MAM
Nagesh Alai, Sandeep Seth, Richard Murphy to head APAC Effie Awards 2016 jury
MUMBAI: The Asia Pacific Effie Awards has named three more heads of Jury for the 2016 Awards in FCB Worldwide vice chairman – global Nagesh Alai, SK-II global brand director Sandeep Seth and McDonalds CVP digital, growth & foundation markets Richard Murphy .
Alai has been part of the APAC Effie Jury for the past two years and is currently a member of the APAC Effie Committee. A key force behind the Group’s sound fundamentals & success, he has been with FCBUlka Group for 25 years now. Between 2006 and 2011, FCB Worldwide handed over to Alai the finance and operational responsibilities of Asia Pacific & Africa region and prior to his recent assignment, he was group chairman of FCBUlka Group in India.
He is also actively involved with the industry having been the president of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) from 2010 to 2012. He currently serves as an executive member of the Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations (CAAAA), various committees of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).
Alai said, “Advertising is all about creating awareness about a brand and triggering a behavioural change in the consumer. Effies platform recognises this truism. Hence, it’s an honour to be associated with APAC Effies it as a Head of Jury and help in selecting the best of the best advertising in the region.”
Seth has almost two decades of marketing experience across nine countries in APAC and Greater China, and a deep expertise in the Beauty and Prestige industry. He currently heads SK-II’s global marketing and commercial operations. He is also leading P&G Asia’s marketing talent rejuvenation movement.
“I feel extremely honoured to be on a Head of Jury for APAC Effie. Brands and advertising is a huge passion area. We are in a new era of advertising as the digital revolution has completely transformed how brands and consumers interact. It is an exciting time and I am looking forward to be inspired by the great work that everyone has been leading in the industry,” Seth said.
Murphy, with a brief to drive digital transformation at a market level, covers some 90+ countries across the globe and includes setting and aligning the agenda for digital, ensuring that markets are clear about the expectations the business has of them and to help drive a modern approach with customers.
“I am delighted to be invited as a Head of Jury for APAC Effie. Effectiveness is the core of the advertising business and what we strive to achieve. I’m glad to play a part in Effies in championing marketing effectiveness and am excited to see the great works from the region,” Murphy added.
This completes the Heads of Jury line-up for the 2016 Awards.
Awards chairman Cheuk Chiang said, “I’m absolutely convinced that with such a distinguished and experienced group of practitioners, the Effies in APAC will redefine and set new standards for effectiveness. It comes at a time when marketers want greater accountability and stronger results but fail to do this consistently. Inspiration will come from the best and most effective work that has been interrogated, scrutinised, evaluated and judged by the best in the business. There will be something to learn for all of us and it’s truly an honour to be working alongside such a distinguished and experienced group of thought leaders.”
Finalists will be announced in March 2016, with the Awards Gala set to take place in Singapore end April 2016.
Brands
Oracle layoffs affect up to 30,000 employees globally
Job cuts span US, India and more, staff cite abrupt emails, uncertainty.
MUMBAI: April began with an inbox shock and for thousands, it ended with an exit. Oracle has carried out a sweeping round of layoffs, impacting an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 employees across its global operations, even as the company continues to report strong business performance. The job cuts were communicated via emails sent early on April 1, affecting staff across multiple regions including the United States, India, Canada and parts of Latin America. The reduction spans a wide range of roles and functions, though the company has not disclosed specific criteria behind the decisions.
In the days following the layoffs, employees have taken to platforms such as LinkedIn to share their experiences, many describing the process as abrupt and unsettling. Several posts pointed to a lack of prior indication, with notifications arriving suddenly in early-morning messages.
A recurring concern has been the impact on long-tenured staff. Users reported that employees with decades of experience were among those let go, raising broader questions about job security even for seasoned professionals within large technology firms.
The layoffs have also sparked anxiety about the wider direction of the sector. As companies continue to invest heavily in automation and artificial intelligence, workforce recalibration is becoming more common often accompanied by uncertainty around future roles and skills.
For many affected employees, the immediate challenge lies in navigating career transitions in an increasingly competitive job market, with posts reflecting concerns about stability and next steps.
The development comes against a backdrop of strong financial performance at Oracle, which recently reported a 22 percent year-on-year increase in revenue, alongside continued growth in its cloud infrastructure business. The company has also been committing significant capital towards artificial intelligence and data centre expansion.
The contrast between growth and job cuts has added to the unease, underscoring a broader shift in how large technology firms balance expansion with efficiency sometimes at the cost of the very workforce that helped build that growth.
