MAM
Alex Lubar exits DDB, steps in as Fundamentalco CEO
MUMBAI: Alex Lubar has stepped down as global CEO of DDB to take the helm at Fundamentalco, marking a fresh chapter in one of advertising’s most dynamic leadership journeys. He joins founder Jonny Bauer and what he calls “an immensely talented team” at a company he describes as “a truly unique operation that understands the power of brand-led value creation.”
In a warm message to his former colleagues, Lubar thanked the global DDB network for “the unbelievable community” he had the privilege of leading over the past two years. “Your creative genius is only outmatched by your collective grace,” he said.
Lubar’s move caps a career defined by steady ascent across some of the world’s most influential agencies. Before joining Fundamentalco in November 2025, he spent more than three years at DDB, serving first as global president and COO and later as global CEO.
His earlier chapter at McCann Worldgroup saw him rotate through major leadership roles, president of McCann North America, president of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific, CEO of McCann London, and global chief marketing officer. Prior to McCann, he sharpened his strategic and new-business skills at Grey, Bartle Bogle Hegarty, The Ad Store, and Rapp Collins Worldwide.
Lubar now steps into a role that gives him space to rethink, rebuild and reimagine. With a career shaped by bold choices and big impact, his next act at Fundamentalco looks set to be every bit as interesting as the ones before it.
Brands
Aoneha Tagore gets into entrepreneurship with Collabor8 launch
Former Spotify India editorial head sets up firm focused on long-term brand and fandom building
MUMBAI: Aoneha Tagore is stepping out of streaming and into entrepreneurship, launching artist management and brand advisory firm Collabor8 with a clear pitch: manage musicians for careers, not just campaigns.
The former head of editorial at Spotify India has positioned the venture as a response to an industry still wired to short-term release cycles even as artists double up as cultural voices and community builders. Founded in late 2025, Collabor8 is built around longer-horizon planning, narrative shaping and career development.
Its offering spans music strategy, public relations, social media, content direction, brand partnerships, monetisation and positioning. The bundle sits under what the firm calls “Music Surround Services”, designed to align creative output with bigger career goals and market positioning.
Tagore brings more than two decades of experience across radio, television and digital. Her track record runs through WorldSpace Satellite Radio, Fever FM, Oye FM, Radio City, 9X Network, MTV and VH1, alongside work on the launch of MTV Beats. Most recently, she oversaw playlist strategy and artist programming at Spotify India during a period of rapid growth for the platform.
At Collabor8, artist management is framed as brand stewardship. The firm says it follows a people-first, insight-led model that privileges narrative clarity, fandom development and durable growth over momentary spikes in visibility. It works with emerging, scaling and established artists, tailoring playbooks to individual ambitions.
The agency has already signed a mix of upcoming and established acts and plans to keep its gaze on career planning beyond conventional release calendars.
Explaining the move, Tagore said:
“Artists today are not just releasing music, they’re shaping culture, building communities and initiating conversations. Yet much of the ecosystem still manages them for the next release or moment. Collabor8 was created to help artists articulate their vision, how they want to be seen, heard and remembered but most importantly, build meaningful narratives around their brand identity. Our focus is on building scale, longevity and fandom for music artists, not fleeting visibility.”
As the artist economy matures, Collabor8 is pitching itself as a partner for strategic, sustainable and authentic careers. The wager is simple: in a crowded market, the artists who last will be those built like brands. Collabor8 wants to be in the engine room when that happens.
