MAM
Zoo Media appoints Satya Koniki as head of global delivery
Mumbai: Zoo Media, India’s largest independent digital agency network, is pleased to announce the appointment of Satya Koniki as the head of global delivery. Satya will be responsible for establishing global delivery centres (GDCs) that will leverage India’s finest talent and offshoring capabilities to serve independent agencies worldwide.
Satya Koniki is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of multi-faceted industry experience and expertise in global operations. Previously, he held key positions in global companies such as HCL, Wunderman, and Hogarth in India and e-commerce startups like Chegg and A1Books in the USA. His efficiency in offshoring, fostering robust agency partnerships, managing high-profile clients, and navigating the complexities of digital marketing will add tangible business value to the Zoo Media team.
Satya commented on his new role, “Setting up global delivery hubs is about identifying talent, building teams at scale, tailoring processes and adapting to changing market dynamics to deliver client solutions – with Zoo Media, most of these are covered, so I am excited to push forward”.
Satya’s responsibilities will encompass various regions within the Zoo Media Network, with a critical focus on Zoo global delivery. The network already has a team based in the US aiming to centralise offshore services.
Satya’s role involves overseeing seamless operations worldwide, beginning with Indian centres and later expanding to different regions. He is adept at creating customised delivery centres to meet client needs and requirements, “It’s about fostering flexibility and preparedness, ensuring that business operations can thrive regardless of external challenges, thereby delivering valuable services to clients,” he added.
Satya will work closely with cross-functional teams across sales, HR, finance, and client servicing. He will be reporting directly to Zoo Media co-founder Suveer Bajaj.
“Our Global Delivery Centres (GDCs) aim to create value for independent agencies worldwide by providing high-quality output through resource augmentation. Considering Satya’s expertise in building offshore centres of excellence, we look forward to him strengthening Zoo Media’s global positioning as a reliable partner,” said Zoo Media co-founder Suveer Bajaj.
Satya’s previous work includes successfully establishing Microsoft ad-support centres in Costa Rica in 2022 and four WPP Hubs globally within a year for team Nokia in 2010. Before moving to India, he was instrumental in setting up the critical rental publisher infrastructure for Chegg Inc. He also played a pivotal role in establishing a pioneering independent book marketplace in 2004.
MAM
Kate Rouch steps down as OpenAI Chief Marketing Officer
Marketing leader prioritises health after late-stage breast cancer diagnosis.
MUMBAI: When the toughest battle moves from the boardroom to the personal front, even the sharpest minds know it’s time to step back and focus on winning the most important fight of all. Kate Rouch, chief marketing officer at OpenAI, has announced she is stepping down from her role to focus on recovery following a diagnosis of late-stage breast cancer.
In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, Rouch revealed she was diagnosed around a year and a half ago, shortly after taking on the CMO position. Despite undergoing intensive treatment, she continued to lead the company’s marketing function through what she described as one of the most challenging periods of her career.
She explained that while she remained deeply committed to her role and team, she had reached a point where prioritising her health and recovery had become essential. Rouch called the decision difficult, noting it required acknowledging personal limits and shifting priorities. She reflected that the experience had reshaped her understanding of courage not always about pushing harder, but sometimes about stepping back to focus on long-term wellbeing, family and sustainability.
Rouch expressed gratitude to her team and colleagues for their support. She mentioned that Gary will step in to help lead the function and recruit a successor. She plans to support the transition and remains open to returning in a different capacity in the future, depending on her health.
Prior to joining OpenAI, Rouch served as the first chief marketing officer at Coinbase and spent over a decade at Meta, where she was vice president and global head of brand and product marketing.
She also thanked well-wishers for their messages and shared that stories from fellow survivors had a meaningful impact during her treatment journey.
In the high-stakes world of tech marketing, Kate Rouch has always been known for her strategic brilliance. Now, she is showing a different kind of strength, one that reminds us that even the most driven leaders sometimes need to pause, heal, and come back stronger when the time is right. Wishing her a full and steady recovery.
