MAM
PrepInsta elevates Manish Agarwal to the position of CMO
Mumbai: Ed-tech startup PrepInsta has elevated Manish Agarwal to chief marketing officer’s position of the brand and also given him co-founder status. Manish was earlier heading the business development at the brand and will now also be managing marketing activities for the brand.
The development follows the recent announcement of the brand to go aggressive with its expansion in terms of associations with universities and widen its user base.
In his new role, Manish plans to go aggressive not just with the mainstream but also in regional communications. He aims at tapping the potential audience in Tier II of India for which he will be introducing vernacular communication in the marketing strategy. Additionally, his focus will be towards strong digital marketing to increase the traction on the platform.
“Edtech space is growing at an unexpected pace, and amidst this it is very important to catch up with continuous innovation and ideas,” said Agarwal. “In India, the one who cuts a sustainable slice of Tier II might stand out for longer, therefore, there is a dire need for business development targets to stay in sync with marketing approach. We at PrepInsta, have some ambitious objectives for the ongoing fiscal, and therefore we are upgrading our management structure which fits the larger plan. We are sure this is going to produce some fruitful results for the entire team, and I could not be more excited about my new responsibilities as the CMO.”
Manish has secured a BTech (ECE) from Vellore Institute of Technology. He started his professional career with Accenture as an ASE, working as MainFrames Developer for a reputed Insurance Client, post which he joined PrepInsta.
“Manish has a very clear approach towards the company’s targets, and with his insights on the industry he is all geared up to drive the marketing front completely. Being the third most funded startups sector in India, edtech has a lot of opportunities, but so is the competition. Awareness and content quality are two main factors that break the ice for any brand. We are glad that our co-founder is handholding the first important factor for us,” said PrepInsta co-founder & CEO Atulya Kaushik.
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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.
