MAM
IAA crowns Sam Balsara as Media Agency Head of the Year
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association (IAA) India chapter on Saturday crowned Madison World chairman and MD Sam Balsara as the Media Agency Head of the Year in the first edition of IAA Leadership Awards.
IAA leadership Awards were given away in 18 categories in Mumbai. The awards recognised and honoured “outstanding” individuals in the fields of marketing, advertising and media.
Ogilvy & Mather executive chairman and national creative head Piyush Pandey was bestowed with the Creative Agency Head of the Year Award.
Star India EVP and communication Gayatri Yadav won the award in the Media & Entertainment category.
On the client‘s side, Cadbury India: Regional category head APAC (developing) executive director Chocolates & Biscuits Chandramouli Venkatesh bagged the IAA Leadership Awards in FMCG-food and beverages category while HUL vice-president – Skincare Arun Srinivas won the award in FMCG-Personal Care category.
Samsung Electronics CMO Rahul Saigal was given the IAA Leadership Award in Consumer Durables Category. Meanwhile, ICICI Bank head marketing Sujit Ganguli got the marketer of the year award in the banking category.
LIC India executive director Rita Bhattacharya received the marketer of the year award in insurance sector and Vodafone Sr VP, Brand Communications, Insights and Online Anuradha Aggarwal bagged the marketer of the year award in telecom products & services category.
Hero Motor Corp SVP Sales and marketing Anil Dua was given the IAA Leadership Award in auto-two Wheeler category, while Maruti Suzuki COO Mayak Pareek collected the marketer of the year award in auto-passenger vehicle category.
Force Motors GM Cyriac Jacob was bestowed with the marketer of the year-auto commercial vehicle award while Makemytrip.com marketing head Manish Kalra collected the marketer of the year award in travel & hospitality category.
Asian Paints vice-president sales and marketing Amit Syngle won the IAA Leadership Award in household products & services category. ITC chairman YC Deveshwar got the award in the best CEO of the year category.
IAA had also constituted special six categories for editor of the year that was won by TOI executive editor Jaideep Bose, News Anchor of the year award by IBN-18 editor in chief Rajdeep Sardesai, Media person of the year award by Hindustan Times chairperson and editorial director Shobhana Bhartia, brand endorser of the year – male award by Salman Khan, best endorser of the year award by Katrina Kaif and the IAA Hall of Fame award by former president and director of Bennett, Coleman & Company and former CEO of Zee Pradeep Guha.
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.
