MAM
AdAsia to focus on the uncertainties in the new world
NEW DELHI: About 1500 delegates from India and overseas are expected in the capital early next week for the 27th AdAsia being held in India after a gap of eight years.
Around fifty of the world‘s top experts in the world of marketing, media and advertising will share their wisdom and experiences during the meet being held from 31 October to 3 November at the Taj Palace Hotel.
The meet is being held on the theme of ‘Uncertainty: the new Certainty‘ and will have around 18 sessions on various subjects apart from the grand opening and closing ceremonies. The speakers will include around 45 from overseas.
Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan will inaugurate the meet and the closing will feature PepsiCo chairperson and CEO Indra Nooyi in conversation with Omnicom CEO John Wren.
The last Congress hosted by India was in 2003 in the pink city of Jaipur and was considered a landmark event. AdAsia 2011 is being organised under the aegis of the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA).
The theme “Uncertainty: The New Certainty” underlines the dynamic world that is currently at an inflection point witnessing a realignment of global economic leadership. Post the global meltdown, Asia leads the world on the path of recovery, thus attracting attention from the world over, according to AdAsia 2011 chairman and Mudra Group MD and Group CEO Madhukar Kamath.
The sessions will be conducted by global stalwarts of the corporate, marketing, advertising media and communications community that will explore the business ecosystem and understand the nature of disruption. Time tested tools which have never failed the industry along with new tools, methods, applications and ever booming digital medium will be discussed in detail. The topics have been selected to rouse debates on concerns vital to the marketing, advertising and media fraternity.
Some of the subjects being taken up are: The Game Changers, Creative Asia, Decoding the New Age Consumer, Future of Management, From Chat rooms to Twitter, Media Fragmentation – How to Navigate through traffic?, Disruptive Branding / Away from Herd Marketing, Art of Storytelling in Multi-screen environment, Building Brands in a Trust Deficit World, Global Ethos: Managing Unpredictability across circumstances of Life & Business, The Pursuit of Big Ideas in the Age of Now, and Marketing 3.0 – New rules of Engagement.
Some of the speakers are: A Salman Amin (EVP and CMO, PepsiCo); Chris Thomas (Chairman and CEO of BBDO in Asia, Middle East and Africa & Chairman of Proximity Worldwide); Anna Bernasek (Writer and Journalist); Nitin Paranjpe (CEO & MD, Hindustan Unilever Limited & EVP South Asia, Unilever); Harish Manwani (COO, Unilever); Arvind Rajan (MD and VP of Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) at LinkedIn); Ronda Carnegie (Head of Global Partnerships at TED); Kate Day (Communities Editor, Daily Telegraph Online); Ram Charan (Business Consultant, Speaker and Author); Akira Kagami (Executive Advisor & Global Executive Creative Advisor, Dentsu Inc.); Thirasak Tanapatanakul (Worldwide Chairman, Creative Juice); Duncan Goose (Founder & MD, Global Ethics Limited); Joseph V Tripodi (EVP and chief marketing & commercial officer, The Coca-Cola Company); Kitty Lun (Chairman & CEO, Lowe China); Koichi Yamamoto (GM, Global Solutions Center, Dentsu Inc.); Michael I. Roth (Chairman & CEO, Interpublic); Pankaj Ghemawat (Global Strategist, Professor, Author and Speaker); Irfan Mustafa (Chief Leadership Development Officer, Yum! Brands Inc. & MD, Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Turkey, Yum! Restaurants International); and Piyush Pandey (Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy & Mather India).
Sidelights will include lunches and dinners in specially created sets depicting Indian Royalty, the Streets of Delhi in the Opening Gala dinner, and a Vietnamese evening. Taiwan and Thailand are to pitch to hold the AdAsia 2015.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
