MAM
“I hope to convince BJP to connect with electorate throughout the year”: Sam Balsara
MUMBAI: The Madison Report on 2015 is all set to be unveiled on 20 February by Minister of State with Independent Charge for Power, Coal and New and Renewable Energy Piyush Goyal and the industry awaits what India’s first home-grown media agency has to predict for the year ahead.
Last year was a remarkable one for Madison Media as it grabbed the mother of all accounts, Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Lok Sabha election mandate. Followed by mandate for assembly polls of Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Delhi, the agency has been making news for all the right reasons.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Madison World chairman and managing director Sam Balsara says, “2014 was a great year for Madison World and most of our units Madison Media, Madison Outdoor, Madison PR, Mates, PMG and our JV with WPP’s Mediacom have done extremely well specially on new business front and we have acquired almost a 100 new clients across the group.”
In terms of awards too, it has been a very satisfying year for Balsara, who is upbeat and optimistic about 2015. “Given that the mood is extremely upbeat in India Inc, thanks to the new BJP government, 2015 again is going to be an exciting year and we hope to get more than our fair share of the growth,” Balsara adds.
The year 2015 too has begun on a positive note as the agency won an array of new accounts in the last two months, which amount to approximately Rs 200 crore. The accounts include JG Hosiery, Metro Cash & Carry, Zivame, Ashirwad Pipes, out of the agency’s Bangalore office. As well as, Viber (to be handled from Delhi Office) and DHFL (to be handled from Mumbai office); all won on the back of multi-agency pitches.
Talking about what gives Madison an edge over others during a pitch, Balsara says, “We focus on client delight, and want to be our client’s trusted communication partner and help them use media and advertising to achieve their growth and business objectives. We also want our people to act as entrepreneurs and give them the freedom to operate without fear or favour as long as they do so with integrity and professionalism.”
The agency doesn’t believe in prioritising any office as well as it has a marquee clientele in each and every office. But of course Bombay, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata are key markets.
However, the Delhi office, with Lok Sabha election and the recently concluded Delhi elections, has been buzzing with work and excitement. So, how does the agency differentiate election mandate from the rest? Balsara highlights, “Political campaigns are more short term, the results have to be achieved in a month’s time and therefore the strategies that we adopt have to be very different. I hope to convince my friends at BJP that they should not try to connect with the electorate only at the time of elections but throughout the year.”
Brands
Magellanic Cloud names Syed Ameeruddin CEO of e-surveillance arm
Keeping a sharper eye on the future, Magellanic Cloud is putting a seasoned watcher in charge.
MUMBAI – Magellanic Cloud Ltd. has elevated Syed Ameeruddin as Chief Executive Officer of its e-surveillance business, bringing its iVIS and Provigil operations under a unified leadership to accelerate growth in intelligent monitoring and infrastructure solutions.
Ameeruddin, a nearly two-decade veteran of the company, steps into the role after leading the e-surveillance vertical. His career trajectory—from Business Development Manager to the top of the vertical—reflects a steady climb built on operational depth, client engagement, and strategic execution across multiple subsidiaries.
Over the years, he has played a central role in expanding the company’s footprint, strengthening client relationships, and streamlining operations. He has also been instrumental in integrating acquisitions, helping align new businesses with Magellanic Cloud’s long-term strategy while stabilising performance across diverse domains.
More recently, Ameeruddin has contributed to securing key mandates spanning railways, the National Highways Authority of India, and the BFSI sector—wins that have bolstered the company’s order book and deepened its presence in critical infrastructure.
Commenting on the move, Joseph Sudheer Thumma said Ameeruddin’s leadership has been “pivotal in shaping the e-surveillance business,” citing his ability to drive growth, build teams, and deliver strategic wins as key to the company’s journey. His elevation, Thumma added, is expected to further accelerate expansion in AI-driven surveillance and infrastructure solutions.
The transition comes as demand surges for AI-enabled monitoring, centralised command systems, and large-scale deployments across mission-critical environments. Magellanic Cloud’s e-surveillance segment—anchored by iVIS and Provigil—has emerged as a significant growth engine, delivering projects across banking, transport, highways, and public infrastructure.
In his new role, Ameeruddin will focus on scaling platform capabilities, expanding deployments in complex environments, and developing integrated solutions that enhance real-time intelligence and operational resilience. He will continue to serve as Chief Operating Officer of the company alongside his new responsibilities.
With this leadership shift, Magellanic Cloud is doubling down on its ambition to stay ahead in India’s rapidly evolving surveillance ecosystem—where seeing, increasingly, is not just believing, but predicting.
