MAM
Grapes appoints Akshay Bhatla as VP of growth
Mumbai: Grapes, one of the leading integrated communication agency has appointed Akshay Bhatla as vice president of growth for SEO and organic verticals.
At Grapes, he will take the helm of the organic vertical, where he will oversee a diverse array of functions including SEO, ASO, ORM, CRM, and advanced analytics across multiple geographies. His leadership will be pivotal in driving the exponential growth of Grapes organic department growth.
Akshay has more than a decade of experience and in his previous stint, he served as vice president of growth & marketing at EQL Fintech where he led digital marketing, user growth and retention, product marketing, etc. Prior to this, he worked with some renowned brands like Times Internet, Meesho, Zee Media, Dainik Bhaskar and Augnito, to name a few. As a VP of growth, he will oversee the SEO and organic strategy, will align various initiatives and enable his digital capabilities to support growth at Grapes.
Grapes founder and CEO Shradha Agarwal commented, “In today’s landscape, digital offers multiple services bringing from Tech, SEO, Growth, Creative, PR and it’s challenging to streamline the process in same growth. Whereas, clients seek a one-stop solution that comprehensively understands these services and seamlessly integrates them to develop a robust long-term strategy. With Akshay Bhatla on board, we aim to establish multiple strong verticals capable of leading each client’s specific priorities, while being connected to the overall brand and business objective, remaining aligned with the overarching strategic marketing approach that grapes offer.”
Grapes’ VP – growth Akshay Bhatla commented, “I am honored to be a part of such a great organization. Grapes has been integral in blazing the digital marketing trail for the industry on a large scale, and it’s incredibly exciting to be a part of this team. As I take this opportunity to deliver winning growth strategies that enrich the customer experience across the board, I look forward to cherishing this industry-leading work as head of SEO and other organic channels.”
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
