MAM
Ayush Shukla to make his debut at Cannes Red Carpet
Mumbai: At the age of 24, Ayush Shukla, the founder of the creative agency Finnet Media, will make his red carpet debut at the Festival De Cannes, making history as the youngest creator economy entrepreneur.
The pandemic gave birth to Finnet Media in 2021. The journey started with just two creators in the year 2021 to currently managing India’s finance and infotainment creators of India like Sharan Hegde, Anushka Rathod, Think School, Shreyaa Kapoor, to name a few, and have collaborated with over 1000 creators and established partnerships with more than 300 brands.
Reflecting on his upcoming appearance at Cannes Film Festival, Shukla said, “It’s truly humbling to represent the creator economy and our country on the global stage of Cannes. This journey is not just about personal achievements but about showcasing the incredible talent and potential that India holds. We at Finnet Media feel very proud and blessed that one of our talents, Sharan Hegde is honouring the stage. I never envisioned, hailing from a tier 3 city, that I would one day attend such a renowned global festival like Cannes. I am deeply honoured to play a small part in promoting our rich cinematic heritage and fostering meaningful connections with fellow creators and industry leaders.”
In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, Ayush is known for his efforts behind the scenes, working tirelessly to bring creators into the spotlight and amplify their voices. He also runs a podcast “Restless”, featuring insightful conversations with industry stalwarts such as Anupam Kher, Anupam Mittal, Aman Gupta, and more, further contributing to the dialogue surrounding Indian cinema and entrepreneurship.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
