MAM
Bilal Khiyani joins Omnicom Media as senior business director
Marketing veteran brings data-driven expertise from Publicis and Starcom.
MUMBAI: Bilal Khiyani just switched agencies faster than a viral campaign because when your career trajectory is this sharp, even the job title needs an upgrade. Bilal Khiyani (BK) has been appointed senior business director at Omnicom Media, marking a significant leadership move in his journey through India’s marketing and media landscape.
Before joining Omnicom, Khiyani spent over four years at Publicis Groupe, where he rose through key roles including Groupe Solutions director, planning director and associate director. He led high-stakes initiatives such as the Unilever pitch and managed luxury beauty portfolios for brands including YSL, Kiehl’s, Lancôme and Armani Beauty, while also handling Mondelez categories across Malaysia and Singapore. His work focused on data-driven strategy, GenAI innovation and integrated marketing that consistently drove business growth.
Earlier, he advanced at Starcom from management trainee to senior manager planning, leading major accounts such as Procter & Gamble, Royal FrieslandCampina, Kia and Visa with strong emphasis on data-led media strategies and IMC planning. He has also contributed as Visiting Faculty at Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology and as Master Trainer with Beyond The Classroom Education, after starting his career at Skyrise Construction and Hive Social Media Marketing Agency.
The appointment strengthens Omnicom Media’s leadership bench with Khiyani’s proven track record in scaling brands, navigating complex markets and blending creativity with measurable results.
In an industry where momentum is everything, Khiyani isn’t just changing desks, he’s bringing the kind of velocity that turns good campaigns into great ones, one strategic move at a time.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
