MAM
Meridian Communication bags Voltas AC’s creative mandate
MUMBAI: Ogilvy & Mather’s Bangalore-based full service agency, Meridian Communication, has won the creative duties of Voltas AC.
The account was earlier handled by Publicis Capital.
Five agencies participated in the pitch.
Meridian Communication Sr.VP Chandana Agarwal said, “The clients were quite happy with the presentation that we gave. This helped us win the account.” She, however, refused to disclose the size of the account.
The media agency for Voltas is Lintas.
Founded in 1954, Voltas offers engineering solutions for a wide spectrum of industries in areas like heating, ventilation and air conditioning, refrigeration, electro-mechanical projects and indoor air quality.
MAM
Cipla appoints Achin Gupta as MD and global CEO
Veteran pharma leader with 20-plus years takes charge from 1 April 2026, succeeding current MD.
MUMBAI: Cipla’s next chapter just got a seasoned prescription because when it comes to leading a pharma giant, Achin Gupta knows exactly which dose delivers results. The Mumbai-based drugmaker announced on 23 February 2026 that Achin Gupta, currently global chief operating officer, will step up as managing director and global chief executive officer from 1 April 2026. He succeeds the outgoing leadership team and will steer Cipla’s worldwide operations, market expansion, operational efficiency, and innovation pipeline across its broad portfolio of generics, specialty drugs, and consumer healthcare treatments.
Gupta brings more than 20 years of pharmaceutical industry experience to the corner office. Before rejoining Cipla, he spent over eight years at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in senior roles, having also worked there earlier between 2004 and 2012. His career path also includes key stints at Abbott Laboratories and management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, giving him a well-rounded view of global pharma strategy, operations, and growth.
In his current COO role, Gupta has already been deeply involved in streamlining Cipla’s supply chain, boosting manufacturing agility, and driving digital transformation moves that positioned the company strongly amid post-pandemic supply challenges and rising competition. As MD and Global CEO, he’ll now have full accountability for executing Cipla’s long-term vision, from deepening presence in key markets like the US, Europe, and emerging regions to accelerating R&D in complex generics and biosimilars.
The appointment comes at a pivotal time for Cipla, as the industry navigates pricing pressures, regulatory shifts, and the push for affordable innovation in chronic therapies. Gupta’s track record of scaling operations and delivering consistent performance makes him a logical internal choice to keep the momentum going.
For a company that’s long been a household name in affordable medicines, this leadership handoff is less about a big shake-up and more about steady continuity with fresh energy ensuring the next dose of growth is as effective as the last.
