MAM
Deepraj Hegde joins Publicis Groupe as SVP, strategic solutions
Data-led marketer takes on growth mandate, blending analytics and creativity
MUMBAI: Deepraj Hegde has joined Publicis Groupe as senior vice president, strategic solutions, marking a return to the fast lane after a brief career break.
In his new role, Hegde will be tasked with driving strategic growth, sharpening data-driven marketing capabilities, and deepening client partnerships across the organisation. His mandate centres on blending analytics, consumer insight and digital innovation to deliver measurable business outcomes in an increasingly competitive landscape.
“Thrilled to join Publicis Groupe as senior vice president, strategic solutions. Looking forward to working with brilliant people as we turn data, creativity, and strategy into measurable outcomes. Let’s make great work together,” Hegde said in a statement.
Hegde brings over a decade of experience across data, analytics and digital strategy. Most recently, he served as chief strategy officer at Ethinos, where he led strategic frameworks to drive client acquisition and revenue growth, while also building proprietary tools such as a brand positioning study and a digital asset valuator. He also represented the company at industry forums hosted by Google and Meta.
Prior to that, he was head of customer success and consumer insights at Ethinos, and earlier spent over six years at MediaCom, where he worked across roles including senior business director and business director, insights and analytics. There, he focused on social intelligence, business intelligence solutions and data-led campaign optimisation.
His career also includes stints at Everymedia Technologies as VP strategy and analytics, and at Hansa Cequity, where he handled analytics, campaign strategy and client delivery for major accounts. He began his journey in business intelligence roles at Hungama and Robust Designs.
With a career rooted in data but shaped by creativity, Hegde’s move signals Publicis Groupe’s continued push to fuse insight with impact as brands chase sharper, faster and more accountable marketing outcomes.
Brands
Kotak buys Deutsche’s India retail business in Rs 45 billion deal
Preferred bidder moves ahead as German lender pares India exposure
MUMBAI: India’s banking chessboard is shifting fast. Kotak Mahindra Bank is set to snap up Deutsche Bank’s India retail business in a deal pegged at about Rs 45 billion ($480.3 million), according to a report by The Economic Times, citing people familiar with the matter.
Kotak, flagged as the preferred bidder over Federal Bank, could seal the transaction as early as next week, though the final price may still be tweaked at closing. Both Kotak Mahindra Bank and Deutsche Bank did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The move underscores Deutsche Bank’s steady retreat from select global retail markets as it sharpens focus and cuts exposure. In India, the exit would cover a retail banking network spanning 17 branches, a modest but strategic footprint in a fiercely competitive market.
The deal fits a broader pattern. In 2022, Citi offloaded its India consumer business for more than $1 billion as it pulled back from global retail. Last year, Standard Chartered sold a $488 million personal loan portfolio in India to Kotak Mahindra Bank, reinforcing Kotak’s appetite for bolt on growth.
Numbers tell their own story. Deutsche Bank’s retail banking revenue in India stood at $278.3 million for the financial year ended March 31, 2025, respectable but not enough to justify long term capital in a market dominated by domestic heavyweights and nimble private lenders.
For Kotak, the acquisition is less about scale and more about sharpening its retail edge, customers, cards and cross sell opportunities bundled into one tidy purchase. For Deutsche, it is another clean cut in a global reshaping.
Deals like this rarely shout. They quietly redraw the map.
