MAM
Rahul Johri honoured at World Brand Congress
MUMBAI: Discovery South Asia senior VP, GM Rahul Johri has been awarded the ‘Media Professional of the Year‘ award at the Global Awards for Brand Excellence 2012.
This accolade is a reflection of Discovery‘s performance and growth in South Asia region under Rahul Johri‘s leadership and his contribution in building a robust and varied portfolio of eight unique channels, led by the leading non-fiction network Discovery Channel.
Having joined the broadcaster in 2001, he currently leads its South Asia operations. He is responsible for the overall growth strategy of India‘s highest quality factual and lifestyle portfolio including Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, Discovery Science, Discovery Turbo, Discovery HD World, Discovery Tamil and Discovery Kids. He has also been the driving force behind networks‘ pioneering localisation strategy and the launch of multiple language feeds across brands and expanding their nationwide penetration. His recent initiative, the launch of the game changing channel in the kids genre Discovery Kids, has received industry wide applaud, according to the World Brand Congress.
He is also credited with commissioning a range of acclaimed series including – ‘Living with a Superstar: Shah Rukh Khan‘, ‘What Not to Wear: India‘, ‘Oh My Gold!‘ and ‘Be Blunt with Adhuna Akhtar‘. He also spearheaded Discovery‘s association with Yash Raj Films for the latest release ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan‘ and with the Indian Army for its women officers‘ expedition to Mount Everest in 2012.
Johri said, “I am grateful to the jury of the World Brand Congress for honouring me with this prestigious distinction. This award is a recognition of the excellence of my team who have contributed significantly in my journey to build Discovery as one of the most respected networks in South Asia.”
World Brand Congress project director Dr. R.L.Bhatia said, “World Brand Congress is pleased to confer to Rahul Johri ‘Media Professional of the Year‘ award for his outstanding contribution to the industry. Rahul‘s strategic thinking to translate the vision into action has contributed to the jury decision. Rahul has the positive spirit and tenacity to make change in a hyperactive business environment”
Johri is a board member and Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) treasurer. He is also a member of the media and entertainment committee of CII and member of the Media & Entertainment Division of Ficci.
Brands
Senior leaders exit Deloitte India amid shift in M&A strategy
Rival firms gain ground as Deloitte refocuses on high-value mergers and acquisitions
NEW DELHI: Deloitte has seen a series of senior departures in recent weeks, marking a period of transition as the firm recalibrates its mergers and acquisitions business, according to an Economic Times report. These exits follow a strategic shift in the firm’s advisory approach, which has increasingly focused on larger, high-value transactions.
The executives who have resigned include Rajesh Aggarwal, head of debt advisory, Ruchi Sarna, national head of consumer investment banking, and Suresh Atal, a senior partner in transaction advisory, according to the report. Industry sources indicate that Rajesh Aggarwal and Suresh Atal are likely to join PwC, while Sarna is also expected to move to a competing firm.
This movement follows a significant change in Deloitte’s leadership and focus over the past two years. After Rohit Berry joined from KPMG as president of the vertical, the firm began prioritising deals valued at over $250 million. Berry was accompanied by senior executives Vivek Gupta and Manish Aggarwal, leading to a larger migration of over 200 professionals from KPMG to Deloitte.
The competitive landscape remains fluid. PwC recently appointed Anmol Bhandari, a former Deloitte executive, as head of its transaction services vertical, reinforcing its dealmaking ambitions.
In the professional services sector, senior departures often trigger further team movements, suggesting that more staff may follow these leaders to their new firms.
Despite these exits, Deloitte is actively looking to rebuild its ranks. According to the report, the firm is currently looking to hire between six and nine partners to address gaps in its debt advisory team as it aggressively seeks fresh talent to maintain its market position.
As the major accounting firms continue to compete for leadership, the hierarchy of the Indian advisory market is shifting. While Deloitte has successfully recruited heavily from its rivals in the past, it now faces the challenge of retaining its own senior experts as they are courted by competitors like PwC.
