MAM
Sanchita Roy takes over as head of strategy at Havas Media Group India
Mumbai: Havas Media Group India has strengthened its leadership team with Sanchita Roy taking over as head of strategy on Thursday.
Roy had joined the group as head of west to manage the overall Mumbai operations in 2020 and carries over 19 years of experience in media planning and strategy.
In her new role, she will be responsible for driving the growth strategy for Havas Media Group India and leading strategic investments for its clients. Roy will continue to report to Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi, the global media agency said.
Roy comes with a vast experience in FMCG, telecom, tourism and auto having worked across key global businesses such as Unilever, J&J, Beiersdorf, SC Johnson, Reckitt, AB InBev, Nissan, Tourism Australia and Vodafone, and domestic businesses such as Parle Agro and Berger Paints to name a few.
In her previous role, she was heading the strategy function for Omnicom India across both agency brands, OMD and PHD. She was also responsible for rolling out PHD’s strategic planning process, Source, in India and has several thought-leadership articles to her name. Her previous stints also include Wavemaker and Mindshare. Sanchita has been a recipient of coveted industry awards namely, Media Abbys, CMO Asia, Emvies and Campaign Asia Account Person of the Year.
Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi said, “Havas Media Group India has won many new clients last year despite the slowdown and continues to keep the momentum this year too with many prestigious clients such as Dominos, CG Foods, Micromax and more. Our India offering is now a key contributor to the overall global pie and hence this is an important step towards strengthening our product portfolio. Sanchita’s vast experience as a strategist makes her a perfect fit for this role and further bolsters our leadership team.”
Roy added, “The last one year has been one of constant change across the world, especially so in the way consumers are interacting and engaging with brands. In my new role, the endeavour would be to understand these shifts and deliver meaningful media for our clients, using data, technology and content. I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to adding value and partnering Havas Media Group India in its new growth journey.”
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
