MAM
Seshadri Shankara joins Bennett Coleman as general manager
MUMBAI: In his new role, Shankara will be responsible for business strategy and revenue planning across the company’s publishing operations. His mandate includes designing long-term growth plans, developing pricing models, overseeing yield management and supporting high-value deal structuring across print and digital platforms. He will work closely with Response leadership to drive category-led strategies, go-to-market plans and portfolio optimisation initiatives.
Shankara joins Bennett Coleman after more than a decade at GroupM, where he served as national head for agency investments. During his tenure, he led investment strategy, inventory valuation and pricing negotiations, and worked closely with media owners and agencies to optimise returns. Prior to that, he held senior roles at GroupM including head of strategic partnerships in India and business head for inventory media.
Earlier in his career, Shankara was head of business strategy and product for inventory media at Matrix, where he focused on supply acquisition, yield management and outcome-based advertising solutions. He has also served as director of a media consulting practice, advising media companies on sales strategy, business planning, organisational structuring and digital transformation.
His previous experience includes roles in product and revenue strategy at Star TV, sales strategy at Times Internet, and yield management and strategic insights at AOL. Shankara began his professional career in the telecom sector, with engineering and operations roles at Tata Communications and Alcatel-Lucent.
With nearly two decades of experience spanning telecom, television, digital media and advertising services, Shankara brings a strong analytical and commercial background to his role at Bennett Coleman. The appointment comes at a time when media companies are increasingly focused on pricing discipline, yield optimisation and data-driven revenue growth amid changing advertiser behaviour and fragmented audiences.
Brands
Emami names Dhruv Aggarwal as chief growth officer
Former Bain partner steps in as FMCG firm sharpens growth playbook
MUMBAI: Emami Limited has appointed Dhruv Aggarwal as its chief growth officer, effective 25 March 2026, following the resignation of Giriraj Bagri.
Aggarwal joins the FMCG major from Bain & Company, where he most recently served as partner. With over two decades of experience across consulting and strategy, he brings a global perspective shaped by work across India, the US, the UK and Germany.
During his tenure at Bain, Aggarwal advised consumer, retail and media companies on large-scale transformations, business turnarounds and growth strategies. He was also closely involved with India’s startup ecosystem, guiding early-stage ventures on scaling and digital expansion, while supporting private equity and venture capital firms on investment decisions.
His earlier stints include a brief role at Barclays Capital and operational experience at Jindal Power, giving him a mix of financial and industry exposure.
Academically, Aggarwal holds an MBA from Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and has also been associated with University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a PhD candidate and teaching assistant.
The appointment comes at a time when Emami Limited is looking to sharpen its growth strategy in a competitive consumer market. With a seasoned strategist now at the helm of growth, the company appears set to double down on transformation and expansion in the months ahead.
