MAM
Wavemaker India wins media duties for Acko General Insurance
MUMBAI: Wavemaker India has won the duties to manage both online and offline media for Acko General Insurance – touted as one of the most promising fin-tech start-ups in the country.
Wavemaker vice president Kishan Kumar MS said, “Brands like Acko are disrupting categories in which they operate in. In a fast-growing insurance category, they’re the first online-only general insurer in the country. At Wavemaker, we strongly believe that by helping such disruptor brands win, we get better at what we do. I am looking forward to applying our media, content and technology expertise on Acko and more importantly keen to create some new codes of brand building in the process.”
Acko CEO Varun Dua commented, “We are excited to partner with Wavemaker. They bring in years of experience and expertise in building brands. Team Wavemaker impressed us with their approach and on the ground diverse team support. Our focus will be to learn from best practices while driving innovation through multiple experiments across different media avenues and formats of communications.”
Acko head of business Jagjeet Harode said, “We are delighted to partner with Wavemaker in the journey to create brand Acko. They bring in the required balance of buying expertise and adaptability to support us. Looking forward to some industry-first innovations to reach consumers in a more personalised manner.”
Brands
Radico Khaitan appoints Kunal Madan as chief marketing officer
Promotions signal focus on premium spirits, global expansion and homegrown leadership
UTTAR PRADESH: Radico Khaitan has elevated two long-serving insiders to its top leadership team, signalling a bold push into premium spirits and global markets. Kunal Madan steps in as chief marketing officer, while Sudhir Upadhyay takes charge as chief sales officer, both part of what managing director Abhishek Khaitan calls a consciously built next-generation leadership bench.
“At Radico Khaitan, our growth has always been powered by people,” Khaitan said. “True leadership is not imported, it is cultivated.” He added that empowering internal talent ensures continuity while keeping the company globally competitive and future-ready.
Madan, with over 20 years of experience across global sales and marketing, will drive brand architecture, marketing strategy, and the premiumisation agenda, including travel retail. Upadhyay, who has 25 years in the industry and was most recently national sales head, will oversee distribution expansion and execution across markets.
The leadership reshuffle comes amid Radico’s intensified focus on premium spirits, a segment driving higher margins and international growth. Last year, Ajay Kakkar was brought on to head the Premium On-Trade vertical, targeting modern and institutional channels to boost presence in high-growth segments.
Meanwhile, Amar Sinha stepped down as chief operating officer after contributing across multiple growth phases. Khaitan acknowledged Sinha’s role in supporting the company’s trajectory, while Sinha described his tenure as “an absolute privilege,” crediting Khaitan’s leadership for shaping the company’s strategic direction.
With a homegrown leadership bench and a clear premium agenda, Radico Khaitan is set to accelerate its global expansion while doubling down on brand elevation and market impact.
