News Headline
Wavemaker India announces leadership realignments
Mumbai: Wavemaker (part of GroupM), India’s most awarded media agency has announced a series of key strategic changes to its leadership team to continue its dominant position in the industry and boost growth.
Wavemaker chief strategy officer Premjeet Sodhi will be soon taking on the role of global head of measurement & analytics. In his new role, Sodhi will be part of Wavemaker’s Global Consultancy team which supports clients in adopting future-proofed marketing practices to advance transformative growth, protecting outcomes in the near-term, and creating disproportionate advantage in the long-term. Sodhi will report into Anna Hickey, global consultancy lead and will be based out of New York. A media veteran with over 25 years of rich experience, Sodhi joined Wavemaker in 2020 as chief growth officer before taking on the role of Chief Strategy Officer.
Taking on the baton from Sodhi, Mansi Datta will transition into chief strategy officer. Datta, a proficient leader has been heading North & East region operations at Wavemaker since 2020. Datta joined Wavemaker as general manager in 2015. During her stint, Datta has built great client partnerships, bolstered agency operations, and built an incredible team.
Wavemaker chief client officer & office head – West Shekhar Banerjee will be taking on the additional responsibility of managing North & East for Wavemaker India. Banerjee joined Wavemaker in 2018 to lead operations for the West region and has built an incredibly strong business. He has built a world class team that has delivered an exceptional product to our clients. Under Banerjee’s leadership, Wavemaker West has grown from strength to strength, doing great work, winning awards, and consistently winning new business.
Speaking on these leadership changes, Wavemaker CEO – South Asia Ajay Gupte said, “It makes me extremely happy and satisfied to see our leaders stepping into larger & diverse roles within the ecosystem. I firmly believe, Wavemaker provides a vast stimulating platform for our people to grow. With these changes, I am confident we will make a massive difference to our clients and people. I wish Premjeet, Mansi & Shekhar all the best in their new roles and I am confident we will continue to create more positive disruptions in the industry.”
In their new roles, Datta and Banerjee will report into Gupte.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
