise. The result is Nova9, positioned as a cultural intelligence and storytelling engine aimed at navigating today’s fragmented and fast-shifting digital landscape.
Nova9 plans to operate at the intersection of creativity and data, combining strategic planning, meme fluency, cinematic storytelling, platform-native thinking and real-time analytics. The ambition is clear: to help brands behave less like advertisers and more like media companies that respond quickly to culture, communities and conversations.
Think9 Consumer Technologies co-founder and Futurebrands India CEO Santosh Desai, said the move reflects a broader shift in marketing. Brands, he noted, are moving away from one-off campaigns towards continuous, culture-led narratives that live and evolve across platforms.
The new unit will also scale its capabilities by hiring across disciplines, from cultural strategists and creative storytellers to meme specialists, community managers and ai-focused data analysts. The idea is to build teams that can decode cultural signals and turn them into stories that travel.
For Whoppl, founded in 2019 by Ramya Ramachandran, the partnership offers a chance to amplify what it already does best. Known for its work in content creation, influencer marketing and social commerce, the company has built a creator-powered ecosystem tailored for a more participative internet.
Whoppl founder and CEO Ramya Ramachandran, said brands today win attention not by broadcasting messages, but by creating stories people want to engage with, remix and share. With Nova9, she added, the aim is to scale that philosophy into a full-fledged storytelling engine.
Nova9 will also work closely with The Foundery, Think9’s platform that connects founders, operators and investors to build new-age consumer brands. With Ramachandran set to play a central leadership role, the unit is expected to act as a bridge between traditional brand-building and emerging, internet-led business models.
Together, the move positions Think9 to tap into a new marketing reality, one where relevance is earned in real time and storytelling is as much about participation as it is about persuasion.
ITV News
Policybazaar CEO Tarun Mathur steps down
Sajja Praveen Chowdary named successor as insurance platform reshuffles leadership.
MUMBAI: Tarun Mathur has decided to close his policy at Policybazaar after years of steering the insurance aggregator. Policybazaar has announced that Tarun Mathur has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer and Principal Officer of the company, a wholly owned subsidiary of PB Fintech. Sajja Praveen Chowdary will take over as the new CEO and will also serve as whole-time director.
Chowdary, who joined the PB Fintech Group in 2011, has held leadership roles across multiple verticals. He currently heads “Policybazaar for Business,” the corporate and SME insurance and reinsurance arm. Under his leadership, this segment has grown into one of the fastest-expanding business insurance brokers in India and is positioning itself as a one-stop destination for such products.
A marketing professional with over 17 years of experience, Chowdary brings expertise in business management, product and technology management, business development, and project management in the e-commerce space.
Tarun Mathur began his career at HeroITES and later worked with ebookers and FE Global Technology Services. He joined Policybazaar as a co-founder and associate director of business development.
The leadership change comes as Policybazaar continues to strengthen its position in both retail and business insurance segments in a highly competitive market.
In the fast-paced world of insurtech, where policies change hands as quickly as premiums, Policybazaar has handed the baton to a long-time insider. With Chowdary at the wheel, the company appears well-positioned to keep its growth momentum rolling.
