AD Agencies
IPG Mediabrands opens new global centre in Pune
Mumbai: IPG Mediabrands, the media holding company within Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), has announced the opening of its new global centre of excellence office at the International Tech Park, Kharadi, Pune India. In a significant expansion of the media network’s footprint in India, the Pune office will serve as a pivotal hub for media activation, product development, and engineering, to over 500 clients globally, spanning multiple industries.
The new state-of-the-art office spans 62,000 square feet and offers a range of advanced amenities for employees including a rooftop sports area with facilities for basketball, tennis, and a gym, along with a walking track. It also includes a crèche facility for employees’ children, a 24-hour canteen service, agile workspaces designed for collaboration, and dedicated company transportation.
“We are thrilled to expand our presence into Pune and create a world-class workplace for our talented team,” said KINESSO’s executive head of global operations Ankita Agarwal. “This office will be instrumental in implementing the highest standards of media activation, enhancing operational efficiency, and delivering exceptional value to our clients.”
KINESSO is the tech-driven performance arm of IPG Mediabrands that currently accounts for 90 per cent of the headcount in Pune.
KINESSO and Acxiom global CEO Jarrod Martin added; “We have built a network of global capability centres providing essential services, and India is our single biggest hub market, servicing other countries around the world. By centralising all these capabilities in one location, the Pune GCC will enable us to implement the highest standards media activation across all campaigns and brands, facilitate shared learnings, and enhanced product development. India is a world-leading source of advanced talent, and IPG Mediabrands is committed to tapping into this expertise to elevate our product and service delivery to clients.”
IPG Mediabrands India CEO Shashi Sinha commented, “The launch of the IPG Mediabrands Pune GCC is a significant milestone in our growth journey, expanding our existing footprint which already includes offices across Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, Kochi, and Kolkata. In the last 12 months, we have doubled in size, and with continued growth trajectory anticipate India becoming the second-largest IPG Mediabrands market by employee headcount over the next two years. This not only underscores our continued commitment to investing in India, but also highlights our strategic focus on leveraging advanced talent to drive media innovation.”
The launch of IPG Mediabrands Pune is effective immediately and will deliver services across various crafts including biddable, analytics, and media operations, with an emphasis on innovation and execution.
AD Agencies
Tawana Burnett to lead social and influencer jury at Abby Awards 2026
Meta’s Apac leader takes the reins for Abby Awards, adding flair to social content
MUMBAI: Tawana Burnett, Meta’s Head of Top Accounts and Agencies for Apac, has been named jury chair for the new social content and influencer ,arketing category at the Abby Awards 2026, powered by The One Club | The One Show.
With a 25-year career spanning the US, EMEA, Latam, and Apac, Tawana has worked on campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands and leading advertising agencies. At Meta, she guides CMOs, business leaders, and agencies on harnessing digital and emerging advertising solutions to accelerate brand growth.
Before joining Meta, Tawana led award-winning product teams at Intuit, LeapFrog, Johnson & Johnson, and Pfizer, helping launch iconic products including QuickBooks, Listerine, Advil, and ChapStick.
A champion of diversity, she was featured in Adweek’s Women Trailblazers in 2019 for mentoring more than 15 women-led startups and for her work on the #biascorrect campaign that promotes women in leadership. She was also recognised in Ad Age’s Global Leading Women Class of 2023, The List in 2024, and served as juror for Spikes Asia and Mad Stars 2024.
Tawana has held leadership roles in the Singapore Inclusion Council at Meta, the IAB SouthEast Asia & India Board, and currently serves on the boards of IAA SEA and the Ronald McDonald House in New York City. Originally from New York, she now lives in Singapore with her husband and daughter.
The Abby Awards 2026, presented by The One Club | The One Show, will be held during Goafest 2026 from 20 to 22 May in Goa, celebrating creativity across the region.
