MAM
Umesh Shrikhande joins Taproot India as CEO
MUMBAI: Umesh Shrikhande has joined Taproot India as the new chief executive officer. The announcement was made by Dentsu India Group. Shrikhande, an advertising veteran with more than 20 years of rich experience, prior to this was the CEO of Contract India.
The advertising veteran has worked closely with various divisions at Contract in the areas of design, direct and digital to enhance traditional advertising. Having worked with a variety of clients and brands such as HSBC, Cadbury, Asian Paints, Shopper‘s Stop, Philips, VIP, Bajaj Auto, BBC World, Aegon-Religare, Tata Indicom, Disney, Zoom, DNA and Grasim, Shrikhande is poised to take one of the most exciting creative boutiques in India – Taproot India, to the next level of growth and expansion. Taproot India, which now has a solid team of talented and capable professionals, will ensure that the company‘s creative quality creates new industry benchmarks.
“I‘m delighted that Umesh has chosen to join us. Aggi, Paddy and I look forward to his partnership in this exciting new phase of growth at Taproot. Umesh is an industry professional I‘ve always had the highest regard for and now, I‘m happy to have this opportunity to work with him,” said Dentsu India Group executive chairman Rohit Ohri.
Taproot will tap on Shrikhande‘s vast experience. “I am glad to have Umesh‘s vast experience on our side, which will be a guiding light for us as we scramble around doing what we think is the right thing. He is sharp, insightful and most important possesses great clarity on the way mass communication in the contemporary world works,” reiterated Taproot India co-founder and chief creative officer Agnello Dias.
Speaking on his appointment as the new CEO of Taproot India, Shrikhande said, “Aggi and Paddy are not just immensely talented, they also happen to be wonderful people who have managed to build an attractive reputation for Taproot, despite of the huge competitive environment. I consider it a delightful privilege to get this opportunity to work with them and with their wonderful and energetic team.”
Shrikhande along with the team will collectively endeavour to build on Taproot‘s innate strengths and culture to create a stronger organisation. “I hope that my understanding of strategy, people and relationships, helps me to make a difference,” he added.
“With the kind of experience Umesh has and the number of youngsters Taproot has, it will be a wonderful blend,” said Taproot India co-founder and chief creative officer Santosh Padhi.
Shrikhande, a management graduate from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies had started his career with Lintas (now Lowe Lintas & Partners), where he spent six years. Thereafter he was a core member of Team Contract that led the agency to great success, after which in 2008 he took over as the CEO of Contract India. After a successful spell of nine years at Contract India, he then joined Euro RSCG.
Brands
Raj Cooling Systems launches Agreyas appliances brand
Emraan Hashmi named brand ambassador for consumer appliance push.
MUMBAI: A company known for cooling solutions is now heating up its ambitions in the home appliances market. Raj Cooling Systems Pvt. Ltd. has launched a new consumer appliances brand, Agreyas, marking its entry into India’s rapidly expanding home appliances sector valued at more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore. The move represents a strategic diversification for the company, which has traditionally focused on cooling solutions for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Through Agreyas, the firm plans to tap into growing consumer demand for energy efficient and technology driven household appliances.
To build brand visibility, Agreyas has appointed Emraan Hashmi as its brand ambassador. The campaign has been developed under the banner of Zoommantra Productions, with actor and filmmaker Rohit Roy contributing to the creative direction.
The brand’s initial portfolio will include mid premium air conditioners, washing machines, geysers and other white goods designed to cater to modern Indian households seeking efficient and reliable appliances.
Raj Cooling Systems, founder and chairman Kalpesh Ramoliya said the launch aligns with the company’s broader expansion plans.
“The launch of Agreyas is in line with our vision to build a strong presence in India’s consumer electronics and home appliances market. The brand has been developed as a standalone identity to meet the evolving needs of Indian consumers,” he said.
Hashmi said the collaboration comes at a time when Indian buyers are increasingly looking for innovative and functional home solutions.
“I’m looking forward to working with Agreyas at a time when consumers are seeking more innovative and efficient home products. The brand reflects changing consumer behaviour around functionality, innovation and ease of use,” he said.
Raj Cooling Systems plans to invest around 10 million dollars in developing the brand, with an additional 5 million dollars earmarked over the next three to five years for product development and distribution expansion.
Agreyas will follow a multi channel distribution approach, selling through online platforms, retail outlets and dealer networks aimed at both urban and semi urban markets across India.
With the launch, the company is positioning Agreyas as a standalone consumer facing brand while continuing to leverage its existing manufacturing, engineering and research capabilities built through its core cooling solutions business.
