MAM
#KDY14 kicks off with IAA Kyoorius Digiyatra 2014
MUMBAI: Kyoorius Designyatra being held from 11 until 13 September 2014 concluded the first day dedicated to digital – IAA Kyoorius Digiyatra, 2014.
The second edition of IAA Kyoorius Digiyatra brought together some of the world’s most influential experts to showcase the future of digital, breaking conventions and defying boundaries to explore this year’s theme, ‘What If’.
As digital marketing has grown to be one of the most effective platforms to create brand awareness and brand engagement, this day dedicated to the digital age brought together industry stalwarts who participated in talks, workshops and breakout sessions.
Patrick Burgoyne, Editor of Creative Review, and this year’s moderator, kickstarted the day with his usual wit and energy. The full day of talks began with Gaston Legorburu Executive Director & Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, SapientNitro on storytelling and how companies need to create worlds instead of creating ads. Christian Etter, Founder of Etter Studio explored new avenues of being social online, with his collaborative game ‘Drei’ where players are encouraged to build basic structures, working together. He shared insights about how brands can use gamification to connect with audiences.
During the MIT Media Lab session, Dhairya Dand and Deepak Jagdish wowed audiences with their explorations in digital technology – asking people to re-think their perceptions of smart devices and new ways to interpret their own lives through data visualisation. Content strategist Elizabeth McGuane develops ways to structure a company’s story and make digital more human. A common thread throughout the day was storytelling and how brands need to find ways to create meaningful connections with their audiences online.
Another, was the importance of collaboration in gathering multiple perspectives to create holistic digital experiences. Tim Malbon- Founding Partner of Made by Many, asked several relevant ‘What If” questions while at the same time giving an overview of the current state of digital and what to look forward to in the future.
Maria Eriksson of Hyper Island closed the day, highlighting the four fundamental pillars of digital – people, companies, learning and change. She emphasized the need to develop a culture in which change is accepted and celebrated.
The audience of 1500-odd professionals and students were exposed to a variety of perspectives – one of the themes that emerged was how storytelling is a powerful tool for companies to connect with their consumers, and speakers offered multiple approaches for brands to create interactive and emotional digital experiences. The two MIT Media Lab Designer/Researchers – Deepak Jagdish and Dhairya Dand, revealed their radical experiments with technology and data visualisation.
IAA Kyoorius Digiyatra will be followed by Kyoorius Designyatra and Kyoorius Design Awards to be hosted on 12th and 13th September, 2014.
Kyoorius founder and CEO Rajesh Kejriwal commented, “Now in its second year, IAA Kyoorius Digiyatra has been a great success once again. There were a lot of interesting insights and discussions throughout the day about how to humanize digital, and thinking beyond social media. We are looking forward to the next two days of Kyoorius Designyatra and pushing people to think beyond clichés and to give shape to new ideas.”
Brands
UltraTech Cement appoints Jayant Dua as managing director
Dua will succeed K. C. Jhanwar after his term ends in December 2026
MUMBAI: UltraTech Cement, the flagship cement arm of the Aditya Birla Group, has elevated Jayant Dua as managing director, effective 1 April, 2026.
The company’s board also approved his appointment as additional director, managing director and key managerial personnel, effective 1 January, 2027, following the completion of the current managing director K C Jhanwar’s term on 31 December, 2026, according to a regulatory filing.
Dua will serve as managing director for a four-year term from 1 January, 2027 to 31 December, 2030.
A veteran executive with more than 37 years of professional experience, Dua joined the Aditya Birla Group’s cement business in 1996 and spent nearly a decade in various functional and leadership roles.
Over the past two decades, he has held several profit-and-loss and chief executive responsibilities across multiple group businesses, including insulators, insurance, Century Cement and the chlor-alkali segment. In 2023, he was elevated to lead the group’s renewables and textiles businesses.
Within the group, Dua has received several internal honours, including the chairman’s individual award for exceptional contribution in 2002, the outstanding leader award in 2009 and the leader of leaders recognition in 2022.
He holds an engineering degree from Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, an MBA from International Management Institute and has completed the advanced management programme at Harvard Business School.
