MAM
Paytm Insider elevates Varun Khare to COO
Mumbai: Paytm Insider, one of India’s leading entertainment experiences platforms, announced the elevation of Varun Khare to chief operating officer (COO). In his new role, Varun will lead the company’s operational strategies, driving growth and innovation across all facets of the business.
Having been with the organisation for four years, Varun as the business head showcased exceptional leadership, strategic vision, and a deep understanding of the evolving needs of the customers and partners. Under his management, Paytm Insider witnessed over 100 per cent growth in GMV each year over the last two years whilst quadrupling the revenue in the last two years. With a clear understanding of the brand’s vision and the need to build the event’s infrastructure in India, Varun was instrumental in making significant inroads into tier two and three markets by collaborating with artists, organisers, and promoters to enhance live event experiences.
Before joining Paytm Insider, Varun worked with Fountainhead MKTG and eventually Oranjuice Entertainment. With a robust background spanning 17 years in the live events and entertainment industry, he specialises in meticulously crafting and executing intellectual properties (IPs).
Talking about his new position, Paytm Insider COO Varun Khare said, “When I moved to Paytm Insider, the intention was to scale up and work with a brand whose value system and culture resonated with mine. Working with a team of 150 exceptionally talented individuals and earning their respect has been one of the most gratifying and significant achievements of my career. We have successfully expanded to over 170 cities having reached a diverse customer base across genres making my journey both challenging and rewarding.”
He further added, “I am grateful to all the passionate people who have been a part of my journey. I am looking forward to this new phase. We’ve only just gotten started and have put ourselves in a great position to make live entertainment the preferred choice of entertainment across the country.”
Talking about Varun’s promotion, Paytm Insider founder & CEO Shreyas Srinivasan expressed, “Paytm Insider was founded with the vision of making events a preferred choice for entertainment in India. Over the last five years we have built a full-fledged platform that supports organisers with a range of services that spans ticketing, sponsorship, artist booking, marketing and more. Varun has been instrumental in this build-out, his vast experience across all aspects of organising an event has allowed us to build a platform which will champion events and organisers across this country. I am super confident that this team has the right mix to make Insider the dominant events platform in India.”
MAM
WPP appoints Jane Geraghty Global CEO of Brand & Design
Veteran leader also named Global CEO of Landor in dual role.
MUMBAI: Jane Geraghty just landed the ultimate brand double-header because when you’re already running Landor, why not take the whole WPP design empire along for the ride? WPP has appointed Jane Geraghty as global chief executive officer of WPP Brand & Design while simultaneously naming her Global CEO of Landor. The dual role, announced via Geraghty’s LinkedIn post, positions her to lead the group’s specialist brand and design agencies at a time when clients increasingly demand stronger differentiation through multidimensional strategy and experience design.
Geraghty, who joined WPP earlier this year as chief client officer, brings over three decades of experience in marketing, branding and communications. She previously served as Global CEO of Landor (2017–2020), President for EMEA (2013–2018) and Managing Director (2011–2016), after earlier leadership stints at Saatchi & Saatchi, McCann-Erickson and Ogilvy in New York.
In her post, Geraghty said she was “thrilled” to step into the role, highlighting that branding and design are becoming critical for clients seeking differentiation. She emphasised the opportunity to harness WPP’s collective capabilities across agencies, noting that AI powered by WPP Open is already reshaping brand creation, management and global collaboration.
The appointment reflects WPP’s push to integrate its brand and design network more tightly, positioning it to deliver seamless, high-impact work at the intersection of business strategy and brand experience.
In an industry where creativity meets commerce, Geraghty isn’t just leading two titles, she’s steering the ship that turns brands from recognisable to unforgettable, one bold move at a time.
