MAM
Amin Lakhani elevated as Mindshare CEO, Parthasarathy Mandayam is GroupM CSO
Mumbai: GroupM, the media investment group of WPP on Tuesday announced the appointment of Parthasarathy Mandayam (Maps) as GroupM South Asia’s chief strategy officer (CSO) and Amin Lakhani, who is elevated to the role of Mindshare South Asia’s chief executive officer (CEO), which was earlier led by Maps.
GroupM continues to invest in its talent, creating a strong leadership pipeline for the future driving the GroupM transformation journey for clients, partners, and internal teams, said the media company in a statement. “Both Maps and Amin have also helped m/SIX, Neo India, and Neo GDS grow significantly and become significant players within the industry,” it added.
“We have witnessed a significant consolidation of existing businesses, with deeper penetration of our new core offerings under their tutelage,” remarked GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar. “Both have been instrumental in strengthening and reinvigorating the agency as it stands today. I have the utmost confidence in their expertise and know that both Maps and Amin will continue to drive innovation and further transformations in their future roles.”
With more than 25 years of experience in the advertising and communication industry, Maps has successfully managed multiple leadership roles in Mindshare – across data, analytics, strategy, client leadership and business unit leadership. Starting his career with Mindshare in 2009 as head of the newly created ‘business planning’ function, he went on to lead the North, East, and South offices. Later as chief product officer, he led specialist teams in driving strategic initiatives and creating bespoke tools that delivered client delight and recognition. He helped create diverse communities and a culture of learning and sharing. He has also been integral to the Mindshare new business powerhouse over the past decade.
The role of GroupM’s chief strategy officer will be to channel data, technology, consumer understanding to chart the growth and transformation agenda. Map’s appointment into the new role is part of the strategy that envisions doubling the focus with a significant shift on new-age technologies, products and offerings that require a transformation of both GroupM and client businesses. He will report to Prasanth Kumar.
“I am extremely grateful to have such an amazing journey at GroupM. I think learning and change have always been a part of my career here. Furthermore, as our offerings become more specialised, we need to ensure synergy and seamless flow of expertise between the various players both internal, WPP and external to get the full benefits of both scale and specialisation,” said Parthasarathy Mandayam on his new role. “As I steer through this journey I will continue to push forward with the growth and transformation agenda to bring in significant synergies between new-age data, technology, consulting, products and offerings for our clients and internal stakeholders.”
Lakhani has more than 20 years of experience in various roles in Mindshare and GroupM. In his previous role as Mindshare South Asia’s chief operating officer, he has been instrumental in driving the best practices and strengthening key client relationships. Earlier in his career as the leader for Mindshare Fulcrum South Asia, he successfully led the integration of the digital business of Unilever in India, leading the team to the most coveted win of a Grand Prix at Cannes.
“We want to build on this existing momentum and drive Mindshare ‘Good Growth’ for our clients,” stated Amin Lakhani. “New age data, technology, creativity, research, consulting, and products will play a major role in this journey. As marketers, we need to take charge and lead this journey for our clients and brands. I am excited for this next phase of my journey.”
Lakhani has extensive cross-functional experience in media, marketing, product management, leading large teams and has worked with various clients like Pepsi, GSK, ICICI, Castrol, HSBC, BYJU’s, Muthoot, Kellogg’s amongst others. He plays an active role in industry bodies like Barc and AAAI. In this new role, he will report to Prasanth Kumar and Mindshare Asia Pacific CEO Helen McRae.
“Both Maps and Amin are distinguished leaders who have brought energy, skill and leadership, to the Mindshare Group over the past few years in office. They have both led the agency with their invaluable expertise bringing immense value for our clients and internal teams,” commented Helen McRae. “Mindshare’s achievements and client success journeys over the last few years narrate the business acumen of both Maps and Amin. I congratulate them both and wish them the very best for their new roles!
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
