MAM
Genesis Burson-Marsteller announces senior appointment
MUMBAI: Genesis Burson-Marsteller announces the appointment of Vijay Sankaran as Director, Digital Strategy, heading GBM Digital Studio, a Centre of Expertise that provides specialised services and counsel to meet the needs of our clients.
“Vijay’s appointment reflects Burson-Marsteller’s commitment to strengthen focus on building digital strategies that meet the needs of our clients. Vijay is a key addition to our leadership team and he will provide critical support in articulating digital concepts and solutions in a clear and compelling way to our clients.” says Nikhil Dey, President, Genesis Burson-Marsteller, India & South Asia.
Yu Yu Din, currently Head of Digital, is relocating to her home country, Myanmar. She will be moving on from the consultancy by the end of 2014. Vijay will spearhead GBM Digital Studio and drive the opportunity space for Genesis Burson-Marsteller and its clients’ digital presence; creating innovative ideas that bridge digital and public relations as well as digital and marketing, to provide solutions and services that are driven by consumer insights. GBM Digital Studio comprises of a strong team of digital strategists, creative specialists working on digital and social media mandates for clients across corporate and financial, brand and consumer, telecom and technology, and health and wellness practices.
Commenting on his new role, Vijay says, “Digital is a force multiplier for our business of integrated communications. Genesis Burson-Marsteller has successfully embedded digital strategists in each practice to drive campaigns for our clients. My focus is to take our solutions to the next level with strategic and creative programmes that go beyond siloed social platforms. I am very excited about our unique GBM Live! Newsroom – a cross-functional team led service that delivers real-time media and social insights to help create more agile content and act as a crisis management command centre. Digital will also be supported by GBM Content and Design Bureau, another Centre of Expertise at GBM, for multimedia content, with a team of in-house specialists that include graphic designers, former TV producers, editors and videographers.”
A seasoned communications professional, Vijay brings with him a wealth of 25 years’ experience, spanning advertising, digital marketing, public relations and social media. Before joining Genesis Burson-Marsteller, Vijay worked with Social Wavelength, a social media agency as Director, Digital Strategy and Planning. He has also worked with Edelman PR as Head Digital and Nokia Siemens Network as Head Social Media, a global role. At Urja Communications, he started as an advertising Creative Director, reinvented himself as an Interactive Creative Director and digital evangelist during the dotcom era, helping drive the agency’s transformation into a full-service digital agency. He later moved into a pure digital strategy role.
MAM
Jos Alukkas launches Second Sunrises Podcast on new beginnings
Six-episode podcast hosted by Suhasini Maniratnam spotlights remarriage.
MUMBAI: Every sunrise tells a story. Some simply shine brighter the second time. Jewellery brand Jos Alukkas has launched Second Sunrises, a six-episode storytelling podcast hosted by actor and filmmaker Suhasini Maniratnam, placing the spotlight on women who have chosen to begin again. The series explores remarriage, renewed companionship and fresh chapters in life, framing them not as footnotes but as defining milestones.
In India, conversations around remarriage particularly for women are often muted or confined to private circles. Second Sunrises moves that dialogue into the public domain, offering intimate, reflective conversations that treat second beginnings with dignity rather than drama. Across its six episodes, the podcast foregrounds courage, agency and the quiet strength required to choose happiness again.
The opening episode features actor and singer Mamta Mohandas. The series also includes Film and media personality Pooja Bedi, author Sudha Menon, actor and television host Ramya Subramanian, international badminton champion Jwala Gutta, and celebrated screen performers Pavitra Lokesh and Vijaykrishna Naresh. Each brings a deeply personal perspective on resilience, reinvention and rediscovery.
Suhasini Maniratnam, who hosts the series, noted that many women rebuild their lives with remarkable strength, yet their journeys are rarely discussed openly. She described the podcast as a space where such stories can unfold with honesty and warmth, reflecting the courage it takes to start over.
The series has been developed in collaboration with Dentsu Creative Isobar and the Dentsu Podcast Network. Dentsu Creative Isobar CEO Sahil Shah said the intent was to challenge the notion that second beginnings are tied to failure or loss. Instead, he suggested, choosing to begin again is among the most courageous acts a person can undertake.
Dentsu Podcast Network vice president Aditya Kuber added that the creative approach prioritised authenticity over commentary. The conversations are designed to feel unhurried, allowing lived experiences to shape the narrative in their own rhythm.
For Jos Alukkas, the initiative signals a broader engagement with contemporary social realities. While traditionally associated with milestone celebrations, the brand appears keen to acknowledge that modern milestones are as much about renewal and personal choice as they are about convention.
Second Sunrises begins streaming this week on Youtube and leading audio platforms, inviting listeners to tune in and perhaps reconsider what a “new beginning” truly looks like.
