MAM
Dentsu International launches sports marketing unit in India
New Delhi: Dentsu International on Monday announced the launch of its sports marketing unit in India.
Born out of the Dentsu Group, one of the world’s largest marketing communications companies, the new unit will function under DSAsia in India. It will operate with 200+ people across the globe in the US, UK, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. Headquartered from Japan, it will serve as the rights holders from the world of sports including federations, leagues, events, teams, publishers, and venues, said the agency in a statement.
Former cricketer Anand Yalvigi was named as the director of this new vertical for India. In his new role, Yalvigi will report to Dentsu International, Media Brands, COO, Haresh Nayak.
Armed with nearly two decades of experience in Sports marketing, Yalvigi is a former Ranji player, who also played for Mumbai and Karnataka. He has successfully launched and worked with multiple sports management companies including Ignite Sports, Havas Sports, Network Sports and Nimbus. He was also instrumental in setting up the Kochi IPL team and has been persistently involved in the designing of unique sports concepts for various brands with an affinity toward cricket – his core domain.
Talking about his new role, Yalvigi said, “Our expertise shall lie in providing a unique sports marketing solution for a brand that breaks the clutter. I am sure it will be an exciting second innings for me to work with such a large group like dentsu. With the vast network of clients and our multifold services in-house at dentsu, the plan is to create unique sports concepts for various brands. Our vast range of services shall include Sports Consultancy, In-stadia Advertising, Brand Activations, Talent management, Leadership program, Corporate Sports Events, Sports Education, CSR and Team Sponsorships.”
Commenting on Anand’s appointment, COO Dentsu International, Media Brands, Haresh Nayak said, “The launch of Dentsu India/Dentsu Sports Asia unit will harness the power of sports via its commercial and creative capabilities to bring meaningful marketing solutions and experiences for brands. I am thrilled that Anand has joined us; he has an impressive track record. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to steer our business to greater heights.”
The launch is supported by Tokyo-based Dentsu Sports International (DSI), and Dentsu Sports Asia (DSAsia), Singapore. For the record, DSI and DSAsia are global agencies that harness the power of sports to impact human behaviour through meaningful marketing solutions and experiences. DSI leverages deep insights and its network of seasoned, team members to establish powerful connections between sports properties and brands.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
