MAM
Madison Media ropes in Vishal, Ambica and Akanksha for key roles
Trio joins to drive digital and integrated growth in North & East
DELHI: Madison Media is giving its North and East operations a fresh jolt of energy, bringing in three senior professionals to strengthen its digital and integrated media leadership.
Vishal Kumar has joined the agency as vice president, digital business for the North and East. He will steer the region’s digital growth plans, working closely with chief digital officer Vivek Das and COO Mimi Deb.
This is a homecoming for Vishal, who returns to Madison with more than 18 years of experience across marketing, media and digital transformation. An alumnus of Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar, he spent nearly eight and a half years at GroupM, most recently leading the digital practice for Wavemaker North. His work earned recognition at industry platforms such as the Emvies and Goafest.
Most recently, he founded LeapX.ai, a Nasscom awarded start up that builds AI agents for paid digital advertising, sharpening his expertise at the crossroads of data, technology and performance marketing.
Madison has also added two more senior hires to the North and East leadership team. Ambica Chaudhary joins as deputy general manager, integrated media, while Akanksha Panwar comes on board as deputy general manager, digital business.
Ambica brings more than 15 years of experience across global agency networks including Starcom, Wavemaker and most recently PHD. She has handled integrated media planning for brands across categories such as CPG, smartphones, luxury fashion, mobility and life sciences, including managing Unilever’s media mandate in North America. At Madison, she will focus on building client centric, integrated media solutions for the region.
Akanksha also comes with over 15 years of experience, spanning software engineering, IT and digital advertising. An MBA from the University of Nottingham, she spent the last six years with WPP Media and previously held digital leadership roles at Dentsu. She has delivered full funnel strategies across sectors such as CPG, electronics, fashion and health insurance, and her work has been recognised at the Emvies, Indian Digital Marketing Awards and Campaign India Digital Crest Awards.
Speaking on his return, Vishal said it was an exciting time to be back as the company moves ahead with its Madison 3.0 vision. He added that his recent experience building LeapX.ai at the intersection of AI, data and performance marketing would help scale digital growth and strengthen tech and data capabilities in the region.
Mimi Deb said the new appointments would add fresh depth to the leadership team. She noted that Vishal’s expertise in data and technology, along with Akanksha’s digital experience and Ambica’s global exposure, would help drive the next phase of growth across the North and East markets.
Vivek Das added that the hires were strategic bets on digital first growth. He said Vishal’s mix of platform scale, AI entrepreneurship and agency experience would help translate Madison’s AI powered tools into sharper strategies and stronger brand commerce integration, while Ambica and Akanksha would reinforce integrated planning and full funnel execution.
With the new trio in place, Madison appears set to press the accelerator on its digital ambitions in the North and East.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
