MAM
Weekend Unwind with: Hotstuff Medialabs chief creative officer Terence D’souza
Mumbai: With another weekend upon us, IndianTelevision.com rolls over to the next edition of fun snippets that peek into the mind of a corporate executive. This week, sharing his musings with us we have the chief creative officer of Hotstuff Medialabs, Terence D’souza.
An advertising professional, creative director, filmmaker, writer, musician, and brand strategist- all rolled into one, Terence pursued a career in finance before realising his true calling was in advertising. He then switched over from Auditing to Copywriting in 2012, by joining Hotstuff. Here, he channelled his finance acumen into transforming communication for most BFSI brands, and was instrumental in introducing off-beat jingles and genres of communicating financial information through his campaigns. He specialised in investor education drives, working very closely with the mutual fund industry and more than 50+ brands, including ICICI Prudential MF, Edelweiss MF, Kotak Life Insurance, SBI Life Insurance, Axis, SUD Life, HDFC Ergo, HDFC Life, IIFL Group and UTI Mutual Fund to name a few.
So here goes…
– Your mantra for life
Choose happiness. Everything else will follow.
-A book you are currently reading / plan to read
The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien. (Hope to finish it before the Rings of Power starts streaming on Prime).
-Your fitness mantra, especially during the pandemic
I choose sports over the gym, and play Badminton- Properly, I mean, with the right technique on courts. It helps me be more agile.
-Your comfort food
Dal, rice, and rava fried fish- especially when it rains.
-When the chips are down a quote/ philosophy that keeps you going
The poem Invictus by William Henley, especially the last verse which goes, “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the Master of my fate, I am the Captain of my Soul.”
-Your guilty pleasure
Loud and ultra-macho action movies from the 80s.
-When was the last time you tried something new?
Tried mint flavoured coffee for the first time a week ago. Felt like I was brushing my teeth with coffee.
-A life lesson you learnt the hard way
If you don’t protect your work as you would your own children, someone else will raise them.
-What gets you excited about life?
The fact that an entire generation of kids is being introduced to 80s music and pop-culture once more, gives me hope.
-What’s on top of your bucket list?
Winning an Oscar for Best Director.
-If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Travel more, by yourself. You will discover a side of you that is beautiful.
-One thing you would most like to change about the world
Only educated citizens with a proper psych evaluation and certified cognitive skills should be given a license to vote in every election.
-An activity that keeps you motivated / charged during tough times
Talking to the ones closest to me, and realising that no matter how bad it gets, I am still the hero of their story and they believe I can win.
-What lifts your spirits when life gets you down?
I get by with a little help from my friends.
-Your go-to stress buster
Sunday jam sessions with my band Kehkasha. It’s my anesthesia.
Brands
Primus Partners appoints Akasa Air co-founder Neelu Khatri as independent director
Veteran aviation and defence professional joins as independent director
NEW DELHI: Primus Partners has appointed Neelu Khatri, a founding member of Akasa Air, as an independent director, strengthening the consulting firm’s board as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
Khatri brings more than three decades of experience across defence, aviation, aerospace technology and consulting. She was part of the core team that helped build Akasa Air from concept to launch, contributing to what has been widely described as one of the fastest airline scale ups in recent aviation history.
At Primus Partners, she will provide strategic guidance on corporate governance and help steer the firm’s long term growth plans. Her experience of building a start up into a full scale organisation is expected to support the consulting firm as it expands its footprint.
Primus Partners co-founder and chairperson Davinder Sandhu, said the appointment brings valuable expertise to the board. “Neelu’s journey across defence, aviation and consulting brings a rare blend of operational insight and strategic thinking. Her experience in rapidly scaling Akasa Air will be invaluable as we continue to grow while maintaining a strong focus on corporate governance,” he said.
Primus Partners, an India headquartered management consulting and solutions firm, has emphasised governance and board oversight since its early days. The company has also taken an unconventional approach by inviting its Gen Z employees to attend board meetings so that younger perspectives can contribute to discussions.
Speaking on her appointment, Khatri said the consulting sector is entering a transformative period shaped by emerging technologies. “The industry is evolving rapidly with the rise of AI. This is an exciting moment for an Indian origin consulting firm like Primus Partners to expand its product offerings and strengthen its presence globally,” she said.
She added that as the firm pursues ambitious expansion plans, her focus will be on ensuring strong governance frameworks and effective risk management as the organisation scales.
