Digital
Kausik Misra joins BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president- strategy
Content veteran from Zee to steer strategy at independent agency
MUMBAI: Kausik Misra is switching from prime-time hits to brand playbooks. The former non-fiction content head at Zee Entertainment Enterprises has joined BigTrunk Communications as senior vice president–strategy, as agencies race to pair storytelling with hard business outcomes.
Announced in Mumbai, the hire adds a 15-year content and marketing hand to BigTrunk’s leadership as it courts brands seeking cultural relevance and measurable returns. Misra spent years shaping tentpole shows on Zee TV, helping build franchises such as Dance India Dance, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Zee Rishtey Awards and Zee Cine Awards, and pushing them across television and digital ecosystems.
At BigTrunk, he is expected to tighten strategic planning, deepen audience insight and refine narrative frameworks for clients chasing long-term brand equity. Misra pitches the move as a chance to blend consumer insight, storytelling and commercial discipline in one shop.
Founder and ceo Akhil Nair is betting on content DNA to fuel growth, arguing that brands now demand culture-literate strategy, not just media weight.
Founded in 2013, the agency operates from Delhi and Bangalore, with outposts in the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Its client roster ranges from Warner Bros. and H&R Johnson to Unibic Foods, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited, ORRA Jewellery, Saraswat Bank and Discovery Kids.
As brands hunt attention in a crowded market, agencies are raiding the content world for talent. Misra’s bet is that sharp stories still sell—and that strategy, like television, is a game of hits.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
