MAM
Dentsu Webchutney appoints Aalap Desai as senior creative director
MUMBAI: Dentsu Webchutney, the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has appointed Aalap Desai as senior creative director.
He will work closely with Pravin Sutar, executive creative director and they will take charge of the Mumbai creative team. They will report to Nishi Kant, EVP and branch head for Mumbai.
Previously, Desai was a creative partner at Hotstar and has also been a part of the team at Leo Burnett, JWT, DDB Mudra, Ogilvy and Ambience Publicis. He has handled brands like McDonald’s, Complan, HE Deo, Nerolac, Huggies, Rin and more.
Welcoming Desai to the agency, Kant said, “Over the last few years, we have been doing some good work for our biggest brands. Aalap comes in at the right time. His mandate is to keep raising the creative bar and partner with Pravin and me in leading the agency into the new age of creativity. With Aalap’s diverse experience across verticals and mediums coupled with his can-do fire, I foresee happy clients and meaningful partnerships.”
Commenting on his joining Desai said, “A digital narrative for ideas is making campaigns more memorable and relevant. That’s exactly why it’s a great time to join Dentsu Webchutney. The clients are exciting, the work is great and the energy is phenomenal. I’m eager to add to the creative strength in Mumbai and work with Nishi, Pravin and the team here in creating work we’ll all be proud of.”
Brands
Aman Gupta launches new venture OffBeat Studios
Boat co-founder steps into fresh entrepreneurial chapter after shifting to non-executive role.
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta just flipped the beat because when you’ve already made waves with Boat, the next move is to start a whole new rhythm.
boAt co-founder Aman Gupta has unveiled his new entrepreneurial venture, OffBeat Studios, marking his first independent project since stepping away from day-to-day operations at the audio and wearables brand. In a post on X on 3 March 2026, Gupta wrote: “With every birthday, some grow older, I grow bolder. I am still hungry, still impatient and still driven. Aman 2.0 begins soon. Introducing my new venture. @Offbeatstudios1.”
Details about OffBeat Studios remain scarce. Gupta has shared only a stylised “OFF/BEAT” logo and no specifics on the business model, sector focus, funding, team or launch timeline. It is unclear whether the venture will operate independently or hold any strategic link to Boat.
Gupta played a pivotal role in building boAt’s brand and marketing identity since its inception and gained wider visibility as a judge on Shark Tank India. His shift to a non-executive board position followed a leadership transition at Boat last year, Gaurav Nayyar was appointed CEO, while co-founder Sameer Mehta took on the role of executive director focused on strategy, reflecting a move toward professionalised management.
The announcement arrives as Boat’s parent company, Imagine Marketing, gears up for its initial public offering. The Warburg Pincus-backed firm received SEBI approval after confidentially filing in April 2025 and is reportedly targeting a valuation of around Rs 13,000 crore. This marks Boat’s second IPO attempt, the first, filed in January 2022 for Rs 2,000 crore (Rs 900 crore fresh issue + Rs 1,100 crore offer for sale), was withdrawn amid market volatility.
Boat has not commented on whether Gupta’s new venture will impact the upcoming public issue. For a founder who helped turn Boat into a youth-favourite audio brand, OffBeat Studios signals not a slowdown, but a bold new track proving that when one rhythm fades, another is already waiting to drop.
