MAM
AFAA brings back Fast Track Professional Excellence Program
MUMBAI: The Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA), of which Advertising Council of India (A Division of STACA Trust) is a member, had commissioned a unique initiative last year called Fast Track Professional Excellence Program. It is a 30-hour skills improvement certification program, held in Malaysia. In its second year, the program this year will be held between 11 and 13 July 2014.
Fast Track Professional Excellence Program was designed with an aim to support the up-and-coming-stars of the industry in their growth. The Program empowers young professionals (below 35 years) from the advertising and marketing fields with the necessary skills to excel in their respective professions. This year too, The Standing Committee on Advertising (STACA) will be defraying substantial part of the expenses to send 4-6 young professionals for this program. It’s an expression of STACA’s and ACI’s commitment to the industry in India.
Commenting on the initiative, AFAA chairman Pradeep Guha said, “Post a successful pilot event in 2013, this three-day intensive residential Fast Track programme is back to guide young professionals to re-connect with their passion for the industry, and develop resilience, empowerment and leadership that will anchor them as they face the challenges ahead. I hope young marketing and advertising professionals will grab this opportunity to put their careers on the fast track.”
Young professionals can apply for the Fast Track Program sponsorship by writing an article about the problems face by their industry and also the possible solutions for these problems. The article (not more than 75 words) along with their brief profile (age, valid passport number, jobs details, etc.) should be sent out before 3 June 2014.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
