MAM
APAC Effie Awards appoints Bhasin & Burge as heads of jury
MUMBAI: Asia Pacific Effie Awards, the region’s symbol of marketing effectiveness excellence, has named the first two heads of jury – Ashish Bhasin and Jean-Paul Burge.
Ashish Bhasin is the chairman & CEO Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia and chairman Posterscope and MKTG – Asia Pacific. He is also a member of the Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific Executive Board. A well-known personality in the Advertising & Media industry in Asia Pacific for the past 29 years, Ashish has built the Dentsu Aegis Network in India from a 50 member team to a 3000 member powerhouse.
Prior to this, Ashish successfully led and set up several of Lintas India’s (IPG) businesses and also had the global role of Executive Vice President, Lowe Worldwide and Asia Regional Director for Integrated Marketing.
His leadership and contributions are apparent from the multiple awards he has received, such as the Campaign Asia – South Asia Agency Head of the Year award 2016 and 2015 and MXM’s Media Person of the Year- 2016. As a veteran in the industry, Ashish has also served on global juries and trade bodies in India.
Ashish shared “It gives me a great opportunity to see some of the best work around the region, across markets as well as to interact with some of the best minds in our business.”
Jean-Paul Burge is the Chairman and CEO of BBDO Asia. Jean-Paul began his career at JWT London in 1998 and joined BBDO in 2004. Over the past seventeen years he has worked in London, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Hong Kong and Singapore.
In 2007 he was appointed as the managing director of BBDO and Proximity Singapore, and was subsequently promoted to Chief Executive Officer in October 2008 and to President South East Asia in 2010. Jean-Paul has led BBDO to become the most awarded network for creativity and for effectiveness in the region, including the APAC Network of the Year in the Effie Global Index. Many of the BBDO Asia offices are also leaders in their respective markets, creating award-winning advertising and brand communications solutions for clients including HP, Exxon, FedEx, Guinness, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, DaimlerChrysler and Fonterra.
“There is no part of our business that is going unchanged, more touch points, more data, less money and more scrutiny on all that can be scrutinised. What does however continue to separate success from failure is effectiveness. Creative work that is not effective is not creative and as we say at BBDO in the absence of great work nothing else matters,” Jean-Paul commented.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
