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Wavemaker India ropes in George Kovoor as chief creative officer
Mumbai: The most-awarded agency from GroupM, Wavemaker India, has appointed George Kovoor as chief creative officer. In his new role, Kovoor will report to Wavemaker CEO – South Asia Ajay Gupte and will be based out of Bangalore. He joins Wavemaker after an eight-year-long stint with Ogilvy where he was digital lead – Mumbai and South operations.
Kovoor is an accomplished creative leader with three decades of experience in digital, social, tech, and mainline advertising. Over the years he has led creative teams across advertising agencies like Lintas, FCB, Digitas LBi and Ogilvy among others. His work has been recognised in numerous international and domestic award shows, and he has served on several award juries.
Kovoor has spent the last eight years at Ogilvy, during this time he has helped shape the digital teams in Mumbai, Gurgaon and Bangalore. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Kovoor is a faculty member at the Miami Ad School in Bangalore, where he shares his knowledge and expertise with the next generation of advertising professionals. He also has a passion for movies, sports, and gaming.
Speaking about the appointment, Gupte said, “We are witnessing an exciting phase of transformation in the media industry where traditional methods are challenged at every step. Data, content and technology have always been the three key pillars at Wavemaker and we have all experienced the magic when these three ingredients are used in the right proportion. In his previous roles, Kovoor has played an instrumental role in integrating mainline and digital creative teams. He enjoys an incredible reputation in the creative industry for his impressive work which has been recognised at local and global platforms. With Kovoor coming in as the chief creative officer, I am quite confident about taking our creative offerings a notch higher.”
Talking about his new role, Kovoor said, “I am actually struggling to put into words exactly how excited I am with my new role. It gives me the opportunity to join a team of digital experts who have been shaping customer experiences while creating ideas that are driven by both data and technology. In the last few years, Wavemaker has created content that is both disruptive and award-winning. I am very excited by Wavemaker’s vision of the future and hope to contribute significantly in turning the vision into reality.”
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.
