MAM
Nissan hires Abhishek Arora as director – DND-CQT & transformation
Gurugram: Nissan Motor India (NMIPL) announced the appointment and role expansion of Abhishek Arora as director – Dealer Network Development and Customer Quality Training (DND-CQT), in addition to his current role as director – transformation & new projects, effective from 14 November 2024. In his new role, Abhishek will lead the brand’s channel development and management, driving strategic initiatives linked to network development and business to ensure Nissan is future ready for the upcoming products. His deep expertise in managing premium automotive networks is set to bring significant value to Nissan’s India CBU business, further strengthening its market presence.
Abhishek had joined Nissan in September 2024 as director – transformation and new projects and was given interim charge of director – DNDCQT in October 2024. He will now lead the DND-CQT function full time and continue to manage transformation projects. In his previous role with Audi India, he led key functions such as network development, business management, sales training, and the used car business. Prior to Audi, Abhishek worked with General Motors, Tata Motors, and Honda Motorcycles, further enriching his expertise in channel sales, planning, and managing premium car networks.
Speaking on the appointment and role expansion, Nissan Motor India (NMIPL) managing director Saurabh Vatsa said, “We are delighted to welcome Abhishek Arora at Nissan as Director – DND-CQT in addition to his current responsibilities in driving transformation projects. We are confident that his extensive experience and strategic leadership in the premium automotive space will play an important role in strengthening our network capabilities. His leadership will ensure that we are well-positioned to execute our upcoming product launches and further enhance customer experience as we work towards long-term growth and success in this dynamic market with a mix of localised and CBU products.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
