MAM
McCann’s Mathew on Adfest jury
MUMBAI: McCann ECD Rahul Mathew has been picked to be on the Ad Fest 2013 Film Lotus and Radio Lotus jury panel.
Adfest 2013 will be held during from 17 to 19 March at the Pattaya Exhibition and Convention Hall, Royal Cliff Hotels Group, Pattaya, Thailand.
Mathew said, “Adfest has been my favourite hunting ground. In fact, my first-ever-international award was a bronze at Adfest. And I also won one of my Grand Prixs there in 2008, incidentally in radio. With Adfest being the first show to be judged in the year, it‘s also the first peek at Asia‘s biggest contenders for the shows to come. So it‘s an exciting show to judge. But with film & radio as my category, it‘s going to be as exhausting as it will be exciting.”
Mathew has been in advertising for about 15 years, eight of which have been with McCann Mumbai. He has been involved in many award winning campaigns that have gained acclaim at both domestic and international arenas. These include Grand Prixs at the Adfest and New York, and metals and honours at Cannes, One Show, Spikes, Adfest, Clio, London International and Goa fest. He has also been ranked amongst the top five creative professionals in India in 2009 by Campaign Brief Asia and was ranked the 8th most awarded copywriter in Asia (as per Haymarket Publications and Campaign Asia) in 2012.
Adfest is a non-profit organisation, which run the largest annual advertising festival in Asia & the Pacific celebrating and raising the standard of creativity in the region. ADFEST is a platform designed not only to promote and recognise creative excellence, but also provides a unique learning opportunity for participants through seeing the best works, listening to inspiring speakers, and exchanging ideas. Adfest embraces and celebrates local culture and heritage. With the rich history of heritage and legacy in this region, Adfest aims for the recognition and preservation of such local value.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
