MAM
IAA extends Olive Crown brand to raise awareness on soil degradation
Mumbai: The India chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has extended its Olive Crown brand to raise awareness about the global cause to save our planet Earth from soil degradation. As a part of this initiative, the twelve-years strong brand will support the global ‘Save Soil’ movement being launched by the Isha Foundation.
The industry body released five hard-hitting creatives created by Madison BMB for the ‘Call for Entries’ campaign that emphasises the urgency of the issue, even as it invited entries for a ‘compelling 360-degree campaign to save the soil and our future.’
“The Olive Crown Awards have been hailed and accepted as the gold standard in an area where sustainability and creativity converge. The IAA has decided to extend the Olive Crown brand and take up urgent issues relevant to the environment,” said IAA president Megha Tata. “As a part of this, we are supporting the global Save Soil movement being launched by Isha Foundation. I am happy that the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) is also on board with us in amplifying this important message.”
“In life, what possibly tends to be taken for granted the most, are things like soil. You never think of it as a finite resource. While most other resources get replenished from time to time, the amount of fertile soil in the world is getting depleted,” remarked Madison BMB CEO and chief creative officer Raj Nair. “This is happening at such a rapid rate that it needs to be addressed on a yesterday basis. And that’s something that the advertising community truly understands: that the deadline was yesterday. So, the invitation is for agencies or individual teams to come forward with their compelling communication ideas to highlight the issue.”
“This is a little-known but huge global problem. Topsoil erosion and the depressing food production arising out of that concern us all,” commented said AFAA chairman Srinivasan Swamy. “AFAA is happy that IAA is taking up this important communication need and we are happy to be part of it. AFAA has been associated with the Olive Crown Awards for many years and the response to the awards from across Asia has been good. I am sure AFAA members will step up and send good entries for this issue as well.”
Olive Crown committee chairperson Pradeep Dwivedi added, “We are reaching out to our creative community and appealing to them to create a truly effective campaign that will be judged by an elite jury. The winning entry will be awarded on our Olive Crown awards night and will also be run across pan-Asian media. This new campaign to be awarded is a great addition to our annual Olive Crown Awards.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
