MAM
VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head
MUMBAI: Global digital marketing agency VML has announced the appointment of Venkatagiri Rao as Creative Head – India, as part of a significant step to solidify its creative capabilities. In his new role, Venkat will spearhead the office’s creative practice, which continues to form the foundation for the agency’s growth.
Based in Mumbai, Venkat will report directly to Tripti Lochan, CEO – VML Southeast & India.
“With the digital marketing landscape evolving rapidly over the years, we remain firmly committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and expanding our creative offering to serve brands with brilliant ideas,” said VML CEO southeast & India Tripti Lochan. “We are delighted to have Venkat on board, and are confident that his passion for innovation will drive the change brands need, and take our creative offerings a notch higher.”
Venkat brings with him over 16 years of industry experience across agencies, most recently at DDB Mudra Group, Mumbai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for a period of five years. There, he handled notable companies and brands including Emirates, Volkswagen, Economic Times, Femina, Kalpataru Developers, Lonely Planet, Top Gear and Arshiya Logistics.
Prior to DDB Mudra, Venkat held stints at Ogilvy, Ambience Publicis, Alok Nanda & Company and Fisheye Creative Solutions. He is best known for his work on Economic Times, Femina, Emirates, Victorinox, Tata Safari & Mid-day for which he has won various awards, including One Show, Effies, London- International & Abbys.
Venkat commented, “As VML continues to gain momentum in Southeast Asia and India, I am honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of an agency that is strongly invested in creating awe-inspiring customer experiences that drive proven business impact. I am definitely looking forward to working closely with the India team to push new creative boundaries.”
VML is a global marketing agency that delivers forward-thinking ideas and solutions for the world’s most influential brands, including: Castrol, Kellogg’s, ICICI Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, INSEAD, Ford, Changi Airport and Mattel.
Founded in 1992 and globally headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., VML has more than 2,300 employees with principal offices in 26 locations across six continents. Regionally headquartered in Singapore, VML has offices in Jakarta, Mumbai and New Delhi. In 2001, VML joined the world’s largest communications services group WPP.
Brands
ConfirmTkt rolls out 1 per cent cashback for summer train trips
Unlimited wallet rewards valid till 31 May boost holiday travel
GURUGRAM: ConfirmTkt has announced a limited period 1 per cent cashback offer aimed at making summer train travel a little lighter on the wallet.
The authorised B2C online train ticketing platform, part of the Ixigo Group, will credit 1 per cent cashback directly into users’ ConfirmTkt Wallet for every train ticket booked through its app. The offer runs until 31 May 2026, neatly covering the peak summer holiday rush.
There is no cap on how much cashback users can earn during the offer window. The credited amount can be redeemed on the next train booking within 90 days, making it particularly useful for families planning return journeys, students heading home for the holidays, or travellers ticking off multiple destinations in one season.
Importantly, the process is automatic. Cashback is credited after booking, with no codes to enter and no hoops to jump through, keeping the reward simple and seamless.
Ixigo Trains and ConfirmTkt CEO Dinesh Kumar Kotha, said summer remains one of the busiest travel seasons in India, as families, students and professionals take to the rails to reconnect and explore. He noted that by keeping the cashback uncapped and redemption straightforward, the company aims to help travellers extract greater value from both outbound and return trips during this high demand period.
Beyond the seasonal offer, ConfirmTkt continues to position itself as a tech driven, customer first platform. Its features include high accuracy waitlist prediction, nearby trains and alternate travel plan suggestions when seats are scarce, live train status updates, seamless PNR tracking, instant refunds, seat availability alerts and UPI enabled payments. Users can also order food on train for delivery to their seats at selected stations.
Taken together, the platform’s tools are designed to reduce uncertainty and add a layer of reassurance to rail journeys. With this summer cashback in play, ConfirmTkt is not just helping travellers book tickets, but giving them a small return ticket on their spending too.
