MAM
Prashant Vyas joins Socheers as head of people growth & culture
Mumbai: Socheers has appointed Prashant Vyas as its new head of people growth & culture, bringing extensive expertise in human resources, talent management, and employee engagement. With over a decade of experience, he has been instrumental in shaping workplace cultures and implementing people-centric policies across many organisations.
Before joining Socheers, Vyas led HR functions at The Minimalist, Famous Innovations, Wunderman Thompson South Asia, and Hungama Digital Services, driving talent acquisition, workforce planning, and employee engagement.
Holding a master’s degree in human resources research & development from K J Somaiya Institute of Management, he combines academic insight with industry experience to foster a thriving work environment. At Socheers, he will focus on aligning HR strategies with business objectives, enhancing employee well-being, and promoting a culture of innovation and inclusivity.
MAM
Kate Rouch steps down as OpenAI Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing leader prioritises health after late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
MUMBAI: When the toughest battle moves from the boardroom to the personal front, even the sharpest minds know it’s time to step back and focus on winning the most important fight of all. Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at OpenAI, has announced she is stepping down from her role to focus on recovery following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Rouch revealed she was diagnosed around a year and a half ago, shortly after taking on the CMO position. Despite undergoing intensive treatment, she continued to lead the company’s marketing function through what she described as one of the most challenging periods of her career.
She explained that while she remained deeply committed to her role and team, she had reached a point where prioritising her health and recovery had become essential. Rouch called the decision difficult, noting it required acknowledging personal limits and shifting priorities. She reflected that the experience had reshaped her understanding of courage not always about pushing harder, but sometimes about stepping back to focus on long-term wellbeing, family and sustainability.
Rouch expressed gratitude to her team and colleagues for their support. She mentioned that Gary will step in to help lead the function and recruit a successor. She plans to support the transition and remains open to returning in a different capacity in the future, depending on her health.
Prior to joining OpenAI, Rouch served as the first chief marketing officer at Coinbase and spent over a decade at Meta, where she was vice president and global head of brand and product marketing.
She also thanked well-wishers for their messages and shared that stories from fellow survivors had a meaningful impact during her treatment journey.
In the high-stakes world of tech marketing, Kate Rouch has always been known for her strategic brilliance. Now, she is showing a different kind of strength, one that reminds us that even the most driven leaders sometimes need to pause, heal, and come back stronger when the time is right. Wishing her a full and steady recovery.
