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ITW bags ad rights from Sony, India series sponsor & partners’ announcement shortly
MUMBAI: ITW Consulting, an India-based sports management company, has acquired some exclusive rights from Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited — the sole media rights holder of the Sri Lanka Cricket Series 2017. The deal involves title rights, on-ground and in-stadia advertising rights for all the cricket matches played during the above two series.
With these rights, ITW Consulting covered five ODIs and one test match under Sri Lanka v/s Zimbabwe series and also India’s tour Sri Lanka for three test matches, five ODIs and one T20 under Sri Lanka v/s India Series from 23 July till 6 September 2017, respectively.
Virat Kohli-led Indian team is scheduled to reach Sri Lankan capital Colombo on 19 July. They are likely to play a warm-up match on 21 & 22 July. The first test will be played at Pallekele between 26 & 30 July. The action will then shift to Galle for the second test, which is scheduled to be played between 4 & 8 August. SSC, Colombo will host the third test from 12 August. The tour continues with an ODI series between 24 August & 3 September, where the two teams will play a five-match series, followed by a T20I on 6 September.
Commenting on the deal, ITW Consulting director M S Muralidharan (a Global Sports Commerce affiliate) said, “We are one of the new generation companies and are delighted to partner with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) for these two series. With nearly 15 matches scheduled over the series, we are sure that we will be able to build strong and strategic brand associations that will be fruitful for both, the brands and cricket fans.” “At ITW, we are bringing in innovative technologies in cricket and other sports to ensure fans are engaged throughout the match with a crowd facing interactive display system”, he added.
Commenting on the deal, ITW Consulting co-founder Bhairav Shanth said, “This series has received an overwhelming response from the market. Brands see this as an excellent alternate medium with rationale pricing, delivering perfect ROI. Categories such as telecom network, automobiles, sports gear along with handset have locked in their participation. Most of our key slots have been closed a month before the start of the series. We will shortly be making the title sponsor announcement for the India series along with the central on-ground partners of the series.”
Commenting on the association, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN) president, distribution and sports business Rajesh Kaul said, “Viewers are looking forward to the series as this is the Indian cricket team’s first full tour (Tests, ODIs and a T20) of Sri Lanka in three years. In addition to this, advertisers are also aware of the visibility that is ensured through the duration of the tournament, giving brands a wider reach.”
The 45-day long cricket extravaganza will reach a wide Indian, Sri Lankan and global audience cheering for the powerhouses and superstars of the likes of Angelo Mathews, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga as well as their Indian counterparts like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ravi Ashwin amongst others. The series will be telecast by the official live broadcasting partner, Sony Pictures Networks India on Sony SIX and TEN 3 channels and will be livestreamed on SonyLIV. Scheduled to reach prime time audiences in India and Sri Lanka, the match preview, pitch report and toss will commence 30 minutes prior, followed by the match at 10:00 AM IST for Tests, 2:30 PM IST for ODI’s and 7:00 PM IST for T20.
MAM
WPP appoints Estée Lauder’s Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer
Former Estée Lauder executive to lead operations, technology and culture overhaul under WPP’s three-year growth plan
LONDON: WPP has appointed Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer in a newly created role tasked with delivering the group’s Elevate28 strategy.
Choueiri joins from The Estée Lauder Companies, where she led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including the “One ELC” operating model and major upgrades to enterprise marketing, data and analytics capabilities. She also led the redesign of enterprise technology teams and served on the company’s AI taskforce, driving AI strategy, adoption and value realisation across the business.
At WPP, she will be responsible for designing, implementing and embedding the operating model behind Elevate28, the company’s three-year growth plan unveiled in February 2026. She will lead efforts to improve innovation, efficiency and integration across WPP’s client offerings, with a focus on delivering agile, outcome-driven solutions and measurable growth.
Choueiri will oversee organisational transformation across the group, working closely with product and enterprise technology teams to deploy AI, data and technology to build new capabilities and improve operational performance. She will also work with the people function to embed cultural change, strengthen an agile performance mindset and support talent development across the organisation.
Before joining Estée Lauder, she held senior roles across consulting and digital agencies, including at Accenture, Masaï (a Bain & Company spin-off), and Kearney, with experience spanning strategy, data and digital marketing transformation.
Cindy Rose, chief executive officer of WPP, said Choueiri brings a strong track record of leading large-scale transformation across operations, technology and culture, adding that her appointment will help accelerate the group’s next phase of growth under Elevate28.
Choueiri said WPP’s strategy represents an ambitious opportunity to reshape how the company operates and delivers for clients, adding that she looks forward to building integrated solutions and fostering a culture of innovation and change.
She will be based in New York and will join WPP’s executive committee.
