MAM
Mindshare integrates Socialmedia8 to expand global social media footprint
MUMBAI: Global media network Mindshare has integrated Amsterdam based Socialmedia8 into its network as a step towards expanding its footprint globally. Furthermore, Socialmedia8 founder Igor Beuker has been appointed as Mindshare‘s first global chief social officer and social agency M80‘s managing director Mark Evans is now Mindshare North America social lead.
SocialMedia8 specialises in acquiring, managing, and extracting value from social fans and followers will bring social commerce, social TV, social gaming, social search and social CRM capabilities to Mindshare‘s portfolio of social media services.
Beuker will report to Mindshare Worldwide global digital leader Norm Johnson and will be joining the agency with immediate effect. Beuker has earlier served as chief marketing officer at Scoot, TeliaSonera and Telefonica O2. He also founded community agency LaComunidad and social video metrics firm ViralTracker before setting up SocialMedia8.
Evans will take up the post of managing director, social team at Mindshare North America and will head up social media campaigns for the agency‘s North American-based clients. Evans has extensive digital and social media experience and has served as vice president, digital, at Catapult Marketing and digital brand director at Euro RSCG prior to joining M80.
Mindshare Worldwide CEO Nick Emery said, “There is a lot of talk in this space and few experts, even fewer who can translate what they do into integrated business plans for progressive clients. We are putting our money where our mouth is when it comes to social media. Both Igor and his team and Mark bring with them a wealth of experience in actioning both effective and creative solutions.”
Beuker said, “In this new role as c-level officer I look forward to helping drive the broad social agenda for Mindshare clients. I am very excited to oversee Mindshare‘s social media marketing strategy and services at both global and local levels.”
Evans said, “”Incorporating social expertise within our scope of services allows us to deliver smarter, digital communication solutions. From insights to strategies, activation and analysis, this approach will allow us to deliver greater value for our clients. And, this will lead to better user experiences for their audiences.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
