MAM
Wavemaker India elevates Sairam Ranganathan to chief digital officer
Mumbai: Wavemaker India, the most awarded agency of GroupM, today announced the appointment of Sairam Ranganathan as Chief Digital Officer. In his new role, Sairam or Sai as he is fondly called, will strengthen digital capabilities and lead the newly formed team Wavemaker NorthStar. In his new role, Sai will continue to report to Vishal Jacob (chief transformation officer at Wavemaker India).
As the head of Wavemaker NorthStar, Sai will work with clients to drive business outcomes. Team Wavemaker NorthStar will bring in the right experts across platforms, commerce, analytics & tech to orchestrate data-led solutions that yield business results. In addition, he will also be responsible for accelerating growth in digital services, integrating and aligning digital initiatives across business units for clients.
Sai has been an integral part of GroupM India since 2004. He has worked across multiple categories which include Telecom, FMCG, Consumer durables, Ecommerce, Retail, Lifestyle, Jewellery, Tourism, Technology, BFSI, Media & Entertainment. In the last few years, Sai has played a national role working with multiple teams to build and strengthen digital capabilities for Wavemaker.
Commenting on Sai’s elevation, Ajay Gupte, CEO of South Asia said, “At Wavemaker we are constantly evolving and adapting to help our clients grow by enabling better business solutions, build robust data-led experiences and positively provoke growth for them and for us. Sai brings in wealth of expertise and knowledge to deliver innovative customer initiatives across business domains, with a perfect balance of people management skills. I am confident that Sai is best placed to drive the digital-first agenda for us and our partners”.
“At Wavemaker our emphasis has always been to push the boundaries on our capabilities and provide our clients with an unmatched advantage through our services. In his new role, Sai will consolidate and grow capabilities on digital media and lead a team called Wavemaker NorthStar that will help clients deliver business outcomes through data-driven solutions. Given Sai’s passion, resilience, and commitment there could be no better person to lead this team and take our solutions to the next level”, expressed Wavemaker India’s chief transformation officer Vishal Jacob.
A big Star Wars fan, Sai has also co-authored two books on digital marketing in India – The Curious Digital Marketer and The Curious Digital Marketer 2.0.
Talking about his new role, Sairam Ranganathan shared, “My journey at GroupM has been incredibly thrilling and enriching. In these last 20 years, I have grown significantly in my professional as well as personal life. I am grateful to Wavemaker for this exciting opportunity and I look forward to leading Wavemaker NorthStar as I start a new chapter in my growth journey to make Wavemaker an even more desirable partner for our clients.”
MAM
Raymond Lifestyle appoints Kalpana Singh as CMO
20-year HUL veteran to lead marketing and brand growth from 5 March 2026.
MUMBAI: Raymond Lifestyle just stitched a marketing masterstroke because when your profits are feeling the pinch, you bring in someone who knows how to make brands irresistible. Raymond Lifestyle Limited has appointed Kalpana Singh as chief marketing officer (CMO), effective 5 March 2026. She will report to the CEO and join the senior management team, leading marketing strategy, brand development and customer engagement across the company’s fashion and lifestyle portfolio.
Singh brings 20 years of experience in brand building, consumer insights and category strategy, largely from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Most recently she served as marketing director at HUL, driving integrated campaigns to strengthen brand positioning and customer engagement. Her earlier roles at HUL included Personal Care Business Group Director for the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa region, and Brand Development Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Russia and Turkey. She holds a Master of Arts in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
The appointment arrives as Raymond Lifestyle navigates a challenging quarter. Consolidated net profit fell 33 per cent year-on-year to Rs 42.86 crore in Q3 FY26 (from Rs 64 crore in Q3 FY25) and dropped 44 per cent sequentially from Rs 75 crore in Q2 FY26. The company cited headwinds in its international business, particularly garmenting and B2B exports, due to higher US tariffs causing deferred orders and margin pressure.
The company is focusing on brand repositioning, innovation in marketing and deeper consumer connections to support growth in India’s fashion and lifestyle market.
In an industry where every thread counts, Raymond Lifestyle isn’t just adding a CMO, it’s weaving fresh vision into the fabric, hoping the right marketing stitch turns the tide one campaign at a time.
