MAM
IAA, India Chapter re-elects Raj Nayak as president
MUMBAI: NDTV Media CEO Raj Nayak has been re-elected, for a second term as the president of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) at its Annual General Meeting today.
The new managing committee includes Reliance Industries Ltd president – brand strategy & marketing communication Kaushik Roy as VP; Lintas Media chairperson and CEO Lynn de Souza as Honorary Secretary; Jaya Advertising director Jaydeep Gandhi as Honorary Treasurer. The other members of the managing committee are Madison Communications chairman and MD Sam Balsara, Canco Advertising founder Ramesh Narayan, Draftfcb + Ulka executive director and CEO Mumbai MG Parmeshwaran, RK SWAMY BBDO chairman and MD Srinivasan; Star News VP and head of revenue India Avinash Pandey; and as special invitee, Business India MD Pheroza Bilimoria. Immediate past president Pradeep Guha continues as an ex-officio member of the committee. IAA is a global network of over 4,000 members through 56 Chapters in 76 countries which champions marketing communications as a force for growth in all free market societies. It believes that advertising revenues ensure an independent, pluralistic, affordable media with competing channels of information for consumers, which are the foundation of democracy itself. The highlight of the AGM was the presence of a founder member, Roger CB Pereira. The India Chapter was incorporated in July 1991 to constitute a local Chapter of the global body. The India Chapter has a membership of 169 professionals representing marketing, advertising and the media. The India Chapter also has Young Professional membership for the Next Gen.
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
