MAM
IdeateLabs appoints Divya Ajitkumar as business head
MUMBAI: IdeateLabs, one of India’s largest independent full-service digital-first creative agencies has roped in Divya Ajitkumar as Business Head. She will be based out of the Mumbai office and will be reporting to the Director, Vrutika Dawda.
Divya has over a decade of experience in the digital space, having worked in highly organized and evolved markets with exposure to cutting edge technology and access to top tier publishers and clients in geos like NYC and London. Her roles involved collaborating across cross-functional teams like display, performance, search, affiliate and social and her core expertise lies in setting-up processes and solving complex business problems.
Prior to joining IdeateLabs, she has worked with companies like, WeWork, O&M, iProspect and Starcom MediaVest managing brands like Coca-Cola, Samsung, Avon, Honda and RIM amongst others. Her new responsibilities at IdeateLabs involve building new business as well as growing existing ones, planning, strategizing, managing campaigns, growing P&L, and managing stakeholders.
IdeateLabs director Vrutika Dawda said, “Divya brings a lot of experience coupled with fresh ideas to the table. Her business values and ideals fit right into the culture and DNA of IdeateLabs. Divya will be playing a crucial role in multiplying businesses and strengthening relationships with existing and new clients along with the stakeholders. We look forward to having her on board, to aggregate and enhance the business.”
Commenting on her new role, Ajitkumar commented, “At IdeateLabs I have found a role that is both challenging and interesting. Given the tremendous pressure to succeed in the Indian market, the only way to survive is to stand heads and shoulders over the rest. Where the differentiation between agencies is starting to blur, IdeateLabs has decided not to add to the chorus by being another commodity focused agency. Rather we are investing in products and IPs that drive value for clients through actionable results. Clients today have become just as digitally savvy as the agency. We are at the crux of a defining shift in the marketplace where we are seeing a lot of clients question the value of an agency. What they seek is a partner, a guide, an extension of themselves. Capitalizing on key moments to drive their agenda is critical. Through digital, your opportunity is immense to demonstrate value addition by creating different business models that can help amplify their ROI.”
IdeateLabs, one of India’s largest independent full-service digital-first creative agencies . It is a fired-up group of professionals from the creative, tech and marketing worlds. While its clientele exceeds 75 well-known Indian and International names, its portfolio spans across varied business verticals. Its clientele includes renowned brands like Hiranandani Communities, Brand Factory, Future Group, HDFC Bank, Magma Finance, Hafele, Kalpataru, Fullerton India, Franklin Templeton Mutual Funds to name a few. IdeateLabs specializes in taking brand challenges and turning them into opportunities that deliver tangible and valuable results. IdeateLabs has its headquarters in Mumbai and satellite offices in Singapore and Dubai.
Brands
Apple CEO Tim Cook to step down after 15 years, John Ternus to take over
Leadership shake-up sees long-time hardware chief step up from September
CUPERTINO: Apple has confirmed that chief executive officer Tim Cook will step down from his role and transition to executive chairman, with senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus set to take over as CEO from September 1, 2026.
The transition, approved unanimously by the board, marks a carefully planned leadership shift at one of the world’s most valuable companies. Cook will remain CEO through the summer, working closely with Ternus to ensure a smooth handover before moving into his new role, where he will continue to support Apple and engage with policymakers globally.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook reflected on his 15-year tenure, recalling the moment Steve Jobs asked him to step into the role. “It was an emotional and challenging moment for all of us at Apple,” he wrote, adding that the company’s core values, from simplicity and innovation to a commitment to improving lives, remain unchanged.
Explaining his decision, Cook said the company’s strong roadmap and future outlook made this the right time for a transition. “I have never been more optimistic about Apple’s future,” he noted, while announcing Ternus as his successor. He described Ternus as “a visionary in his own right” with “remarkable integrity” and the right leader to guide Apple into its next phase.
Cook said, “John Ternus has the mind of an engineer, the soul of an innovator, and the heart to lead with integrity and with honour.”
Ternus, in his own note to employees, struck a steady, execution-focused tone. Ternus said, “It has been such a privilege to lead the hardware engineering team… I still plan to be very hands-on,” signalling continuity rather than a strategic reset.
As part of the leadership reshuffle, Ternus will step away from leading hardware engineering, with Tom Marieb taking over the role. Marieb will report to Johny Srouji, who assumes an expanded position as chief hardware officer, aligning hardware development more closely with Apple’s silicon and technology teams.
Cook also used his memo to thank employees, calling them “the most remarkable people in the world” and crediting them for building Apple into what it is today. A town hall has been scheduled at the Steve Jobs Theater to discuss the transition further.
The leadership change also sees Arthur Levinson move to the role of lead independent director, while Ternus joins Apple’s board.
Cook’s tenure has been defined by massive growth and expansion, with Apple’s market value rising from around $350 billion in 2011 to $4 trillion, alongside the launch of new product categories and a booming services business. Ternus, a 25-year Apple veteran, has played a central role in shaping the company’s hardware roadmap, from iPhone and Mac to newer innovations in materials and sustainability.
The transition signals a generational shift, but not a dramatic change in direction. If anything, both memos point to continuity, discipline and a belief that Apple’s next chapter will be built on the same values that shaped its last.
