MAM
Ashwani Singla elected to the global executive council of IPRN
Mumbai: Ashwani Singla, Founding Managing Partner of Astrum, India’s first specialist reputation management advisory that uses science to understand and shape public opinion ethically has been unanimously elected to a five-member global executive council (GEC) and assumes the role of the regional chair for the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region at IPRNs AGM held in Puerto Rico recently. International Public Relations Network (IPRN), is the world’s largest and most well-established network of independent public relations firms, with its members present in over 100 major cities in 30 countries across five continents.
This appointment stands as a clear testament to Ashwani’s standing as a science-based public relations, public affairs and crisis communications expert in India and the region. Prior to founding Astrum, he served as the Asia MD at PSB Research and CEO of Genesis Burson Marsteller and a member of the Asia Pacific Board of Burson-Marsteller (now known as BCW). He was deeply involved with establishing the India Chapter of IABC founding the PRCAI and organised the first global conference of ICCO held in India in 2006 that has been the benchmark for subsequent conferences. His continued involvement on the advisory boards of various companies further underscores his diverse expertise.
IPRN president Rodrigo Viana de Freitas said, “The APAC region hosts some of the fastest growing economies in the world and I am delighted to welcome Ashwani, one of the tallest professionals across the region on the GEC. I look forward to working with him to grow the network and strengthen collaboration amongst members to grow their business.”
Thanking the members and the President for their vote of confidence, Astrum Reputation Advisory founding managing partner Ashwani Singla said, “Clients are looking for bespoke solutions, data-driven intellectual rigour delivered with personal attention, a hallmark of IPRN membership of independent firms led by seasoned professionals. Greater collaboration amongst members drives our collective success and I look forward to working with our president and my GEC colleagues to deliver on this tremendous responsibility bestowed upon me.”
After Puerto Rico In 2023, the next AGM for IPRN is scheduled for November 2024 in Dubai, a testament to the vibrant regional economy and the network’s objectives of fostering global collaboration with deep local insights. Representing other continents in the global executive
Council are Philippe Beck (Europe), Carina Almeida (South America), Grant Wright (North America), and Nicole Capper (South Africa).
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
