MAM
Vatsal Asher joins DMA: India as CEO
MUMBAI: Direct Marketing Association: India (DMA: India) has appointed Vatsal Asher as chief executive officer. In his new role at DMA: India, he will be responsible for strengthening DMA: India’s presence as an apex body for advocacy of direct marketing practices.
Asher said, “With multitude of choices, Indian consumers are becoming more discerning about their brand preferences and where they spend money. Considering this consumer behaviour and the increasing media clutter, it is imperative for marketers to create data driven customer centric campaigns. From traditionally being defined as ‘response generating’ domain, direct marketing is now used for ongoing customer engagement. By emphasising on global best practices for marketing services providers and marketers, I aim to carry forward DMA: India’s vision of establishing industry standards and promote the direct marketing community.”
Direct marketing has gained popularity in past few years with emphasis not just being laid on measuring the returns on marketing spends but also campaigns being created to initiate a dialogue with the customer. With advent of new media and innovative usage of technology to engage with customers, spends on direct marketing have also increased significantly.
Prior to DMA: India, Asher was associated with Deepak Fertilisers’ consumer facing VARE division as VP. He has also worked with Reliance Retail, Tata Teleservices and RPG group.
He comes with over 15 years of experience in domain of marketing communications across brand management, sales and promotions, loyalty and customer experience. With understanding of consumer behaviour and approach to engage with consumers, he has strategised and executed marketing campaigns.
Vatsal added, “Thanks to direct marketing going digital, it now considered as targeted and customer specific media rather than an intrusive form of marketing. In coming months I look forward to promote new trends and technology in direct marketing, besides creating platforms for knowledge sharing and innovation. We envisage instituting forums with active stakeholder participation in form of industry councils and regional chapters. We shall be organising webminars, periodic meet ups and an annual colloquium modelled on global format to meet the objectives. Emphasis will also be laid on protecting consumer’s interest, thereby strengthen their belief in direct marketing.”
Brands
Burda Media sells BurdaLuxury to Jaipur Capital in Southeast Asia push
Deal hands regional media portfolio to Singapore investor eyeing luxury growth
MUMBAI: Burda Media has agreed to sell its Southeast Asia-focused business, BurdaLuxury, to Jaipur Capital, marking a strategic shift for both companies as they double down on their respective growth priorities.
The deal will see Jaipur Capital acquire BurdaLuxury’s media operations across Thailand, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. The portfolio spans content marketing and media brands in travel, luxury and aviation, giving the investor a ready-made regional footprint and a sizeable audience base.
Jaipur Capital plans to build on this foundation to create a premium media network in Southeast Asia, blending high-end editorial with scalable digital platforms. As part of the transaction, all BurdaLuxury employees, including its management team, will move to the new owner, ensuring continuity as the business enters its next phase.
For Burda Media, the sale is part of a broader strategy to sharpen its focus on core European markets while scaling investments in digital-first opportunities. The company will, however, maintain its interest in the region through Burda Principal Investments, its global growth capital arm.
“This transaction reflects our commitment to sharpening our international focus while ensuring that BurdaLuxury continues to thrive in Southeast Asia,” said Burda Media CEO Jan Wachtel, adding that Jaipur Capital recognises the strength of the brands and teams involved.
Jaipur Capital, meanwhile, is betting big on the region’s appetite for premium content. “This acquisition significantly strengthens our premium content ecosystem,” said Jaipur Capital director Vikas Johari. He highlighted the business’s strong digital tilt, with 46 per cent of revenues coming from online channels, alongside a diversified presence across five markets.
The numbers tell a compelling story. BurdaLuxury clocks 48 million annual page views and reaches more than 40 million followers on social media, with no single market contributing over a quarter of total revenues. Jaipur Capital now aims to expand these brands further into Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, while also exploring opportunities in the Middle East, including the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
With this deal, Burda Media trims its global footprint to focus on depth over breadth, while Jaipur Capital steps onto a bigger stage in the premium content space. If execution matches ambition, this could be a defining chapter for luxury media in the region.
