MAM
Pidilite CEO Chandramouli Venkatesan passes away
NEW DELHI- Pidilite Industries Ltd CEO, special projects Chandramouli Venkatesan passed away on October 6 after a prolonged battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 54.
Fondly known as ‘Mouli’, Venkatesan was associated with Pidilite Industries from 2017. He was not just an industry veteran, but also a successful author – having penned the best-sellers Catalyst and Get Better at Getting Better, published by Penguin Random House India in 2018.
Before taking charge at Pidilite, Venkatesan worked at Mondelez International (erstwhile Cadbury India) from 2012 for three years and served as its managing director from January 2015 to August 2016. He had joined the company in 2005 and was instrumental in scaling up the chocolate business.
During his long and varied career, he also worked at companies like Onida and Asian Paints.
Colleagues and peers poured their hearts out on social media and shared fond memories of Venkatesan.
Eros International Media Limited Pradeep Dwivedi CEO – India wrote, “Dear All, while some of you may be aware, I am heartbroken and very sorry to share that we have lost our dear friend #Mouli -Chandramouli Venkatesan, Ex-Mondelez, Pidilite, today. An amazing and warm human being, author, coach, and mentor to many of us in the industry. He has left a shocking void. Prayers for the dear departed soul R.I.P.”
Marketing industry veteran Lloyd Mathias took Twitter to mourn Mouli’s sudden departure.
Devastating to hear about Chandramouli Venkatesan's passing! Long stint at Cadbury's/Mondelez India where he was MD in 2015-16, then with Pidilite and recent author of books: 'Catalyst' and 'Get Better at Getting Better'. RIP @vcmouli11 you were a catalyst for many. pic.twitter.com/mGYpE3oueE
— Lloyd Mathias (@LloydMathias) October 6, 2020
Whoaaaa…. this is such a shock….
RIP Chandramouli Venkatesan
This is a personal loss đ
Gosh. Just extremely sad.
We were about to speak again….Alas!
This day spent with you and Bharat Puri, will be forever etched in my memory! #RIP friend, mentor, philosopher pic.twitter.com/aohyd1kLUz
— Mangalam Maloo (@blitzkreigm) October 6, 2020
Om Shanti. Chandramouli Venkatesan, we have lost a true leader & a great professional with ur onward journey to heaven. Remember u joined Ondia in 2001, a full 16yrs after me. Although I had left India in '92, you still called me to understand the genesis of Onida, the Devil. RIP pic.twitter.com/xegQf6l2OE
— Rajeev (@rajeevkarwal) October 6, 2020
MAM
WPP appoints EstĂ©e Lauder’s Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer
Former EstĂ©e Lauder executive to lead operations, technology and culture overhaul under WPPâs three-year growth plan
LONDON: WPP has appointed Anne-Isabelle Choueiri as chief transformation officer in a newly created role tasked with delivering the groupâs Elevate28 strategy.
Choueiri joins from The EstĂ©e Lauder Companies, where she led enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, including the âOne ELCâ operating model and major upgrades to enterprise marketing, data and analytics capabilities. She also led the redesign of enterprise technology teams and served on the companyâs AI taskforce, driving AI strategy, adoption and value realisation across the business.
At WPP, she will be responsible for designing, implementing and embedding the operating model behind Elevate28, the companyâs three-year growth plan unveiled in February 2026. She will lead efforts to improve innovation, efficiency and integration across WPPâs client offerings, with a focus on delivering agile, outcome-driven solutions and measurable growth.
Choueiri will oversee organisational transformation across the group, working closely with product and enterprise technology teams to deploy AI, data and technology to build new capabilities and improve operational performance. She will also work with the people function to embed cultural change, strengthen an agile performance mindset and support talent development across the organisation.
Before joining Estée Lauder, she held senior roles across consulting and digital agencies, including at Accenture, Masaï (a Bain & Company spin-off), and Kearney, with experience spanning strategy, data and digital marketing transformation.
Cindy Rose, chief executive officer of WPP, said Choueiri brings a strong track record of leading large-scale transformation across operations, technology and culture, adding that her appointment will help accelerate the groupâs next phase of growth under Elevate28.
Choueiri said WPPâs strategy represents an ambitious opportunity to reshape how the company operates and delivers for clients, adding that she looks forward to building integrated solutions and fostering a culture of innovation and change.
She will be based in New York and will join WPPâs executive committee.
