MAM
The Advertising Club restructures membership fees
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club will be restructuring its fee structure with effect from 1 January, 2016.
As per the new structure, for an individual, a lifetime membership with the club will now cost Rs 7500.
On the other hand, corporate memberships rates come with a customised format. A corporation can get a 15 year membership for 10 of its employees for Rs 1 lakh, which goes up to Rs 2.5 lakh and Rs 5 lakh for 25 and 50 members respectively.
An annual three-year membership will be chargeable at Rs 2500, with renewal fees of Rs 500 per year.
One can also opt for a student membership worth Rs 1000, which is valid for 12 months.
Keeping in mind the holiday season, the club has extended the last date for enrolments and payments under the existing structure till 7 January, 2016, and individual life membership to the club stands valid at Rs 5,000 up to 31 December, 2015.
Going forward, the Advertising Club also intends to make membership mandatory for industry professionals participating in Ad Club events such as Effies, Emvies etc. and two guests per member will be entertained for each of such events.
MAM
Kate Rouch steps down as OpenAI Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing leader prioritises health after late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
MUMBAI: When the toughest battle moves from the boardroom to the personal front, even the sharpest minds know it’s time to step back and focus on winning the most important fight of all. Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at OpenAI, has announced she is stepping down from her role to focus on recovery following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Rouch revealed she was diagnosed around a year and a half ago, shortly after taking on the CMO position. Despite undergoing intensive treatment, she continued to lead the company’s marketing function through what she described as one of the most challenging periods of her career.
She explained that while she remained deeply committed to her role and team, she had reached a point where prioritising her health and recovery had become essential. Rouch called the decision difficult, noting it required acknowledging personal limits and shifting priorities. She reflected that the experience had reshaped her understanding of courage not always about pushing harder, but sometimes about stepping back to focus on long-term wellbeing, family and sustainability.
Rouch expressed gratitude to her team and colleagues for their support. She mentioned that Gary will step in to help lead the function and recruit a successor. She plans to support the transition and remains open to returning in a different capacity in the future, depending on her health.
Prior to joining OpenAI, Rouch served as the first chief marketing officer at Coinbase and spent over a decade at Meta, where she was vice president and global head of brand and product marketing.
She also thanked well-wishers for their messages and shared that stories from fellow survivors had a meaningful impact during her treatment journey.
In the high-stakes world of tech marketing, Kate Rouch has always been known for her strategic brilliance. Now, she is showing a different kind of strength, one that reminds us that even the most driven leaders sometimes need to pause, heal, and come back stronger when the time is right. Wishing her a full and steady recovery.
