Brands
Amazon appoints Menka Asrani as lead studio
To drive branded content for Prime Video within Amazon Ads ecosystem
MUMBAI: Amazon has appointed Menka Asrani as lead studio, strengthening its branded content ambitions within the Amazon Ads ecosystem for its OTT platform.
Asrani announced the move, saying she will lead branded content initiatives that bring together storytelling, brand partnerships and audience-first thinking. “This role brings together storytelling, brand partnerships and audience-first thinking—areas I’ve been deeply passionate about throughout my career,” she shared, adding that she looks forward to building content solutions that forge stronger connections between brands and audiences in the premium digital entertainment space.
She also expressed gratitude to Gulshan Verma for the opportunity and said she is eager to collaborate with the team to shape brand storytelling at scale.
Asrani joins Amazon after a year at Collective Artists Network, where she served as head brand solutions – BigBang.Social. Prior to that, she spent over three years at Viacom18 Media Private Limited, leading branded content creative for digital ventures at JioCinema’s entertainment vertical.
Her earlier stint as head of sales strategy and brand solutions at Zee5 saw her drive data-led content solutions and revenue strategies across digital and tv+. She has also held brand solutions roles at The Walt Disney Company, Bloomberg TV India and DB Corp Ltd., building intellectual properties and multi-platform brand partnerships.
Across her career, Asrani has produced and shaped high-impact branded properties and original formats. These include the L’Oréal Professional Indian Hairdressing Awards, an original hairstyling reality series featuring filmmaker Karan Johar as a judge, the anthology Saath By Chance on JioCinema, and Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films’ Select Films Select Conversations.
With over a decade of experience spanning print, television and digital, Asrani brings a rare mix of creative instinct and commercial acumen. At Amazon, that blend is expected to power branded storytelling that feels less like advertising and more like entertainment audiences choose to watch.
Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
