MAM
Isobar India appoints Aalap Desai as national creative director
MUMBAI: Isobar, the digital agency from the house of dentsu India, has roped in Aalap Desai as National creative director (NCD). In his new role, Aalap will lead the agency’s creative team and report to COO Gopa Kumar.
Aalap was previously associated with dentsumcgarrybowen (dentsuMB) India where he held the position of NCD. In addition to this, he also co-headed the creative team at Mumbai-based Dentsu Webchutney and was behind some of the agency’s most notable works. Aalap’s professional stints also include Disney+ Hotstar, Leo Burnett, JWT, DDB Mudra, Ogilvy, and Publicis Ambience.
Speaking on the appointment, Isobar South Asia managing director Shamsuddin Jasani said, “At Isobar, our motto is to ‘Invent, Make, Change’. We are striving to deliver innovative creative experience-led solutions for our brands in India. Aalap looks at tech as not something dry and lifeless but as something that can change lives and makes it work harder for brands. That’s a perfect fit with our philosophy and is the apt approach we need to make Isobar future-proof as a leader in innovations in India.”
Gopa Kumar said, “We live in an age of clutter coupled with shrunken attention spans. For brands to rip through the noise and stand out is of paramount importance. Creativity is the only thing that can make that possible. It is not garnishing anymore. It is the meat. It is the substance, and it is the only way brands can take a leap. Aalap’s brand of creativity is just what Isobar India needs. Enjoyable and meaningful. I couldn’t think of anyone else better than Aalap to partner us in our next phase of growth.”
Desai has won over 150 International & National awards and has also written feature film scripts, web series, and TV shows.
Commenting on his joining, Desai said, “Digital is a creative mine that is still hugely under-explored. Solving brand challenges with a proper insight that is supplemented by digital intuition is an explosive combination that very few people are aware of and something that even fewer choose to tap into. This combination has always been part of the Isobar DNA, and I will work towards hyper-charging it. Also, the past year has been tiring. Work pressure has eclipsed the joy we derived from work. One of my top agendas will be to reverse that because I genuinely believe that a tiny, seemingly insignificant thing as joy is actually the only key that opens up many locks. It unlocks creativity, leading to unlocking fame, awards, and a thriving creative culture because all of these follow. Isobar has phenomenal energy and a brilliant set of people. I’m looking forward to having tons of fun.”
MAM
Time brings TIME100 Next franchise to India with Reliance
List to spotlight 100 emerging leaders, gala set for December 2026 in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: It’s about time India’s next wave got a global spotlight and now, it’s on the list. New York-headquartered Time is expanding its TIME100 Next franchise to India, partnering with Reliance Industries Limited to launch TIME100 Next India, its first international extension of the rising leaders platform. The announcement was made at the Time100 Gala in New York by Jessica Sibley and Nita Mukesh Ambani, signalling a strategic push to tap into India’s growing influence across sectors.
The India edition will recognise 100 emerging leaders from the country and the global Indian diaspora, spanning business, science, sports, arts and social impact. The list will be curated by Time’s editorial team and published online, continuing the franchise’s focus on identifying individuals shaping the future.
The initiative will culminate in a gala event scheduled for December 2026 at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, anchoring the platform within India’s cultural and business ecosystem.
TIME’s broader Time100 franchise has steadily expanded its global footprint since 2021 through events and impact-led initiatives. Executives noted that India’s growing pool of influential voices and innovators made it a natural next step for the platform’s international ambitions.
For Reliance, the partnership aligns with its broader push to support emerging talent and ideas on a global stage. For Time, it marks a timely bet on India not just as a market, but as a talent engine shaping the next chapter of global leadership.
