MAM
Rakuten India hires Jay Swamidass & Subhash Chandra to lead SixthSense
Mumbai: Rakuten India has announced the appointment of two senior executives: Jay Swamidass as VP and global head of sales and Subhash Chandra as head of global partnerships & alliances. These leadership appointments represent a significant step in Rakuten India’s ongoing efforts to expand its global footprint and enhance its enterprise software offerings.
In recent years, Rakuten SixthSense has witnessed impressive growth, broadening its reach and becoming a key player in the global technology space. This success has been fueled by the platform’s dedication to innovation, its capacity to tackle complex enterprise challenges, and its focus on cultivating strong strategic partnerships. With the appointment of Jay Swamidass and Subhash Chandra to the leadership team, Rakuten SixthSense is poised to accelerate its growth and drive further advancements in the industry.
Jay Swamidass brings over two decades of experience in enterprise software sales, having held key positions and leadership roles at Hewlett Packard, Commvault Systems, Veeam Software, and most recently, Apica. At Rakuten India, Jay will lead the sales strategy for Rakuten SixthSense, focusing on delivering innovative solutions to enterprise customers. His expertise in analytics, cloud, AI, and enterprise infrastructure will support the company’s goal of further expanding its footprint in this critical market.
“I am thrilled to join Rakuten India at such an exciting time,” said Rakuten SixthSense VP and global head of sales Jay Swamidass. “The company’s focus on cutting-edge observability solutions and its commitment to solving complex enterprise challenges align perfectly with my passion for leveraging technology to drive operational excellence and business resilience. I’m excited to work alongside this talented team to strengthen our market presence and deliver real value to our clients through unparalleled visibility and performance insights.”
Subhash Chandra, appointed as Rakuten SixthSense’s head of global partnerships & alliances brings 23 years of experience in building strategic partnerships across the technology sector, with prior leadership roles at AWS, Google Cloud, SAP, and IBM. Subhash will focus on expanding Rakuten India’s global partner network to enhance its technological capabilities and market reach, which will further fuel the company’s rapid growth.
“Rakuten India’s vision of innovation through collaboration is truly inspiring,” said Chandra. “I am eager to lead the global partnerships efforts and work closely with our partners to create synergies that empower our clients and elevate Rakuten India’s solutions on a global scale.”
Commenting on the appointments, Rakuten India CEO Sunil Gopinath said, “We are delighted to welcome Jay and Subhash to the Rakuten India leadership team. Their expertise and leadership will be pivotal as we continue to innovate and expand our global presence in enterprise software and observability. With their strategic insights and operational excellence, I am confident we will achieve new milestones and continue our significant growth trajectory for our Rakuten SixthSense business.”
AD Agencies
Prakash Nair reportedly quits Ogilvy after 23 years
One of the agency’s longest-serving leaders has moved on, with his next destination still unknown
MUMBAI: After more than two decades at one address, Prakash Nair has left the building. The president and head of office, north at Ogilvy has moved on from the agency, according to highly placed industry sources. His next move remains unknown. Ogilvy did not respond to requests for comment.
Nair spent over 23 years at the agency, making him one of its longest-serving senior figures. He was elevated to lead the Gurugram office in April 2022, a role that put him at the helm of Ogilvy’s northern operations at a time of considerable churn across the advertising industry.
Before taking charge in the capital, Nair served as associate president at Ogilvy Mumbai, where he worked on some of the agency’s most prized accounts, including Mondelez, Tata Motors, and BP Castrol. Over the years, he built a reputation for driving modern, integrated, and award-winning work, the kind that wins metals at Cannes and keeps clients from straying.
His departure was marked in style. A farewell gathering was held in Delhi, attended by senior figures from across the advertising fraternity, a signal of the regard in which Nair is held in an industry that does not always pause to say goodbye properly.
Where he goes next is the question the industry is now asking. After 23 years at one of the world’s most storied agencies, the answer, when it comes, will be worth watching.
