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Wunderman Thompson South Asia Group bolsters planning team
Mumbai: Wunderman Thompson South Asia Group has announced several new appointments to its planning team, with a view to enhancing strategic business solutions for brands and helping them improve brand engagement and customer experience. Nikhil Thakkar has been appointed as vice president & strategic planning director in Gurgaon, Richa Dholi has been appointed vice president – strategy planning in Mumbai and Antara Dey has joined the Kolkata office as account director.
Thakkar comes with 14 years of experience in market research, advertising and brand strategy. He has worked across diverse categories ranging from HFDs, mobility, white goods, and home furnishing to tech startups. Thakkar had worked with Wunderman Thompson for six years. Prior to joining back he had a stint with Leo Burnett where he led strategy for the Iodex and Airtel accounts.
Dholi is the strategy lead on Wunderman Thompson India’s Unilever brands in Mumbai, lending her extensive experience in the marketing and digital ecosystem to the businesses. She has honed her strategic thinking and critical insights working with leading FMCG and lifestyle brands at Capgemini, Ogilvy, Lowe, McCann and most recently at India’s very own Twitter, Koo.
Dey comes with ten years of experience spanning multiple industries and categories. She has done time in the marketing function in organizations such as Matrix Clothing, Trujet Airlines, Tata Steel and Bennett & Coleman. And in her last assignment, she has worked with some blue-chip brands spanning categories such as foods, beverages, beauty, e-commerce and fashion.
Last year, another senior planner, Ayan Banik was appointed at the Kolkata office. With over 20 years of experience across some of the biggest and most respected agencies in the country, Banik joined as senior vice president – brand strategy. Working on an enviable repertoire of brands across diverse categories, Banik was also part of the core team that won the first-ever Cannes Glass Lion for both Cheil and Samsung India.
Commenting on the new appointments, Wunderman Thompson India chief strategy officer Pinaki Bhattacharya said, “The agency is at an exciting point in its transformation journey and finding strategists that fit our transformed purpose is a challenging one. We need them to have a robust understanding of brands, levers of brand growth, of consumer journeys and modern marketing. With a pulse on popular and emerging culture. And above all, they need to be interesting people. Not an easy mix to find, you would agree! Which is why I am delighted to have Thakkar, Dholi and Dey join the strategy team at Wunderman Thompson. In them, we have found just the kind of strategists we want. I am looking forward to working with them and to some really exciting work on the brands they are working on.”
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.
