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E&Y expands marketing & advertising risk services with media audit unit
MUMBAI: Ernst & Young LLP, has expanded its marketing and advertising risk services (MARS) practice through the launch of its media performance auditing unit.
An official statement issued by the company states that with the establishment of the unit, Ernst & Young will offer a holistic approach to managing risk in marketing and advertising initiatives by providing advertisers with an objective, independent review of media delivery performance, agency contracts and compliance, review of advertiser business processes and related controls all under one roof.
According to Ernst & Young LLP, MARS practice global director Kenneth Fakler, Ernst & Young created this service after recognizing the need that advertisers have for an independent verification of their media spend and understanding that there are many risks involved, including compliance risk, operational and financial risk and strategic risk. While media performance audits are common in Europe, they have become increasingly prevalent in the United States.
“Unlike the Super Bowl, where there is no question whether an advertiser’s ad ran because almost everyone is watching, the majority of advertising, whether broadcast, print, or online, doesn’t typically have that kind of universal exposure. Therefore, advertisers may not know if their ad ran, ran correctly, and if the advertiser received the value it paid for,” said Fakler.
“Media and advertising spend can account for significant direct costs for a company. We already perform agency contract compliance and process and control reviews for our advertiser clients, so it was important that we also include one of the biggest areas of marketing spend and risk — media performance auditing — to our service offering. Now an advertiser can come to our firm to get a comprehensive media audit that can help determine operational effectiveness and mitigate the risks involved.”
The MARS practice is made up of a network of professionals with experience in the marketing communications industry and related financial and operational processes, including: marketing and advertising finance, agency operations, creative production, media buying, promotions, project management, sponsorship, public relations, branded entertainment and talent. The practice has a global reach with a presence in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific, adds the release.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
