MAM
Lowe Worldwide board to meet for the first time in India on 15 November
MUMBAI: Recognizing the increasing influence of India in the world of advertising, the second ever meeting of the Lowe Worldwide Board under the new global management is scheduled in Mumbai from 15 – 17 November, 2005. This is the first time that Lowe Worldwide board is meeting in India.
Lowe Worldwide president and CEO, Tony Wright, will chair the inaugural session of the meeting.
The theme of the meeting ‘Reach without Compromise’ is inspired by the longer-term vision for Lowe Worldwide, which is rapidly acquiring the stature of the ‘Next Generation Growth Network’.
According to the new vision, the agency’s strategy is based on four key pillars: global network, brilliant creativity, holistic marketing solutions and people and operational leadership.
Earlier this year, Lowe Worldwide restructured its network into a Core Global Team, where the entire world is clustered into 12 Lighthouse units. Each of these units will manage countries in their areas of influence. Core Account Teams will service global clients like Unilever, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Novartis, General Motors, Electrolux, Nokia and so on.
As part of this structure introduced earlier this year, Lintas India stands tall as one of the 12 lighthouses covering South Asian countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The new structure works to eliminate bureaucratic systems and regional management; pools resources, talent and processes to deliver a leaner, more effective and cost-efficient best-in-class service to clients.
Lowe Worldwide has identified India, China, Latin America and Eastern Europe as the core components of its growth strategy going forward.
Among these priority areas, Lowe’s presence in India through Lintas India has had a history of success over the years. Lintas India has also evolved as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ and a model agency in the Lowe global system. It is, in this context, that the Global Management Board Meeting has been scheduled in India for a mutual sharing of experience against the backdrop of Planning sessions for 2006 and beyond.
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
