MAM
Weber Shandwick appoints Valerie Pinto to lead India operations
MUMBAI: Weber Shandwick has roped in Valerie Pinto to the role of chief executive, effective as of 1 January 2015. Pinto will report to Weber Shandwick, Asia Pacific chairman Tim Sutton.
In her role, Pinto will have overriding responsibility for the firm’s business in India. Her appointment is part of a broader strategy to build on the agency’s best-in-class India team. She will also join Weber Shandwick’s Asia Pacific senior management board.
Vice Chairman, Atul Ahluwalia will continue in his role. Pinto partners Ahluwalia in Weber Shandwick’s India Leadership Council. The Council also includes managing director of client services, Dilip Yadav; deputy managing director, Carolina Bajaj, and executive vice president, operations, Mabel Phoon who will all report to Pinto. Yadav is also Managing Director, India of Weber Shandwick’s second brand, Creation.
Pinto brings over sixteen years’ experience in communications and reputation management, having previously led Perfect Relations, a leading independent public relations consultancy that gained strong momentum under her leadership in India. During her distinguished career, she has led strategic counsel to a wide range of companies and executives across numerous industries. She has an outstanding track record in business growth and a particular reputation for effective talent management, having mentored many highly motivated and high performing professionals under her leadership.
Sutton said: “In the last few months, I have spoken to very many senior people in India – at agencies and clients, in media and business – for advice on the very best person to take our business in India to the next stage of market leadership. It was quite remarkable how many of them put Valerie at the very top of their ‘recommendation list’. She is a class act with a legendary reputation.
“She had many other options at this stage of her career, including running her own business, and I am so thrilled that our vision and ambition have persuaded her to join Weber Shandwick. This appointment signals our absolute determination to become the market leader in India.
“We are already blessed with a wonderful senior management team assembled by vice chairman Atul Ahluwalia. They have made Weber Shandwick the most awarded agency in India.”
“I am very delighted to welcome Valerie to our team,” said Ahluwalia. “She brings huge experience and stature with her.”
MAM
Dish TV shareholders approve three independent directors
99.49 per cent vote of confidence strengthens board as company expands into connected TV, e-commerce and OTT.
MUMBAI: Dish TV has just been served a near-perfect vote of confidence and the shareholders have dished it out in style. Shareholders of the DTH operator have approved the appointment of three new Independent Directors with an overwhelming 99.49 per cent approval. The three appointees are Mr Arun Kumar Kapoor, Ms Heena Naishadh Bhatt and Mr Ashok Anant Paranjpe.
The strong mandate reflects continued investor faith in the company’s strategy, disciplined execution and long-term value creation. It comes as Dish TV focuses on stabilising its core DTH business while actively scaling new verticals connected TV platform VZY, B2B e-commerce ShopZop, and OTT service Watcho to build a more diversified and resilient growth trajectory.
Dish TV India Limited, CEO & executive director Manoj Dhobhal said, “We are encouraged by the shareholders’ approval of the appointment of the Independent Directors and sincerely thank them for their continued trust and confidence. The Board is already benefiting from the Directors’ collective experience, which will further sharpen strategic focus and support disciplined execution.”
With a fresh, strengthened board in place, Dish TV is well positioned to navigate the evolving media landscape. In a sector where every percentage point matters, a 99.49 per cent thumbs-up is the kind of ringing endorsement that suggests the company’s recipe for the future is already tasting right.
