MAM
Mediacom elevates Priya Choudhary as head of Mediacom West
MUMBAI: In a key restructuring decision, Mediacom’s Priya Choudhary has been elevated as the head of Mediacom West. In her new role, Choudhary will be leading Mediacom’s Mumbai office.
Choudhary joined Mediacom in 2014 as national director – media buying. In 2016, she was chosen as the team lead on one of their key portfolios – P&G. With a successful history of working in the FMCG marketing and advertising industry for over 18 years, Choudhary is highly skilled in brand management, media planning & buying, consumer insights, digital marketing and market research.
Mediacom South Asia CEO Navin Khemka said, “I am glad to see Priya being elevated as the head of Mediacom West. She is a passionate leader and under her leadership, team P&G has achieved the highest rating ever. Her vast experience on both the client and agency side will help in growing Mediacom’s existing and potential clients and will add immense value to our media offering.”
Excited on her new role, Priya Choudhary said, “It is an absolute privilege to take on the new role as head for Mediacom West region. My immediate tasks would be to lead strategy, insights and driving growth for Mediacom West. I hope to bring in more value for all our existing clients as well.”
An MBA in marketing communications from MICA, Choudhary has worked with at Ogilvy & Mather, Madison World and Mindshare in the past. She also had stints with Unilever and Kraft Heinz, prior to joining Mediacom.
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33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
