MAM
Gaana introduces Ashish Vidyarthi – the “kahanibaaz” on Gaana Specials
MUMBAI: Gaana, India’s favourite music streaming app, adds a non-music audio show by eminent Indian film actor Ashish Vidyarthi to its Original Programming series “Gaana Specials”.
Prashan Agarwal, COO, Gaana said “Gaana Specials is our effort to enthrall audience across audio genre’s including but not limited to music related shows, movie reviews, comedy and story telling. Ashish is well known for his work in Bollywood, Tamil & Telugu movies and has a distinct tone which suits audio presentation. Through this show, called “Kahanibaaz”, for the first time people will listen to him narrating stories. Each episode in this series is a veritable performance piece, mixed and sound designed like an audio movie.”
The show is inspired by stories from all around the world – from Alexei Tolstoy to Oscar Wilde to O Henry – which have been brilliantly adapted and reinvented into the Indian context by writer Saurabh Bhramar.
This rich musical narration experience series is now live on Gaana for the listeners. The first season has 10 episodes and every 15 days a new episode will be featured. Apart from the original content audio shows, this meta-story interweaves good music with life experiences, and progresses from episode to episode.
The episodes are mixed and designed like an audio movie. Each episode has around 4 to 5 chunks of talk, each chunk ranging from 5-8 minutes.
Along with the stories that Kahanibaaz narrates, Ashish Vidyarthi threads together his own personal stories. Through this meta-story, the listeners get to know about Ashish’s personality, which seems a bit eccentric and strange. The stories for the First Season are in the dark space, featuring horror and morbid tragedies. The mystique of Kahaanibaaz will be revealed in Season 2 only.
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Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
Record Gmada bids signal rising demand as Rs 1,000 crore bet reshapes Tricity skyline
MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
