MAM
AVOW onboards Sandeep Negi as associate director of sales, India
MUMBAI: Mobile OEM user acquisition specialist, AVOW has appointed Sandeep Negi as its new associate director of sales, India. Negi will lead all of AVOW’s business development initiatives in the country as part of the company’s domestic expansion plans while positioning AVOW as a household name in the mobile OEM marketing ecosystem in the region. He will operate out of AVOW’s branch office in Bengaluru, and become its fifth member in this local office.
Negi joins the company with 10-plus years of experience cutting across the agency, mobile, and online advertising arenas, with an extensive focus on international business development and global growth strategies. Prior to this, Negi had successful stints across some of India’s leading media companies, including Bennett Coleman and Co. (Times Group), Star TV Network (now part of Disney), and 9X Media. In his previous roles, Negi has played a pivotal role in assisting some of India’s most prominent players in the mobile app industry to access new markets & significantly scale their revenues.
Speaking on the new appointment, AVOW co-founder Ashwin Shekhar said, “We are pleased to have Sandeep on board in the senior management team. AVOW is on a hyper-growth path in the mobile OEM marketing space. Within a short period of two years since entering the Indian market, AVOW has serviced many leading industry players such as Amazon Prime, Navi, upGrad, Byju’s, Matrimony.com, MPL, and WazirX, among many others, offering incremental user growth and engagement for their mobile apps.”
“In line with our growth plans, we needed an experienced top management muscle to drive our expansion plans aggressively in India. Sandeep’s in-depth industry experience in business development, strategy, and strong expertise in driving growth are great value additions to AVOW and our team. He will play an important role in our efforts to educate mobile marketers and app developers about the benefits of mobile OEMs when integrated into their mobile marketing mix,” he added.
In his new role at AVOW, Negi said, “AVOW’s one-stop solution for mobile OEM aggregation is steadily growing its presence in the mobile app ecosystem in India. Strengthening the company’s status as the most viable and lucrative advertising alternative to traditional play stores will be on top of my agenda. We are witnessing an increased interest from players within the financial, health, edutech, gaming, and m-commerce sectors in this market.”
“Our aim will be to provide mobile app companies with a unique opportunity to access untapped mobile advertising inventory at scale and deliver a powerful consulting service by advising on how mobile marketers and app developers can best invest their marketing mix across alternative advertising channels for incremental user growth and engagement. I am delighted to be a part of AVOW’s growth trajectory in India and to be able to contribute to its mission,” he further said.
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.
