MAM
Volkswagen drives AXN’s ‘The Apprentice Asia’
MUMBAI: Volkswagen Malaysia has announced that it is the ‘Official Car‘ of AXN‘s local production, ‘The Apprentice Asia‘ premiering on 24 May at 9 pm.
Volkswagen adds that its The Apprentice Asia‘s quest to identify the best talent aligns with its core focus on its human capital efforts both in Germany and throughout the world, which have resulted in the company being recognised as a preferred employer.
In The Apprentice Asia, 12 candidates are picked from the cream of the crop across Asia. Representing seven countries across the region, they are an ambitious lot driven by their thirst for success and their common desire to work for Asia‘s aviation tycoon, Tony Fernandes. Filmed in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, the series also stars Tony‘s advisors – Tune Hotels Group CEO Mark Lankester and Expedia Asia CEO Kathleen Tan. They play a role by being on the ground to observe each team complete their task, and their opinions influence who Tony hires at the end of the day.
Volkswagen Group Malaysia MD Zeno Kerschbaumer said, “‘The Apprentice Asia‘ gives us an opportunity to feature the character of our products for a fitting partnership that encourages competition. Our cars offer fun driving and a sense of competition through the use of technologies like TSI and DSG so, The Apprentice Asia is a right fit for the brand”.
Volkswagen has cemented the relationship by providing three of its models – Passat, Sharan and Touareg – to support and provide mobility requirements for contestants and the show‘s advisors throughout the 11 episodes.
“This partnership will also inspire and drive the show‘s contestants to give their best in quality, innovation and leadership. Much like our business, we believe that healthy competition will unearth talent and skills; and we are confident that our brand will contribute towards producing the next successful and potentially iconic entrepreneur in Asia. We are proud to extend this relationship to AXN,” he added.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
