MAM
ASCI bats for better inclusion in advertising, to clamp down on discriminating ads
Mumbai: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has updated its code to add greater inclusivity in advertising depictions. The ASCI code already required ads to not deride anyone based on race, caste, creed, gender or nationality. However, new areas of possible discrimination or derision have now been included such as gender identity, sexual orientation, body shape, age, and physical as well as mental conditions.
Advertisements that mock or deride anyone on these bases will now be considered in violation of the ASCI Code. Talking about the changes, ASCI CEO & secretary general Manisha Kapoor said: “We have seen consumers call out ads that mock or deride people, or portray them in unfavourable ways. And it is only right that advertising becomes more inclusive and sensitive to this.”
“It is not acceptable, for example, to associate characteristics such as sluggishness with a certain body shape. Similarly, to deride someone with a physical or mental ailment, or their gender identity would now violate the ASCI code,” she continued.
“With this change, ASCI hopes to ensure that advertising becomes more inclusive and sensitised to all sections of our country, and does not perpetuate certain portrayals that have no place in a progressive society,” Kapoor added further.
The changes to the ASCI code were approved by the board recently. This clause is now updated as part of Chapter 3 about advertisements that cause harm, which reads as follows:
3.1. No advertisement shall be permitted which:
(b) Derides any individual or group based on race, caste, colour, religion, gender, body shape, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental conditions or nationality.
As a future-facing organisation, ASCI works to ensure that its guidelines keep pace with the ever-evolving society, the advertising industry watchdog said in a statement. As consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about unfavourable depictions of certain sections of society, this change ensures that advertising keeps pace with these rightful expectations.
Brands
Boeing appoints Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering function
Seasoned finance leader to steer budgets and strategy across global centres
BENGALURU: Boeing’s finance cockpit has a new pilot, and he is no stranger to turbulence or transformation. Boeing has appointed Barun as head of FP&A for global engineering, placing him at the centre of financial strategy for its worldwide engineering and technology operations.
Based in Bengaluru, Barun steps into a role that is as expansive as it is critical. He will serve as the primary finance lead for Boeing’s Engineering and Technology Centers globally, working closely with executive leadership to shape financial decisions, manage complex budgets, and design scalable finance processes that support the company’s growing engineering footprint.
In a note announcing his move Barun said, “I’m excited to share that I’ve joined Boeing Global Engineering. This opportunity is incredibly meaningful to me not just from a professional standpoint, but also for what Boeing represents globally.” He added that he looks forward to contributing to an organisation that continues to shape the future of aerospace and innovation.
Barun’s mandate spans strategic financial leadership, operational oversight, and stakeholder engagement. From directing large-scale budgets and schedules to influencing long-term organisational goals, the role blends financial discipline with business foresight. He will also lead cross-functional teams and partner with finance colleagues worldwide to support engineering programmes across geographies, including India.
The appointment caps a long stint at Juniper Networks, where Barun spent over a decade, most recently as finance senior manager. There, he led FP&A for global product business units and G&A functions, driving budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning. He also played a key role in enterprise-wide transformation, including spearheading an Oracle to SAP ERP migration and building advanced analytics capabilities using tools such as Tableau and SAP Analytics Cloud.
His earlier career includes finance leadership roles at Sony India Software Centre, Cognizant Technology Solutions, and Mphasis, where he focused on financial planning, governance frameworks, and operational efficiency across global delivery centres.
A chartered accountant from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, Barun brings nearly two decades of experience across financial planning, digital transformation, and analytics-led decision making.
His appointment comes at a time when global engineering operations are becoming increasingly complex and distributed, requiring sharper financial oversight and agile planning. With Barun at the helm of FP&A for engineering, Boeing appears to be tightening its financial playbook as it looks to scale innovation with discipline.
