MAM
Komal Kakkar heads to HP India as head of corporate communications
MUMBAI: It’s been some journey for Komal Kakkar. She began her career in 2008 as a PR executive in the Grasshoppers after completing her post graduate diploma in advertising and PR, pulic relations and image management from the Sri Aurobindo Institute of Mass Communications. Today she’s perched right on top at multinational tech firm HP India as the head of corporate communications.
The young professional who familiarised herself with German by studying it for three years at the Max Mueller Bhavan, was with Samsung Electronics in corporate communications for more than five years based in Gurgaon. She resigned in January 2024 and took time off to introspect. (Wish we all could have the courage to do that!)
Prior to Samsung, Komal spent seven years and more at Apollo Munich Health Insurance Co where her knowledge of German would have been handy. She also got herself communication agency exposure by working as a senior management associate at Ipan Hill & Knowlton between 2008 and 2010.
Komal, who carries her positivity openly, said on Linkedin: “The year 2024 has been super special. After an enriching sabbatical filled with many adventures, a yoga certification, bucket-list travels, meeting some incredible people on the way, and self-discovery, I’m happy to share that I’ve joined HP as the Head of Communications for India. This time away was transformative—it gave me the space to reflect, rejuvenate, and return with a fresh perspective. I’m thrilled to channel this newfound energy into creating impactful communication strategies for HP, a brand with the vision to create technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere.”
All we can say to Komal, is more power to you!
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
