MAM
Mars Wrigley’s India biz elevates Varun Kandhari to director – marketing
NEW DELHI: Multinational confectionery maker Mars Wrigley has elevated Varun Kandhari to the post of director – marketing and customer marketing for India. He has been with the organisation for seven years, is based in the Gurugram office and succeeds Yogesh Tewari.
Kandhari joined Mars Chocolate Business in September 2014 as senior brand manager and was subsequently promoted to marketing manager – chocolates for Mars Wrigley business in October 2017.
In his new role, he will be responsible for leading the marketing and customer marketing functions for Mars Wrigley India across all categories.
Mars Wrigley- India general manager Kalpesh R Parmar said, “Through his tenure, Varun has played a crucial role in value creation and developing successful marketing strategies. In line with our goals to grow our business and develop our brands better, I am confident that Varun, with his energy, enthusiasm, and expertise, is the perfect lead to help us take Mars Wrigley to greater heights.”
Before joining Mars Wrigley, Kandhari was associated with Hindustan Unilever where he managed brands like Surf Excel and Wheel.
AD Agencies
Prakash Nair reportedly quits Ogilvy after 23 years
One of the agency’s longest-serving leaders has moved on, with his next destination still unknown
MUMBAI: After more than two decades at one address, Prakash Nair has left the building. The president and head of office, north at Ogilvy has moved on from the agency, according to highly placed industry sources. His next move remains unknown. Ogilvy did not respond to requests for comment.
Nair spent over 23 years at the agency, making him one of its longest-serving senior figures. He was elevated to lead the Gurugram office in April 2022, a role that put him at the helm of Ogilvy’s northern operations at a time of considerable churn across the advertising industry.
Before taking charge in the capital, Nair served as associate president at Ogilvy Mumbai, where he worked on some of the agency’s most prized accounts, including Mondelez, Tata Motors, and BP Castrol. Over the years, he built a reputation for driving modern, integrated, and award-winning work, the kind that wins metals at Cannes and keeps clients from straying.
His departure was marked in style. A farewell gathering was held in Delhi, attended by senior figures from across the advertising fraternity, a signal of the regard in which Nair is held in an industry that does not always pause to say goodbye properly.
Where he goes next is the question the industry is now asking. After 23 years at one of the world’s most storied agencies, the answer, when it comes, will be worth watching.
