MAM
Surewaves brings on board Ashish Baru
MUMBAI: SureWaves, a media and technology company working extensively in the space of aggregating audiences on local cable and satellite channels across the country is strengthening its advertising sales team. SureWaves has appointed Ashish Baru as regional director – west to lead the business operations in the region.
His last stint was with Headlines Today and he has also worked previously with Imagine TV and Zee group. SureWaves Network is already one of the top five TV media options in the country and is becoming an effective reach builder for lot of advertisers today across the country.
SureWaves COO Mandar Patwardhan said, “We are gearing up for an exciting year ahead. Ashish comes on board with rich experience and track record in media sales and would focus on establishing our leadership position in the market. The television industry is in an exciting phase with growing number of cable and satellite television channels which is leading to further fragmentation of audiences and with limitations of total inventory in the 10+2 regime, we believe SureWaves Spot TV Network is a game changing technology innovation which is going to help the industry at large.”
“I feel extremely privileged to be joining the SureWaves team which has created a truly unique platform for television advertisers and am excited and looking forward to creating new business opportunities,” added Baru.
MAM
Kenneth Roman, former Ogilvy CEO and ad industry veteran, passes away at 95
Longtime Ogilvy & Mather leader and David Ogilvy biographer leaves lasting legacy
NEW YORK: Kenneth Roman, the former chairman and chief executive of Ogilvy & Mather and a defining figure of Madison Avenue’s golden era, has passed away at the age of 95. He died on 22 April 2026 at his home in Manhattan.
Roman spent more than two decades at Ogilvy, joining in 1963 as an account executive and steadily rising through the ranks to lead the agency as chairman and CEO from 1985 to 1989. His tenure coincided with a pivotal period in the company’s history, including its acquisition by WPP.
Beyond the boardroom, Roman was widely respected as the definitive chronicler of the agency’s founder, David Ogilvy. His biography, The King of Madison Avenue, remains one of the most authoritative accounts of modern advertising’s evolution. He also co-authored influential titles such as How to Advertise and Writing That Works, both regarded as essential reading in the industry.
In a tribute, Ogilvy described Roman as a “quietly determined” leader and a lifelong custodian of the agency’s culture. Even after retirement, he remained closely connected to the firm, contributing articles, mentoring talent and serving as a trusted voice on its history and values.
Colleagues remember him not just for his leadership, but for his generosity and commitment to the craft of writing and storytelling. His presence at industry events and continued engagement with the Ogilvy community reflected a career that never quite slowed down.
Roman’s passing marks the end of an era for the original Madison Avenue generation. He leaves behind a legacy shaped by leadership, authorship and an enduring belief in the power of ideas and people.
