MAM
Bayer names MediaCom as its global media agency
Mumbai: Bayer has named WPP’s MediaCom as its global full-service media agency. MediaCom global client president and Team Bayer lead at WPP Costin Mihaila will head up the account, with full handover in the markets new to the agency taking place as of 1 January 2022. The pitch process was managed by MediaSense.
The agency network will contribute to driving Bayer’s modernised marketing strategy, with best-in-class data and content integration as a key driver for business growth. The agency will also support the German multinational pharmaceutical company’s ongoing commitment to ‘Media For Good’, ensuring that both companies continue to develop their initiatives and leadership in I&D, sustainability, and brand communications suitability, said the statement.
MediaCom will fully leverage WPP’s Choreograph to deliver the expertise and insight required for Bayer to lead the industry in the critical area of data-driven marketing, it added.
“The agency proved that it shares our vision and commitment to create a customised data-focused solution that will help us deliver on our ‘media for growth’ ambition whilst also exceeding on its sustainability commitment and media for good vision,” said Bayer chief marketing & digital officer Patricia Corsi. “I am confident that together we will realise our ambition to be the best in our industry. While congratulating MediaCom I would like to also take this opportunity to recognise and appreciate the three partners involved in the review process for their professionalism, commitment and shared values with Bayer.”
MediaCom previously worked with Bayer across 65 markets, but this consolidation will add crucial markets such as Germany, China, and Russia to its remit and ensure further synergies for both companies. Consolidating the global business for the first time will also deliver enhanced best practice sharing, simpler ways of working, as well as consistency of approach, improved data, and reporting.
“I’m thrilled that we have built on our existing strong relationship with Bayer. We are now in a solid position to deliver a step-change in media thinking and activation that drives growth and celebrates the good that the company’s brands provide,” said MediaCom global CEO Nick Lawson. “Our new working relationship will enable us to see the bigger picture for Bayer and deliver smarter, more personalised, and relevant messages across the business.”
MAM
Raghu Rai passes away at 83, leaves behind iconic legacy
Padma Shri-winning photographer documented history across 5 decades.
MUMBAI: The lens may have stilled, but the stories it captured will never fade. Raghu Rai, one of India’s most celebrated photojournalists, passed away on April 26, 2026, at the age of 83. He breathed his last at a private hospital in New Delhi after battling cancer and age-related health issues.
His son, Nitin Rai, revealed that Rai had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago, which later spread to the stomach and, more recently, the brain. Despite multiple rounds of treatment, his health had declined in recent months.
Born in 1942 in Jhang, Punjab (now in Pakistan), Rai entered photography in his early twenties, inspired by his elder brother, photographer S. Paul. Beginning his career in the mid-1960s, he went on to build a body of work that spanned more than five decades, contributing to global publications such as Time, Life, GEO, Le Figaro, The New York Times, Vogue, GQ and Marie Claire.
His global recognition took a decisive leap in 1977 when legendary French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson nominated him to join Magnum Photos, placing him among the world’s most respected visual storytellers.
Rai’s lens chronicled both power and poignancy. He photographed towering figures such as Indira Gandhi, Dalai Lama, Bal Thackeray, Satyajit Ray and Mother Teresa, while also documenting defining moments like the Bhopal gas tragedy later captured in his book Exposure: A Corporate Crime.
Over the years, he published more than 18 books, building an archive that blended journalism with artistry. His contributions were recognised early when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972 for his coverage of the Bangladesh War and refugee crisis. In 1992, he was named “Photographer of the Year” in the United States for his work in National Geographic, and in 2009, he was honoured with the Officier des Arts et des Lettres by the French government.
Rai is survived by his wife Gurmeet, son Nitin, and daughters Lagan, Avani and Purvai. His last rites will be held at Lodhi Cremation Ground in New Delhi at 4 pm on Sunday.
With his passing, Indian photojournalism loses not just a pioneer, but a patient observer of history, one frame at a time.
