MAM
Commonwealth chess championships from 20 April
MUMBAI: The Commonwealth Chess Championships along with the International Open Chess Tournament will be held in Mumbai at the Tulip Star Hotel in Juhu from 20-27 April. Doordarshan will air the crucial matches live.
In addition, the live webcast will take place on the Commonwealth Chess Championship site. Word will be spread across prominent chess sites about the event. The Union Bank of India is one of the associate sponsors. The Maharashtra Chess Association (MCA) chairman RM Dongre said that a title sponsor is expected to be found within the next three days.
As reported a couple of months ago by indiantelevision.com over 30 grandmasters and 50 international masters will participate. The opening event, which takes place on 19 April, sees 15-year old Koneru Humpi playing games at the same time with 20
players. She gets a shot at both the women’s as well as men’s Commonwealth title.
Another major attraction is eight-year old prodigy Prasanna Rao. He had 11 wins in as many games at last year’s Bournvita Chess Championship’s under eight for boys.
In order to boost interest among school kids in the city the event will have under 8, 10, 12,14,16 and under 19 categories. The ten rounds take place in the morning from 9-1 pm and 2-6 pm in the evening. Grandmasters participating include Uzbekistan champion
Ruslan Kasimdzhanov, Maharshtra’s Abhijit Kunte, Indian veteran Pravin Thipsay.
The prize money for the entire tournament is Rs 500,000 and the winner will get Rs 1,25,000. The Venus Chess Academy, which is affiliated to the All India Chess Federation is organising the event. The academy has acquired 2000 square feet space in Juhu and will start coaching for kids below the age of 15 from 14 April.
MAM
WPP appoints Mark Taylor as chief people officer in leadership reshuffle
Marie-Claire Barker moves to culture role as Cindy Rose builds new team
MUMBAI: WPP has appointed Mark Taylor as its new chief people officer, bringing in a seasoned HR leader as part of a broader leadership reshuffle under chief executive Cindy Rose, according to media reports.
Taylor succeeds Marie-Claire Barker, who will transition into a specialised role focused on performance and culture, reporting to him. The move is seen as part of WPP’s effort to sharpen its organisational structure and align talent strategy with its transformation agenda.
With more than three decades of experience, Taylor brings a diverse track record across industries including pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, retail and digital entertainment. He most recently served as chief people advisor at The LEGO Group, where he worked closely with top leadership on board and executive appointments, governance and organisational strategy.
Prior to that, he held senior HR leadership roles at Burberry and King, where he played a key role in organisational transformation and integration efforts, including the company’s alignment with Activision Blizzard. Earlier in his career, Taylor also worked with Kimberly-Clark and GlaxoSmithKline.
His cross-sector experience is expected to support WPP’s three-year ‘Elevate 28’ turnaround plan, which focuses on simplifying operations, strengthening capabilities and driving sustainable growth.
The appointment marks the second major leadership hire under Rose in a week. Recently, WPP named Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer, bringing in additional firepower to execute its strategic overhaul. Choueiri previously held a senior transformation role at Estée Lauder Companies.
The leadership changes signal a clear push by WPP to blend experience with transformation as it navigates a rapidly evolving advertising landscape. With Taylor now steering the people agenda, the company appears focused on ensuring its talent strategy keeps pace with its broader ambitions.
