MAM
FICCI appointments Kevin Vaz as chairman of FICCI media & entertainment committee
Mumbai: The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) announced the appointment of Kevin Vaz, CEO – broadcast entertainment, Viacom18 as the chairman of FICCI media & entertainment committee.
Vaz, a highly accomplished executive with nearly three decades of experience in the Media & Entertainment industry, joined Viacom18 in July 2023 as CEO – broadcast entertainment. In his current capacity, he oversees the media company’s broadcast business, film studio, merchandising business, live entertainment, and regional entertainment on Viacom18’s digital (OTT) platform. Vaz’s visionary leadership and strategic insight have already begun elevating the company’s television viewership, scaled up revenue realization, and significantly increased the network’s overall market share across genres and geographies.
FICCI Media and Entertainment Committee for the last 25 years has been the principal force behind major policy changes and working towards fostering growth, advocating for favourable policies, and promoting the overall development of the sector and its allied ecosystems. The committee has been chaired by Yash Chopra, Karan Johar, Uday Shankar, Sanjay Gupta and Jyoti Deshpande in the past.
FICCI deputy secretary general Leena Jaisani said, “FICCI, as the apex industry association, has consistently led the charge in fostering collaborations with diverse stakeholders within the realms of Indian commerce and government. In navigating the complexities of this dynamic landscape, FICCI remains steadfast in its commitment to driving meaningful policy discussions and facilitating their effective adoption, thereby shaping a vibrant and progressive future for the media and entertainment sector in India. FICCI is confident that Mr Vaz, with his wealth of experience, will bring fresh perspectives and contribute significantly to the continued growth of the media & entertainment industry.”
Chairman broadcast entertainment, Viacom18 and FICCI media and entertainment committee & CEO Kevin Vaz said, “The Indian media and entertainment industry is at an interesting tipping point in time. While the interplay of technology, content and consumer behaviour is reshaping the very definition of the sector, in India there is a clear headroom for growth across categories and a confluence of interests between multiple players in the ecosystem. At a global stage, the soft power inherent to our industry can act as a leverage multiplier to India’s growing cultural influence. I feel honoured to be given the responsibility to lead this committee and look forward to interacting with stakeholders across the board to further our sector’s footprint.”
The dynamic committee includes promoters and CEOs from various verticals such as TV and radio broadcast, film production & exhibition, print, animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, AR/VR/MR (AVGC-XR), digital entertainment events, OOH, among others.
Vaz along with the Media and Entertainment committee will be engaging with the industry at FICCI FRAMES 2024 scheduled from 5 to 7 March 2024 in Mumbai.
Brands
Acko CMO Ashish Mishra to exit in July
The digital insurer’s marketing chief, who helped build the brand over nearly five years, is heading for the exit.
Ashish Mishra is stepping down as chief marketing officer of Acko, with his departure confirmed for July. He remains in the role for now, and an official announcement from the company is expected shortly.
Mishra joined the digital insurance start-up in August 2020, making him one of the longer-serving marketing chiefs in India’s fintech and insurtech space. Over nearly five years, he played a central role in building Acko’s brand presence in the country’s fiercely competitive digital insurance market. More recently, he was closely associated with Acko Life’s Unmixed brand philosophy, a proposition built around pure protection products stripped of the investment components that have long complicated traditional insurance offerings in India.
Before Acko, Mishra spent over a decade at HSBC in a series of marketing leadership roles spanning the Middle East, including regional marketing manager for credit cards and advance propositions, brand and media manager, and marketing manager for retail banking. Earlier in his career, he worked on the agency side, serving as senior brand service manager at Lowe Lintas and as executive for brand communications at DDB Mudra Group.
His exit leaves Acko with a sizeable gap to fill at a time when the brand is pushing deeper into life insurance and doubling down on its direct-to-consumer positioning. Whoever takes the seat next will inherit a brand that Mishra spent five years building from the ground up. That is not nothing.
