MAM
Y&R’s Michael J Dolan joins Viacom as CFO
MUMBAI: Media conglomerate Viacom has appointed Michael J. Dolan as its executive VP and CFO.
Dolan will report to Viacom chairman and CEO Sumner Redstone. Dolan will assume his duties as CFO on 11 May.
Dolan was formerly Young & Rubicam (Y&R) chairman and CEO. Y&R is a diversified advertising agency and marketing services company with 11,000 employees in approximately 100 countries and approximately $2 billion in net revenues.
Redstone said, “Mike Dolan is a seasoned executive with extensive experience at creatively driven and brand-oriented companies. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership and skill at every stage of his career and has a proven record of success.
” As we continue to assess the possible separation of Viacom into two publicly-traded entities, we will benefit from Mike’s experience in successfully completing complex financial transactions, such as his flawless execution of the initial public offering of Young & Rubicam. We are extremely fortunate to have him join the Viacom team at this pivotal time in the Company’s history, and we’re confident that he will make significant contributions to our continuing success.”
Dolan succeeds Richard J. Bressler, who served as CFO from March 2001. Bressler had notified Viacom in January that he would not be renewing his contract. He will work with Dolan to ensure a smooth transition of the financial functions.
Dolan said, “This is an extraordinary opportunity to join a company that continues to be on the leading edge of its industry. I have always admired Viacom’s innovative content, unrivaled brands and creative excellence. I look forward to working with Sumner, Tom Freston and Leslie Moonves and with the company’s exceptional management team to maximise the long-term potential of Viacom’s businesses.”
Talking about Bressler Redstone said, “We want to thank Rich for his years of service to Viacom. He made important contributions to the significant financial and operational strides we accomplished during his tenure. We wish him well as he moves on to new opportunities.”
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.
