MAM
Sandeep Sharma returns to Times of India as branch vertical head
Gurugram: Sandeep Sharma is back where it all began. The media sales veteran has rejoined Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd., publisher of The Times of India, as branch vertical head – automobile, marking a return to his first organisation after nearly four years away.
Based in Gurugram, Sharma’s comeback follows a stint at Acko Drive, where he led revenue strategy, sponsorships and branded content for the automotive digital platform, including its flagship automobile awards and industry IPs.
With more than 17 years in the media business, Sharma has built deep expertise across the automobile, consumer durables and telecom verticals, three of the most competitive and revenue-heavy categories in Indian media. Before Acko Drive, he spent two years at Dainik Bhaskar Group as assistant general manager, heading enterprise revenue for marquee accounts such as Maruti, Hyundai, Kia, Samsung and Apple across multiple markets.
Sharma is no stranger to Times Group. He spent over 14 years at Bennett Coleman earlier in his career, rising from senior manager to deputy chief manager. In that phase, he handled key consumer durables and telecom accounts, generated annual revenues of about Rs 80 crore, and stitched together large integrated deals across print, digital, television and out-of-home.
At Times of India, Sharma is expected to sharpen the automobile vertical’s growth strategy, deepen OEM and agency relationships, and push customised branded content and partnerships in a market where competition for ad budgets is intensifying.
Sometimes, going back is not a retreat but a reset. For Sharma, the return to Times Group is less about nostalgia and more about unfinished business—this time with sharper tools and a longer rear-view mirror.
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
