MAM
Aim to balance short term goals with long term vision: Cheil India’s new CSO Sourav Ray
New Delhi: Transitioning into a new role amidst a global pandemic is a doubly challenging responsibility. Still, for Cheil India’s recently appointed chief strategy officer Sourav Ray it is the most exciting part about his move.
In an exclusive conversation with Indiantelevision.com, Ray shared, “What we have been experiencing in the recent past is that the strategy and strategists are increasingly gaining more importance both from a client and agency perspective. Clients understand that the old ways are not going to help them navigate this new normal, and they are more open to and interested in working with a strategist.”
He adds that it creates a positive environment for the strategists as clients are more open to take risks and try out new things.
“Earlier, the role of strategist was mostly limited to upper-funnel communication with the clients, but now, they are equally involved in lower-funnel conversations too. So, now we are looking at not just creating awareness and interest but also help in driving the purchases too,” he elaborated.
For Ray, the first item on his agenda in this new role is to drive commerce for the agency and clients. “Given the situation, each industry is dealing with the same question, where to get the business from? Every discussion with clients, no matter if it is about building brand awareness or exploring ways to sell; whether it’s through e-commerce or omnichannel experience, or introducing new platforms, the core of each conversation is business.”
However, while dealing with this short-term crisis, Ray is not losing view of long-term goals for the agency.
“The best thing about Cheil is that we keep having conversations about our long-term plans so that nothing just happens and impacts us. We are always prepared for whatever is coming. Right now, I aim to balance the short-term vision with the long-term goals, drive acceleration for ourselves and the clients.”
He wrapped the conversation by saying, “Change is going to be the only constant for us at Cheil; sometimes, the speed of the change will be furious like it is right now, sometimes it is going to be slower.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
