MAM
IAA announces India’s first ever IAA Leadership awards
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association‘s (IAA) India chapter has established the IAA Leadership Awards to honour individuals in the fields of marketing, advertising and media, who have made enormous professional contributions and delivered business success to their companies.
The first edition of these annual awards will be held in an on-ground function scheduled for February 2013 in Mumbai. Union Minister of State (independent charge) of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari will be present at the inaugural awards ceremony as chief guest.
The IAA Leadership Awards celebrates the individual‘s innovative thinking and performance excellence that lead to outstanding success of the product/brand. The awards also indirectly seek to acknowledge the fact that the disciplines of marketing, advertising and media have to come together for the brand‘s success, by having all three functional disciplines honoured simultaneously.
International Advertising Association president Srinivasan Swamy said, “The IAA Leadership Awards salutes the brilliance of top professionals whose contribution makes our industry what it is. These annual awards, over time will be seen as the most coveted recognition an industry practitioner will receive for all his hard work and leadership qualities, which brought about success to the product/brand.”
IAA has appointed the experienced marketing research company A C Nielsen to execute the nomination and voting process. Further Ernst & Young has been appointed to conduct audit and validate the entire process. The winners will be decided in a two-stage selection process; the first stage will include nominations and shortlisting by seasoned marketing, media and advertising professionals; and the second stage will be the final selection of winners by a voting process among the shortlisted nominees, by respective senior industry peers.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
