MAM
Mindshare introduces content marketing, strategic partnerships practice
MUMBAI: Mindshare, a WPP strategic planning and media investment agency, has announced the establishment of a newly formed Content Marketing and Strategic Partnerships practice.
This is Mindshare‘s most recent response to increasing client demand for a unifying content strategy across all forms and formats – paid, owned and earned. In 2005, Mindshare launched Mindshare Entertainment (MSE).
MindShare MD- communications planning Stacy Minero has been promoted to lead this initiative for Mindshare.
Minero will be responsible for driving a more strategic and systematic approach to content marketing from advanced planning to development, discovery, and distribution.
Drawing from a suite of proprietary tools designed to inform strategies and evaluate opportunities, she aims to infuse more insights and analytics into content marketing.
Minero will report to Mindshare Communications Strategy practice head Tim Elton.
Mindshare North America CEO Antony Young said, “Technology is driving consumers to access their entertainment and information across multiple emerging channels, devices and platforms. Our clients are recognising that marketing messaging has to go beyond traditional advertising formats such as, 30 second TV ads if they are to engage consumers and communicate more persuasively. We see a major opportunity to develop content marketing strategies early in the brand communications planning process that captures wider content formats and build these into a wider brand communications effort.”
“Stacy‘s demonstrated expertise in creating this link between brands and the often unarticulated needs and desires of their audiences. She also has exceptional digital acumen that can turn content strategies into actionable ideas and partnerships,” Young added.
As Practice Lead, Minero will leverage a team across Mindshare‘s entertainment, digital and broadcast groups. They will also look to actively partner with external and independent technology, entertainment and content companies seeking to work with brands.
Minero said, “Everything starts with consumer insights and a deep understanding of mindset and motivation. To create human connections, we need to understand what compels people and link those insights to content ideas that transcend traditional advertising.”
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
