MAM
Virtue Worldwide appoints Ayushi Saria as associate creative director
Mumbai: Virtue Worldwide, the agency powered by VICE Media Group, has appointed Ayushi Saria as associate creative director. This strategic move emphasizes Virtue India’s focus on bolstering their creative leadership with future-focused and culture-forward talent.
Saria’s professional journey is marked by a diverse background, with contributions ranging from impactful campaigns for COVID vaccinations at Aster Hospitals to the creation of engaging games for the Singapore Tourism Board during her tenure at Wunderman and Hungama. Before joining Virtue, Ayushi dedicated her talents to illustration, where she focused on projects centered around skin and body positivity. Notably, her international experience includes collaborations with esteemed clients such as Vicks, Red Lobster, Metamucil, and Heineken at Publicis New York.
Saria’s work has garnered widespread recognition and has been featured on prominent platforms like Design Taxi, Ads of the World, AdAge, and Brand Care. She has received accolades from Young Guns, New York Festivals, Art Directors Club, Applied Arts, and Summit Awards.
Virtue India creative head Hayden Scott shared his thoughts on Ayushi’s appointment, stating, “Ayushi is a great example of the kind of exciting hybrid talent we want to grow at Virtue. She is a passionate advocate for design and a strong leader. I am certain her diverse skill-sets will help bring a wonderfully fresh perspective to our work. And did I mention, she’s also a damn nice person? I can’t wait to see how Ayushi helps shape Virtue India’s next growth phase.”
In response to her new role, Saria commented, “”I’ve always been fascinated by culture and how brands become a part of this in a progressive and meaningful way. To have the opportunity to work at a place that’s powered by culture – it’s incredibly exciting. To work with some very unique and talented people, even more so.”
MAM
McDonald’s India CBO Arvind RP exits after seven years
The chief business officer exits after a stint that took him from marketing to leading South India operations.
MUMBAI: Arvind RP is out. The chief business officer of McDonald’s India has stepped down from the fast-food giant after more than seven years, and is currently serving out his notice period.
It is a significant exit. Arvind joined McDonald’s India in 2019 as director of marketing and communications, a fairly conventional brief, but steadily accumulated responsibilities until he was running the profit and loss for the company’s entire South India operation, with store operations, new outlet development, marketing, human resources and training all falling under his remit.
In a LinkedIn post, he was characteristically warm about his time there. “Looking back, many of the moments that stand out in my career aren’t just about outcomes or milestones; they’re about the incredible people who were part of the journey,” he wrote, adding that he had been “lucky to be surrounded by fantastic team members.”
Before McDonald’s, Arvind spent six years at skincare chain Kaya, where he led marketing and analytics, overseeing brand-building, product innovation and digital and customer relationship management. His career spans a remarkable sweep of Indian industry: retail at Levi Strauss & Co, consumer goods at Britannia Industries, and automobiles at TVS Motor Company, where he also took an international posting in Jakarta.
With 25 years of experience across quick-service restaurants, beauty, fashion and FMCG, Arvind will not be short of takers. The only question is who moves first.
