MAM
Universal McCann MD to assume charge of Cable Advertising Bureau
NEW YORK: The Cable Advertising Bureau (CAB), a professional organisation of ad-supported cable networks and system operators, has appointed Sean Cunningham as its president-CEO. Cunningham will step down as the managing director of Interpublic Group of Cos.’ Universal McCann to assume charge at the CAB from 23 June onwards.
An adage report says that Cunningham will replace Joe Ostrow at CAB. Ostrow is retiring and will be a part-time consultant to CAB.
The 42-year old Cunningham has managed Universal McCann’s New York office since 2000. The agency’s clients include Wendy’s International, Maytag Corp. and Sony Corp. Universal McCann, part of Interpublic’s McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, was named Advertising Age’s 2002 Media Agency of the Year.
“I’m happy as a clam here,” Cunningham was quoted as saying about Universal McCann. “They’ve got great people, great clients. This was the only place I wanted to work on the buy-side. But I think [cable] is such a powerful sector, that even as great as it is working here, the CAB is an even better opportunity.”
The cable industry indeed is looking to tally its highest revenue and cost-per-thousand (CPM) increases during the current cable upfront TV ad sales market. The adage report says that executives from media companies and agencies have been quoted as saying that CPM increases alone this year are up 12 per cent, while overall revenue increases are about 20 per cent higher than last year, with close to $6 billion in sales being done.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
