Reputation Today Vol 2: Issue 4

Vol 2: Issue 4 | Price `150/-

UNDER
FORTY

FOCUS INTERVIEWS GUILLAUME HERBETTE JENNIFER GRANSTON
JOHN SAUNDERS Global CEO Global COO, WE
YOUNG STARS Global CEO MSL Communications
IN PUBLIC FleishmanHillard
RELATIONS
GABRIELA LUNGU FRED COOK
Founder Global CEO 1
WINGS Golin



PRINT LINE FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

THE PUBLISHER

TEAM #RT40UNDER40

SHREE LAHIRI Last year, when we embarked upon the journey to create India’s first list of 40
Senior Editor professionals to watch out for, under age 40 we were not sure how the response to
ANUBHUTI MATHUR the initiative would be from those who made it to the first list and from those who
Content Director did not. Well, the fact that we are now bringing out the second list speaks volumes
ROSHAN ALEXANDER of the way the professional community is shaping in India. These are dynamic
Business Head professionals who have spent close to a decade in the profession and have risen
up the ranks to be in leadership positions. There are ten men and ten women from
DESIGN consulting and ten men and ten women who work in-house in this list.

www.blaq.in The list was drawn from nominations and self-nominations that we received a
few months prior. We did not refer the nominees to a jury because we used
CONTENTS the test of elimination to arrive at the forty individuals. We ensured there was
not more than one from an organisation. We reached out to all nominees to
02 Fulcrum Winners collect their proof of age. Interestingly, we got calls from couple of individuals
04 In Conversation requesting us not to feature them in the list as they felt they did not make the cut.
10 Cover Feature Nevertheless, the list was based on editorial discretion and we did not give into
26 PRAXIS Replay these requests as we felt they all deserved to be in this list.
31 Engaging Strokes
32 Taking Pride The list serves two purposes. It brings together 40 out of the over 4000
professionals between two covers of the magazine. In addition to the
www.reputationtoday.in recognition, the list helps younger professionals to look up to this class of 2017
@RepTodayMag who in turn can be mentors to aspiring leaders. We looked for six attributes in
@thepraxismag each candidate – their education, their longevity at an organisation, their career
[email protected] moves, what people they worked closely with (bosses, subordinates and peers)
thought of them and the content in the nomination form including their social
media presence as a barometer of influence, wherever applicable.

We are confident that you will enjoy reading about them as much as we did
curating this list of the Class of 2017. We hope to get several nominations and
self-nominations next year as well. This edition of the magazine is our eighth
and it includes interviews of the five keynote speakers who travelled from
international locations to be part of PRAXIS 2017. Next year PRAXIS will take
place in Hyderabad and registrations have already opened. Before that we have
two conclaves – one each in Mumbai and New Delhi – details of which can be
found on our portal.

SAVE THE DATES Mumbai Goa Hyderabad
9th February 6th – 8th April 28th – 30th September
FOR 2018

Gurgaon Mumbai Mumbai
14th March 30th May 20th December

1

FULCRUM WINNERS

The organisers of Fulcrum Awards - PRomise Foundation and PR Moment announced the
winners on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at the Fulcrum Awards Night in Jaipur. The awards
night saw over 600 professionals in attendance from the communications business, the largest
such gathering of communicators in India. A jury of 18 eminent in-house Public Relations
leaders, chaired by Balaji P of Vodafone India decided the winners through rigorous online and
offline judging. This year onwards The Fulcrum Awards has partnered with PwC as the process
reviewer, one-of-its-kind for the communications business.

The ceremony kicked off by honouring Narahari KS with the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The evening saw compelling campaigns compete for the gold, silver and bronze in the 11 sub-
categories for technique awards. Winners were also announced for individual achievers in the
individual in-house and consultancy categories and the special awards categories.

TECHNIQUE CATEGORY

Best Use of Content

Campaign Title Entrant Name Partner Organisation
Tea-a-Me Teas
Gold #TeaForTrump ARM Worldwide Unocoin
Silver
Bronze Creating a Human Face Flipkart Partner Organisation
Godrej Appliances
Building Bitcoin – “Bit-by-Bit” Value 360 Communications Star Sports
Experian India
Best Use of Creativity & Innovation
Partner Organisation
Campaign Title Entrant Name
ICICI Bank
Gold UnHungry India – A Beginning Adfactors PR Hindustan Unilever
Silver
#CrossTheLine Genesis Burson-Marsteller Partner Organisation
Bronze Tea-a-Me Teas
Hunting down Fraudsters with Weber Shandwick
Experian HUNTER Partner Organisation
Medela India
Best Use of Event Government of Jharkhand
Paytm
Campaign Title Entrant Name
Partner Organisation
Gold Big Billion Days 2016 Flipkart Vistara
Silver Campaign For Tobacco Free
Love Digital in the times of Adfactors PR Kids
Bronze Demonetisation Government of Jharkhand

Lakme Fashion Week Winter Edelman India
Festive 2016

Best Use of Digital

Campaign Title Entrant Name

Gold #TeaforTrump ARM Worldwide
Silver
Bronze Get Angry! Viacom18 Media

Khul Ke Jiyo Ghar Ke Baahar! Godrej

Best Use of Integrated Communications

Campaign Title Entrant Name

Gold Back To Work with Medela Genesis Burson-Marsteller
Silver
Elephants can fly Adfactors PR
Bronze
PaytmKaro: Changing the way Value 360 Communications
India makes payments

Best Use of Public Affairs

Campaign Title Entrant Name

Gold Breaking Barriers to Open Skies Avian Media
Silver
Bronze Blazing a New Trail in Tobacco MD Niche Media Consultants
Control: The DDC Model

Elephants can fly Adfactors PR

2

FULCRUM WINNERS

Best Management of Crisis

Campaign Title Entrant Name Partner Organisation
State Bank of India
Gold State Bank of India: Braving the Adfactors PR Knowlarity
Silver tsunami of demonetization
Partner Organisation
Silver Saving Cloud Telephony Value 360 Communications
Bronze Partner Organisation
Best Use of Internal Communications
Gold Logitech Electronic India
Silver Campaign Title Entrant Name Lenovo India
Bronze
Reignite Flipkart Flipkart Partner Organisation
Gold Government of Jharkhand
Silver DON’T GO RED – Maintaining Viacom18 Media Vivo Mobiles
Bronze Integrity at Viacom18 The Banking Codes and
Standards Board of India
Gold Best New Product Launch (BCSBI)
Silver
Bronze Campaign Title Entrant Name Partner Organisation

Launch of Good knight Fabric Godrej Titan
Roll On Godrej & Boyce

#MakeMusicSocial Genesis Burson-Marsteller

Different Creates Better Text100

Best Use of Media Relations

Campaign Title Entrant Name

Elephants can fly Adfactors PR

Vivo Himalayan Escapade Perfect Relations -Accord PR

Know Your Banking Rights Adfactors PR

Best CSR Campaign

Campaign Title Entrant Name

YES! I am the CHANGE Yes Foundation

Sparkling Eyes Program– Titan Rediffusion -Edelman
Eyeplus

Because educating a girl will Adfactors PR
change the society

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

CONSULTANCY INDIVIDUAL
Lifestyle & Luxury & Sports: Gauri Kohli, Director, Luxury, PR Pundit
Healthcare & Pharma: Ritika Jauhari, Director PR & Advocacy, S.P.A.G.
Not For Profit: BN Kumar, Executive Director, Concept PR
Associations: Aman Gupta, Managing Partner, S.P.A.G.
Banking & Financial Services: Kunal Kishore, Co-Founder & Director, Value 360 Communications

IN-HOUSE INDIVIDUAL
Automobile: Jatin Aggarwal, Director, Communications, Renault India
Healthcare & Pharma: Melissa Arulappan, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Quintiles Research (India)
Banking & Financial Services: Mona Kwatra, Group Head, Corporate Communications, Edelweiss Group
Services: Amandeep Singh, Chief General Manager, Corporate Communications, Indraprastha Gas Limited

SPECIAL AWARDS

In-house Team of the year – Mid-size: Motilal Oswal Financial Services
In-house Team of the year – Large: Flipkart
PR Consultancy of the year – Emerging: Wordswork
PR Consultancy of the year – Mid Size: Fuzion PR
PR Consultancy of the year – Large: Avian Media
PR Consultancy of the year – Giant: MSL India

3

IN CONVERSATION

JOHN

SAUNDERS

President & CEO, FleishmanHillard

I THINK INDIA
CAN CONTRIBUTE
HUGELY TO GREATER
CREATIVITY IN OUR
BUSINESS

Q.You succeeded Dave Senay as previously unheard of. I’m blown away Q.I love learning about different cultures.
FleishmanHillard’s president and chief by the standards I have witnessed at You have been described as “a
executive officer in 2015. How did you FleishmanHillard in India. consummate public relations
take up the challenge? professional”. What is your comment on
I think India can contribute hugely to

JS: I’m just the fourth CEO at greater creativity in our business. My native the talent that is available today?

FleishmanHillard. I was heavily influenced Ireland produced so many great writers JS: I think I’m a consummate survivor! I

by our CEO of 32 years John Graham who and musicians - that creativity came from
continues to be our inspirational Chairman. adversity. Great creativity invariably comes think the talent coming into our business
from such a backdrop. today is remarkable. I don’t think I would
I also worked closely with his successor
get a job now. However, I think my
- and my predecessor - Dave Senay. So, I upbringing taught me a lot about common
knew what I was getting into. I believe the sense and how 1+1=2 in any language.
greatest gift we can bring to others is our Surprisingly, not everyone gets this.
energy so I try to represent our people and
our firm well. I try to stay fit and be alert How do you manage to stay ahead of the
at all times. I also believe to my core in curve, having recognised the profound
changes taking place in the PR and
Q. Q.the importance of servant leadership. It is Communications’ space?

a privilege to serve as FleishmanHillard’s
CEO and to be part of such a vibrant,
We won at Cannes, at Spikes Asia and
picked up a coveted Black Pencil this year
thanks to our Indian offices - that’s a very
big deal for us.

You had overseen regions like Europe,
Middle East, Africa (EMEA). How has the
experience with these diverse cultures
been?

talented, global, hard working, creative and JS: Being Irish helps. As the Irish went JS: God gave us two ears and one mouth
ethical community of people. I am always around the world we always went wherever so that we listen twice as much as we
to add value - from our priests and nuns talk. I’m surrounded by fantastic senior
Q.meeting clients and love this. bringing education to India or Africa - to colleagues at FleishmanHillard - many
Please comment on the evolving PR our great business leaders. We never went of them are true futurists - and together
business globally, and also in Asia. to take or to steal. We are unique in that we are plotting our next incarnation. How
respect. We were not colonialists. That do we embrace artificial intelligence - for
JS: Social has been a game changer neutrality is very helpful in business. I love example? Getting the correct balance
of course. Today it is a much more

visual business than it was - video India and your sense of humour and great between today and tomorrow is key. I’ve

storytelling plays an infinitely bigger part sense of irony. You get irony better than hired people in years gone by, who were so

than even five years ago. The biggest any place I’ve ever been to outside of far ahead of the curve they were just not

change is the variety of people we are Ireland. In a sentence - I just try to bring relevant to our clients. So that can be as

attracting nowadays with title and roles value wherever I go. big an error as not embracing change.

4

IN CONVERSATION

GUILLAUME

HERBETTE

Global CEO, MSL

AUGMENTED REALITY
CAN PLAY AN
IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE
WAY WE COMMUNICATE

Q.How is Augmented Reality (AR) technology-driven change and see these responding in the age of fake news?
affecting Public Relations and what is as opportunities.
GH: First of all, it is not the age of Fake
its impact? • Talent – We need to find talent who
News. With respect, we need to stop
are comfortable with technology and
GH: Augmented Reality is really one of the those who spread that idea. We cannot
understand the impact it can have on
exciting new tools that communicators let fake news define what we do or let the
communication.
can use to enhance their communication. • Value – The question of value is an public confuse our work with this market

AR technology superimposes content and age-old issue in the PR business with trend. But fake news is something we as a

information into real world environments the marketplace often undervaluing profession are becoming better-equipped

via a marker code that triggers an the work. But I think part of the issue is to deal with. Many of the business groups

enhanced sense of the real world. Imagine how we have thought about value. PR – the PR associations and

if you are shopping and the marker/code leaders need to turn this upside down. consultancy councils – have developed

triggers a product review or rating at the We need to look to new technologies in and strengthened their codes of ethics to

moment you are deciding on the purchase. order to create new value for those we deal with this issue. I think the professional

It’s another way to use earned influence in serve, whether they are clients or the communication organisations and the

Q.a way that can directly impact sales. companies and brands we work for. communication firms need to work
What is your opinion on measurement
Of course, it requires you be connected to together to better enforce this.
a device that allows you to see the video, of PR? Any suggestions?
Q.Any tips for aspiring PR professionals
but that device can be as simple as your GH: As a business, one of the most wanting to enter the business?

smart phone. important things we need to do is to GH: I truly believe that this is a very

AR is becoming very accessible and so advance our thinking in terms of how exciting time to be considering PR. Our

is the opportunity for public relations we measure results. I do think that business will undergo tremendous change

practitioners to become creative with technology and artificial intelligence hold in the next decade and PR people will

the technology. We need to embrace the the keys to enhancing how we think about be on the cutting-edge of many of these

technology, use the technology and be measurement. We need smart people changes. I would encourage everyone

comfortable with the technology in order to help us unlock information from data considering PR to not only focus on the

to develop new uses. and convert that to new measurement liberal arts – such as writing – but also
schematics. At MSL, we are busy working to fearlessly look at the STEM world,
Q.What are the big challenges facing the on this very issue. I do think you will especially the technology part. The future
PR business today? see bold and innovative approaches to will connect communication to technology

GH: Today’s challenges are centered Q.measurement in the next few years. and we will depend on the next generation
around a couple of things: We hear a lot about fake news today. of professionals to be the bridge for us.
How is the Public Relations profession
• Technology – We need to embrace

5

IN CONVERSATION

GABRIELA

LUNGU

Founder
WINGS Creative Leadership Labs

I BELIEVE THE
BIG, CREATIVE
BREAKTHROUGH IN
PUBLIC RELATIONS IS
YET TO HAPPEN

Q.You are a “multi-awarded creative Q.Having a varied and complex expertise Publicis Groupe seven years later, when it
leader”. Where do you think creativity in integrated communications, what is was rated as one of the most creative PR

in PR and communications has reached your take on how it has evolved? firms in the world, and it is now the MSL

today? GL: The lines between disciplines have office in Bucharest. It was such an exciting
become increasingly blurrier, with the time; we were one of the top 10 local PR
GL: All around the globe, public relations technological revolution being at the heart businesses in terms of financial results,
firms are proving themselves to be more of this change. and winning more awards than some of
creative than ever before, with innovative the biggest global networks. And we were
and insightful campaigns, engaging
branded content and experiences. Still, I do believe that there will always be a only a firm of 13 people at the time…
even though the evolution is noticeable,
other communication mediums such as space for specialists in the future, but I THE PRACTICE will always be a beautiful
advertising or digital firms are still top of
mind for clients in search of outstanding also think that every good specialist of underdog story, and I love that I played
creativity. They are still the winners of the future will have to have a much better
most creative awards (including many understanding of the big picture, of other such an important role in it.
top creative PR awards), and are still the disciplines, and will have to navigate with
employers of choice for great creative much bigger ease between the various Q.What led you to laying the foundation
talent. stone of WINGS? How would you
fields. I would definitely advise young PR describe your new company?
professionals to try to get experience in

more than just one area of communication; GL: WINGS is a Creative Leadership

try to work at least for a few months in Lab that is just taking off. I wouldn’t call

I think the big, creative breakthrough in advertising, in digital and in media firms. It it a “company” – for me it is more of a
Public Relations is yet to happen and I will be invaluable. platform to share my knowledge and

personally want to help making it happen Q.You worked in an independent creative experience with high-potential creative
sooner, by putting forward some feasible boutique, how would you describe the organisations and people from all over
solutions that could support PR firms to experience? the world, and help them soar through
realise their full creative potential. I think inspiring training, practical workshops, and

we need to shift the discourse about GL: It was one of the most fulfilling bespoke consultancy.

creativity in the global PR business from experiences of my professional life. It was WINGS is Pragmatic, Democratic,
external obstacles, and what firms can’t my own firm – I founded THE PRACTICE

change, to self-imposed or unconscious in Romania, my home country, in 2006 as Convenient, Condensed, Engaging and

internal barriers, and what is actually in PR a consultancy focused on results through Effective. We’re a nomad Lab, and we fly

firms’ power to change. creativity. The company was acquired by everywhere we are needed.

6 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

IN CONVERSATION

JENNIFER
GRANSTON
Global COO, WE Communications

BRANDS TODAY ARE
FINDING THEMSELVES
COMPETING ACROSS A
MUCH MORE DIVERSE

PLAYING FIELD THAN
EVER BEFORE

Q.WE works with some of the most success. The media ecosystem, in the same period of time. From the first Time
innovative companies on the planet – broadest sense, is also in motion, and Magazine article with Bill Gates balancing

“those focused on delivering the next propelling brands through what we call a floppy disc on his finger, talking about

big thing”. Could you elaborate on this? stories in motion. Clients can be fearful the promise of software, to bringing

JG: WE has a heritage with brands that of the motion and resist it, or they can Windows, Office, Cloud to the world, to
are doing interesting and often complex embrace and use this motion to their the recent launch of Satya Nadella’s book
things that are cutting edge, whether it’s benefit. Our specialty is in understanding “Hit Refresh”, WE has been with them

a product, or a new way of operating, these dynamics; what is driving it, where a every step of the way. The work happening

or an initiative. We are good at driving a client wants to go that is deeply tied with at Microsoft, and the communications

message - and adoption, at creating a the consumer mindset, and then building efforts surrounding it, are second to none,

market or category for something that the stories, narratives and campaigns that and has driven tremendous impact at

has not been seen before. This has often will take them there. We are big believers global scale, not just with Microsoft as a

been in the technology sector, but also in the power of communications and the company, but with what their technology

within health brands and in the consumer ability as storytellers to use this as a way Q.brings to the world at large.
to move people to action. How has WE’s Corporate Citizenship
Q.segment. What is interesting now is the program progressed, taking into
You have put together some powerful, account the firm’s annual goal of
convergence that has happened where we persuasive campaigns. Please tell giving 1% of its revenues back to the
are seeing brands have adjacencies into us about the impact some of these community through volunteer efforts,
many different industries. Brands today campaigns have created. pro-bono engagements and donations?
are finding themselves competing across a
much more diverse playing field than ever

before, and needing to lean into new kinds JG: WE has served many clients doing

of innovation stories in order to compete groundbreaking things, in the technology JG: WE has always had purpose at its

and stay relevant. This is the kind of work industry, as well as the areas of health, core, from the time that Melissa Waggener

Q.we love doing! consumer, and social innovation. One of Zorkin, our Founder and CEO started the
Please throw some light on how you the relationships we are the most proud of, company and her father asked her, “But
“partner with clients to transform their is our 32-year-old history with Microsoft. to what end? Why are you doing this?” To
businesses through storytelling, in We have been with them through the this day, both WE, and Melissa personally
many different forms”, as you put it. beginning, and remain their close partner remain committed to this. As a company
today. Our firm has had the opportunity to we have generous volunteering efforts

JG: WE’s view is that all brands are in work across all aspects of the Microsoft including an annual day of giving that we

motion, relative to the geographies they business, and through this relationship, do as a company, and global pro bono

operate in, the industries they are a part have been key drivers of the technology efforts that we support employees to

of and the stakeholders critical to their revolution that has happened over that pursue.

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 7

IN CONVERSATION

FRED

COOK

Chairman, Golin

THE PUBLIC RELATIONS
BUSINESS IS ALWAYS
CHANGING AND OUR
GOAL IS TO STAY AHEAD
OF THE COMPETITION

Q.Where has Golin reached as far as appointment of a CEO Team, in July, to take an unusual approach to the
the long-term vision for the firm goes,
2016. What is its progress report today? talent search by offering applicants

through 2020? FC: So far our three CEOs are working “Professional Experience Anywhere but
FC: After 60 years, we are very proud well together and making progress in the Office”. How has this developed?

of what we have accomplished but we on many important fronts. Their FC: Our third Untern has just started
are perpetually planning for the future. complementary skills have allowed us work in our Los Angeles office after a

The Public Relations business is always to advance important initiatives with our summer of travelling across the United

changing and our goal is to stay ahead of clients, our people and our intellectual States and experiencing many different

the competition by property. Together they will insure that the cultures and geographies. And so far he is

• Hiring the best people, Golin brand remains strong for many years adding a lot of value to the firm. We have

into the future. also expanded the program to London,
Romania and Asia. We hope to continue
You had said that Golin “believes that to use the Unternship program to find
having multiple people leading the bright young people who may not have
company will allow it to be in more considered a career in Public Relations.
places around the world, stay closer to
key clients and become more available How is India performing in your scheme
for staff”. What is the present state of of things?
• Creating the best tools and
• Doing brave work for our clients

Q.Golin celebrated its 60th year, last year.
Q.How has the journey been?

FC: I have been at Golin for more than

Q.half of our 60 years and it has been a
very rewarding experience to be part of affairs?

the growth and transformation. I may be FC: I am very impressed with the caliber

somewhat biased, but I believe we have FC: All of those things are coming of our team at GolinOpinion. They have

the best culture of any Public Relations true. As our firm has grown in size and exceeded our expectations in terms of

firm in the business, which means our best sophistication, leading it has become growth and have added so many top

days are still to come. We’ve developed too big a job for one person. Our new brands to their client roster. They are

a world-class global management team management structure allows our leaders working closely with our offices around

and I could not be more confident about to spend more time with our clients, the globe and helping us develop and

the future. Although I do miss Al Golin, prospects and people. And that is deploy new tools and new thinking. Our

Q.everyday. Q.delivering strong results. recent launch of Relevance in India was a
Golin had redefined the structure Golin launched a program called “The huge success and I am confident we will
of consultancy leadership with the Unternship” program, which promised see many new projects resulting from that
work.

8 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

Celebrating the year gone by ...

Thursday, 21st December 2017

The Oberoi, Bangalore

7 PM onwards

Visit: bit.ly/RTSN2017 For details contact:
[email protected]

COVER FEATURE

#RT40UNDER40 - CLASS OF 2017

They’re smart, they’re seasoned, they’re experienced and they believe there is more ... much more to achieve. H​ ere is a list of 40 dynamic
professionals who have spent close to a decade or more in the profession and have risen up the ranks to be in leadership positions. In a
world where overachieving is the new normal, these women and men lead from the top! In an attempt to recognise these individuals and
offer inspiration to other professionals we are delighted to present the Class of 2017 of the Reputation Today 40 Under Forty.
(All names are listed in alphabetical order)

34 37

AMAN AMIT
DHALL NANCHAHAL

Head, Corporate Communications Manager, Corporate
PolicyBazaar.com
Gurgaon Communications and PR

A Business Journalist with The Economic Times and the Ola Cabs
Founder of Pro4Sport Solutions & Sporting Maven, Aman
has helped set up the corporate communications function New Delhi
from scratch for PolicyBazaar.com. He holds a post graduate
diploma in journalism from Pioneer Media School and a A Masters in Economics and a MBA in Human Resources,
M.Sc. in Sport Management from Loughborough University, Amit has previously worked with Sabmiller India and as an
Leicestershire. Ten years from now he hopes to see himself in a Executive Officer with CII. While at Sabmiller India, he was
position where he can make an easy choice between being in a
job or starting something of his own. selected for a global pitching event in London, where his
project of implementing a shared value project in India won a
For him, communication is all about getting your message funding of INR One Million. At 45, he sees himself as a social
across in a clear way that influences the receiver being
targeted. media influencer and leading the communications function
and driving organisational growth with focus on sustainability.
He is highly inspired by Narendra Modi who, according to him,

has mastered the art of sensing the pulse of the country and
communicating the right message at the right time.

Communication to him is all about creating messaging that
builds positive perceptions, helps in enhancing the reputation

and builds strong brand perception.

bit.ly/AmanDhall @amandhall25 bit.ly/AmitNanchahal @Thecorpcommguy

10 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

COVER FEATURE

37 39

AMIT ANAND
SHAH MTAAHLEASRHI

Senior President & Country Head, Co-Founder & MD
Corporate Strategy, Mktg. & Comm Mavcomm Consulting
YES BANK
Mumbai Mumbai

Amit has been a key pillar and an integral part of the journey Anand co-founded Mavcomm Consulting when he was 28 and
of evolution of YES BANK. Today it is the fifth largest private today the firm has grown to a respectable stature servicing
sector bank in India. A post-graduate in management from
NITIE, Mumbai, Amit has previously worked with L&T and the many established brands. Five years from now he sees himself
Tata Strategic Management Group. In less than a decade from successfully leading this business group with varied interests
now, he sees himself in a strategic leadership position which in communications as well as other verticals. A post-graduate
leverages communication as a tool for concrete business in communications management from Symbiosis Institute of
development outcomes. A technology and digital evangelist, Media & Communication, Pune, Anand has previously worked
he believes that good communication, internal and external, is with leading firms like Adfactors PR, Ogilvy PR and Mutual
essential for business excellence. Public Relations.

Rana Kapoor, MD and CEO at YES Bank has been his mentor Communication to him is all about understanding every form of
as well as an inspiration in communications. expression from people and making sure they understand you

too. The 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama
remains his most inspiring communicator.

bit.ly/AmitKShah @amitshah_k bit.ly/AnandMaheshTalari @maheshanand

37 37

ANYA ARPAN
GERALDINE BASU
D’SOUZA
Head, Communications
Asia Pacific Mktg. & Comm Coca-Cola India & South West Asia
Leader, Honeywell E&ES India
Pune Gurgaon

A post-graduate in advertising management from MICA, A Masters in Business Administration from Ohio University,
Ahmedabad, Anya believes that inspiring co-workers, positive Arpan has been in the business of communications for the last
customer reactions, significant innovation, commitment
with exceptional execution, outstanding results and timely 14 years. Before joining Coca-Cola, he has worked with Max
recognition of achievements are the highest points of her Life Insurance where he ideated and successfully implemented
professional life. She strongly believes in and lives by the quote
by Tony Robbins If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get an integrated communication and rebranding campaign of
what you’ve always gotten. ‘Max Life Insurance’ from the earlier ‘Max New York Life’. His
financial vulnerability and planning was awarded the Certificate
Living life to the fullest, infusing brands with action and of Excellence in Financial PR at the SABRE Awards South Asia
engaging customers is what Anya aspires for. To her William
Shakespeare is the most inspiring communicator as he 2014.
understood human dilemmas and instinctively knew how to
engage his audiences. By age 45, Arpan envisages himself playing a key role in
enabling the transformation of the Indian PR business by
initiating path-breaking disruptive communications campaigns.
He finds Abhinav Rahul, VP, Corporate Communcations, Max
Life Insurance as an inspiring communicator in the business.

bit.ly/AnyaGeraldineDSouza @anyadsouza bit.ly/ArpanBasu @arpanbasu

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 11

COVER FEATURE

39 38

ASHUTOSH BHAVNA
MUNSHI SINGH

Director - Creative and Content Director, Communications
Edelman India Organisation of Pharmaceutical
Mumbai
Producers of India
As Edelman’s first creative director in India, Ashutosh set up the Mumbai
national creative team from scratch, which is now a full-service
creative team across Bombay, Delhi and Bangalore, working on Bhavna holds a post graduate degree in Marketing and prior
integrated communications marketing mandates with ideas at to OPPI, she has worked in leading roles with Greaves Cotton,
the heart. Ashutosh was recognised by The Homes Report in its
Innovator 25 Report for India for 2016. Ashutosh holds a MA in Asia MotorWorks and Parryware Roca. Today, although
Marketing and Advertising from the University of Leeds. working for a research-based multinational pharmaceutical

In the near future, he hopes to be able to split his time between manufacturers’ association, she does not limit herself to
driving big business outcomes for clients and riding a motorcycle pedestrian communication. She believes that healthcare
across South America. He believes that communication (or lack development is very essential for our nation and that social
of) is what makes or breaks people, relationships, corporations or media is a critical communication tool to spread awareness on
nations. A quote by Thomas Edison - We don’t know a millionth
of one percent about anything, continues to inspire him and his science, health days, patient safety and such.
constant curiosity.
She truly believes in the value of communications and finds
bit.ly/AshutoshMunshi @ash_talks Dr Shashi Tharoor a highly inspiring communicator as he

can articulate himself far better than most - be it a political,
historical or social message, be it at the UN or anywhere in the
world. To be able to communicate efficiently and articulate the
value proposition effectively across geographical boundaries is

her vision for herself at 45.

bit.ly/BhavnaSingh @_bhavnasingh

39 39

BISHNUPRIYA DEEPA
NARAYAN SRIDHAR

Group Account Head, Director, Corporate
Perfect Relations
Gurgaon Communications, South Asia

A post graduate in Internet Marketing from the University Turner International
of San Francisco, Bishnupriya has previously worked with
Genesis Burson-Marsteller and also in Singapore with Rice Mumbai
Communications and the Singapore Tourism Board. She recalls
her time spent with the Singapore Tourism Board as the highest A post graduate in Public Relations and Advertising, Deepa
point of her career as that was where she learnt everything from has previously led the communications’ function at J Walter
stakeholder engagement to strategic communications, revenue
management and hands on experience with high decibel, Thomson and Singapore Airlines. In 2010, while working
large scale international media projects. In the coming years for Singapore Airlines, she was recognised by the CEO of
she hopes to be an inspiration for her team and looks forward Singapore Airlines for the crisis communications campaign
to empowering them by being dependable, resourceful and a undertaken for the brand, in what was perhaps the lowest
committed team player.
phase for the brand in India.
American author Arianna Huffington inspires Bishnupriya with
her tongue-in-cheek humourous approach to serious issues that Five years from now, she sees herself breaking new ground
impact America and the rest of the world. and enjoying the continuous process of the ever-evolving

world of communications. She holds Prema Sagar as the most
inspiring communicator and mentions how Prema has set the
highest benchmarks in the business right from the early days
of Genesis on the bed of rock solid values and ethics, for
individuals and firms alike.

bit.ly/BishnupriyaNarayan @meluha2016 bit.ly/DeepaSridhar @deepa_05

12 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

COVER FEATURE

36 35

DEEPA DEEPTI
VAIDYANATHAN SHETTY

Gulf Communications & IMEA General Manager,
Femcare Communications Leader
Procter & Gamble Corporate Communications

Godrej Industries

Mumbai

Responsible for Company Communications, Brand A post graduate in Advertising and Public Relations from Xavier’s
Communications & CSR, Deepa joined Procter & Gamble in Institute of Communication, Mumbai, Deepti has been with
India in 2008 after a five-year stint in Linopinion where she led
the Lifestyle and Entertainment practice. A post graduate in Godrej for almost a decade now. Previously she has worked
Public Relations, she believes that she still has lots to learn with Vaishnavi Corporate Communications and L&T Infotech.
and experience in her professional life. She remembers the Talking about the highest point of her career till date, she fondly
P&G movement, Whisper Touch the Pickle as a high point of remembers launching a multi-stakeholder engagement platform
her career and she truly believes that this movement was the at Godrej Industries, where she led the end-to-end planning,
catalyst in helping women to break free from the regressive
taboos surrounding menstruation. conceptualisation and execution of the initiative.

She is inspired by two very different communicators - Barack Besides a focused career in communications, she foresees herself
Obama, who had an innate ability to make politics accessible taking up teaching and sharing best practices in communications
and hip and Kim Kardashian, because she knows how to make
social media work for her and not the other way around. among young professionals. She is also deeply involved to the
cause of child safety and is part of Project Masoom. She finds
Narendra Modi as an inspiring communicator and believes in a
famous quote that sums up communication as - You can have
brilliant ideas, buy if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t

get you anywhere.

bit.ly/DeepaVaidyanathan @Beautyspeak29 bit.ly/DeeptiShetty @deeptishetty

39

GIRISH 34
BALACHANDRAN
KARAN
Managing Partner BHANDARI

On Purpose Vice President, Consumer

New Delhi Marketing & Digital

Weber Shandwick

An MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the University New Delhi

of Strathclyde, Scotland, Girish has previously worked in A post graduate in Marketing Management, Karan started his

leadership roles with Avian Media, Waggner Edstrom and career with the Merchant Navy. He successfully transitioned to

Ketchum Public Relations, UK. In mid 2017, he had the courage Public Relations in 2006 and there has been no looking back
since. He became the youngest branch head for Digitas for the
to follow his dreams and founded a consultancy to drive social
change in India. Within four months of launching, On Purpose Mumbai office and moved from a strategy and planning role
was successfully working on issues like childhood obesity in
to leading the P&L of a market in less than one year. Although
India, vulnerability of children under five in Bihar, responsible
45 seems like an age that is a lifetime away, but planning
service of alcohol in India and creating demand for a clean ahead, he says he would like to be recognised as an individual
source of energy supply.
who helped reorient thinking – internally and externally to a

Girish hopes to continue helping brands stand for something platform-agnostic manner to truly think integrated approach

and take charge of the future - On Purpose. He looks forward to that brings compelling communication to life.

working with a new generation of communicators and learning Narendra Modi and his highly adept communication skills
the skills of new technologies. He finds Elon Musk an inspiring inspire Karan. He gives Narendra Modi full marks on not just
communicator for being able to communicate a vision of the
messaging and medium but even the tenor.
future we all aspire to.

bit.ly/GirishOnPurpose @Girisham1 bit.ly/KaranBhandari @karanbhandari

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 13

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COVER FEATURE 33

37 LIZA
SAHA
KUMARDEEP
BANERJEE Account Director
Text100
Head, External Communications
Vodafone India New Delhi
New Delhi
A post graduate in Advertising and Public Relations from IIMC,
Kumardeep is a post graduate in TV and Radio Journalism from Delhi, Liza has been with Text100 for over a decade now. She has
IIMC, Delhi and has worked as a journalist for almost a decade.
Prior to joining Vodafone India in 2012, he was the Editor at seen several high points in her career during this tenure - right
Bloomberg TV, India. Being able to break news daily on reputed from endorsements by client CEOs/Founders to collaborating
news channels and also being able to work in matrix-based with global teams and leading big wins. However, the highest
structures of corporate world are some of his career highs. point was coaching the young CEO of a start-up for his first set of
media interactions which eventually resulted in a highly successful
Talking about his future plans, Kumardeep aspires to continue
being relevant and agile with strategic inputs when required. awareness campaign. At age 45, she sees herself leading
communication for one of the top Fortune 500 brands in India
He believes that communication is the stage on which theatre of along with going back to her Alma Mater as a teacher. She would
life plays out and holds nature to be the greatest communicator. also like to take up the cause of education for underprivileged

kids.

She holds Richard Branson as one of the finest communicators
– open, direct and a legendary spokesperson. She believes that

communication is the basic for survival but the art of effective
communication is developed with skills and experience.

bit.ly/KumardeepBanerjee @kumar_deep bit.ly/LizaSaha @lizasaha

36 35

MAHUL MANISHA
BRAHMA CHAUDHARY

Head, Corporate Founder & Director
Communications & Branding
mjunction Value 360 Communications
Kolkata
New Delhi
Author of Decoding Luxe - a definitive guide to luxury brands in
India, Mahul has also acted in a short film which was selected and A post graduate in Development Communication from Jamia
screened at the Cannes Film Festival, 2016. Before entering the Milia Islamia, Delhi, Manisha is the Co-Founder and Director at
Public Relations business, he has been a journalist and a senior
editor with CNBC TV 18 and Financial Chronicle. He is a Masters Value 360 Communications. Prior to this she was Director at
in Economics from the Calcutta University. He fondly remembers Precision PR and has also worked as a journalist with Hindustan
the highest point of his career as a compliment from Mr Ratan Tata,
congratulating him for his good work in positioning mjunction as Times. Working with brands that were new and still finding
the biggest B2B ecommerce brand in India. At age 45, he wants to their footing in the markets, she has been a communication
be a better communicator, adaptive to the ever-changing modes of partner to three brands which turned Unicorns. As a strategist
communication and news and aspires to take the mjunction brand she has been instrumental in carving a communication strategy
to Rs 1000-crore mark. which covered the entire gamut of business spectrum while not
only selling the product but creating stronger relevance at all
Harish Bhat, brand custodian, Tata Sons, is the most inspiring stakeholder levels. Ten years from now, she hopes to be in the role
communicator according to Mahul who is motivated by how he of communications partner to not only home-grown brands but
manages to bring synergy in communication and branding among
over 100 diverse companies and keeps Tata brand on the top. international as well.

She finds Smriti Irani, as an inspiring communicator and a
successful orator with sharp tonality and precision. She believes

that communication is impeccable positioning using precise
message, medium and timing.

bit.ly/MahulBrahma @mahulbrahma bit.ly/ManishaChaudhary @Manishavaani

16 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

COVER FEATURE

36 MOUSUMI 39
HALDER
MINAL GHOSH
D’ROZARIO
Director, Corporate Communications
Co-Founder & Director PwC India
Ideosphere Mumbai
Mumbai

Minal was one of the twenty-five women achievers from South A post graduate in Mass Communication from Jadavpur
and South-East Asia who were awarded the Women Icon Award University, Mousumi has previously worked with Times of India
by Business Excellence and Research Group (BERG), Singapore as a senior correspondent. Becoming a Director in PwC India,
this year. A post graduate in Public Relations and Corporate
Communication from Xavier’s Institute, Minal has previously worked has been the highest point in her career so far as the journey
with Genesis Burson-Marsteller and the DDB Mudra Group. to achieving this has been extraordinary with passionate

Successfully being able to convince businesses to accept the teammates, great mentors and exciting challenges. She aspires
model of Validations (Insights), Qualitative PR (not backed by to lead a team of passionate communicators who constantly
Media Relations) and Idea-Centric (Campaign) approach has adapt and innovate to make a tangible and measurable
been a highpoint in Minal’s career. She wants to be known for difference in the way an organisation communicates its brand
creating relevant change and innovation in PR, which drives a clear story.
positioning and interest for the next generation.
She finds Michelle Obama an extremely powerful
Prema Sagar, Principal & Founder - Genesis Burson-Marsteller communicator. In a world where compassion is becoming rare,
has been a huge inspiration to Minal in terms of her vision and her communication exudes warmth – which facilitates building
positioning.
of trust and faster absorption of ideas.

bit.ly/MinalDRozario @minalroz bit.ly/MousumiHGhosh @nonstopbakwas

36 36

MUNAVAR NEHA
ATTARI MATHUR
RASTOGI
Sr. Vice President & General Manager
FleishmanHillard Founder, CEO
Mumbai
WordsWork
A stint on the client side much earlier on in his career showed him
a client’s perspective and helped him deepen his understanding New Delhi
of business dynamics in general. It reoriented his perception,
broadened his thinking and accelerated personal growth in so WordsWork won the Fulcrum Award, 2017 for PR consultancy
many different ways. A post graduate in Management from IIM, of the year (Emerging) – This has been the highest point of her
Ahemadabad, Munavar has previously worked with PR firms like career till date, says Neha. A Masters in Public Relations from
Edelman India, Weber Shandwick and Adfactors. He has also
worked with an in-house team as Senior Marketing Manager at MICA, Ahemadabad, Neha founded WordsWork in 2009. In
Blue Star Infotech. Talking about his vision for age 45 he says that the near future, she aims to take her firm to bigger and better
the pace of disruptive change across makes it difficult to predict a prospects with a stronger national team and an international
decade ahead. The goal post is changing in real time.
association. She hopes to soon be managing some of her
“There is no such thing as public opinion. There is only published dream clients who are currently on her bucket list!
opinion” said Winston Churchill. If the power to sway masses
with few words, irrespective of the purpose, was a criterion then She is highly inspired by Prema Sagar. According to
Churchill is Munavar’s most inspiring communicator. The original Neha, Prema is the true personification of a humanitarian
Twitterati he argues. entrepreneur and she hopes to follow her footsteps some day.

She describes effective communication as a skill to simplify the
complex and make sense of it.

bit.ly/MunavarAttari @munavar2011 bit.ly/NehaMRastogi @nehamr

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 17

COVER FEATURE 35

38 NOOPUR
SHARMA
NIJAY
NAIR Director

Director PR Pundit
Adfactors PR
Mumbai Mumbai

As the youngest Director at India’s largest Public Relations Noopur has been with PR Pundit for over a decade now during
firm, Nijay Nair is not your typical PR professional. He leads which she has been instrumental in positioning PR Pundit at
the commercial and mergers and acquisitions initiatives at the forefront in the lifestyle domain. A post graduate in Public
Adfactors. He has over 15 years of experience in diverse
general management functions spanning strategy, business Relations from Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Delhi, Noopur always had
development, project management and planning, international PR as her first career choice. She has been consistent in creating
relations, marketing and corporate communication. Nijay’s
general management experience is spread across diverse innovative and meaningful award-winning PR campaigns for
high-growth sectors including auto, information technology, brands such as Swarovski & reviving the South Silk industry,
and logistics and infrastructure. Along with management
responsibilities for the company’s margin management and other Building the running community with adidas, ITC Vivel’s Ab
strategic Initiatives, Nijay is responsible for the seeding and Samjhauta Nahin, Benetton India’s Women Empowerment
stabilising of the Adfactors Group’s geographic expansion. initiative among several others. At age 45, she hopes to make
a positive impact in the business through her expertise and
He is a Physics graduate from Mumbai University and an MBA in ethics; further creating a legacy to inspire the young & aspiring
International Trade and Finance from the US.
professionals.
bit.ly/NijayNair
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and Mark Zuckerberg top her list of inspiring
communicators as she believes that no one ever became a great

leader without first becoming a great communicator.

bit.ly/NoopurSharma @noopurSB

37 37

PALIN PAYAL
NINGTHOUJAM BANERJEE

Head, EXPD AVP & Head, Communications

Avian Media Sequoia Capital India Advisors

New Delhi Bangalore

Palin started Avian Media’s Experential Digital and Content A Masters in Public Relations from Manipal University, Payal
practice (EXPD) and till date leads the 20+ team. A post graduate has previously worked with Ogilvy PR Worldwide, AOL Online
in Public Relations and Marketing, Palin has previously held lead and Flipkart. She fondly remembers her stint at Flipkart which
positions with Weber Shandwick, Genesis Burson-Marsteller and
Ernst & Young. The highest point of his career, he says, is now, she joined in early 2011, when the entire team fit into one
when he is heading a profitable, award-winning business practice small office on half a floor. When she left Flipkart, they were a
with passionate and hard working team members. Over the years 30,000-employee strong ubiquitous brand. Being part of this
he hopes to continue being a respected team leader, mentor, and transformational journey, she says, is the highest point in her
thought leader in new technology communications, heading a career till date. Talking about her plans for the future, she says
leading digital and content marketing company.
that her ultimate dream is to work for the United Nations.
Steve Jobs and Satya Nadella top his list of inspiring
communicators. He believes that successful communication is She finds American author, Brandon Stanton an inspiring
one that goes beyond the obvious and has three clear qualities - communicator. According to Payal, communication is the art of
clever demonstration, experiential, and emotional/meaningful. finding the exceptional in the everyday. Being able to get to the

heart of what really matters and weave a story around it – one
that hooks the listener in the middle of all the chaos of voices

he/she is faced with today.

bit.ly/PalinNingthoujam @palinn bit.ly/PayalBanerjee @payalee

18 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

COVER FEATURE

37 39

PIYAL POONAM
BANERJEE PRAHLAD

India Practice Chair, Consumer Technology Founder & Director
India Lead - Step Up Media Moments
Genesis Burson-Marsteller Bangalore
Mumbai

A Masters in English Literature from Delhi University, Piyal With more than 15 years of experience in Consumer & Sports
has been with Genesis Burson-Marsteller for over a decade Marketing, Brand Communications, Campaigns and Digital
now. Joining GBM, working on integrated campaigns, across Marketing, Poonam has today built Media Moments from a
geographies and growing within the company are some of
the high points of her career till date. Over the years to come Public Relations firm to an intelligent communications company.
she wants to lead a meaningful and healthy life, rich with The company’s 100% year on year growth is one of the highest
experiences. She hopes to be able to truly give back to the
society through her storytelling expertise. points of Poonam’s career.

She finds Prema Sagar a truly inspiring communicator, an A Fashion Designer from NIFT Delhi, Poonam’s dream is to build
extraordinary visionary, mentor, leader and friend. Piyal deeply a company which can be a market accelerator to consumer-led
believes in the power of communication and that it can change businesses across the globe. She hopes to achieve this goal by
people, create mind-blowing ideas, move to action, and build
better societies. age 45.

She finds American author, entrepreneur Tim Ferriss an inspiring
communicator.

bit.ly/PiyalBanerjee @Banerjee_Piyal bit.ly/PoonamPrahlad @Pnm08

35 35

PRASIDHA RUCHICA
MENON TOMAR

Head of Communications Director, Communications
MakeMyTrip Group
Uber India & South Asia Gurgaon

New Delhi After a decade-long stint in journalism, Ruchica moved
to Public Relations in 2014. A post graduate in Broadcast
An MBA in Marketing and Finance from Indian Institute of Journalism from IIMC, Delhi, Ruchica has previously worked
Planning and Management, Prasidha has previously worked
with Edelman India and Edelman Digital in San Francisco, with the TV Today Network, Weber Shandwick and until
where she was selected as a representative from India for the recently with Uber India. Moving from journalism to PR has
Daniel J. Edelman Global Fellows Program. This opportunity been the most defining decision of her career. From learning
and stepping into the role of Head of Communications for Uber creative and credible storytelling to being acknowledged by
India, she says, are two high points of her career, though she journalists and editors as a good communications professional,
still awaits the highest point. Valuing her professional journey are all high points of Ruchica’s career. She wants to enjoy her
more than the destination, Prasidha wants to continue striving
to work harder with integration and commitment. She aspires to professional journey and constantly learn along the way.
always be ready to learn something new.
PR professional and Ruchica’s former manager from Uber,
Steve Jobs, Jack Ma and Anand Mahindra are in her list of Rachel Whetstone is her most inspiring communicator.
inspiring communicators. The ability to tell a real, relevant,
simple yet powerful story in a language that best resonates
with the audience, both emotionally and functionally is true
communication, according to Prasidha.

bit.ly/PrasidhaMenon @prasidham bit.ly/RuchicaTomar @ruchicatomar

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 19

COVER FEATURE

37 39

SARVESH SHAILAJA
TIWARI RAO

Founder & Managing Director Co-founder
PR Professionals Skateboard Media
Gurgaon
New Delhi
With a two-member team and an 8x10 office size, Sarvesh set
up PR Professionals when he was 31. Today, within a span of After stints at several leading global PR firms, Shailaja
six years, they have offices across India and strength of over 50 co-founded Skateboard Media in 2013. This shift to
people. PR Professionals has carved a niche in infrastructure PR.
A post graduate in Mass Communication, Sarvesh has previously entrepreneurship was certainly the highest point of her career
worked with IL&FS on the Gurgaon Rapid Metro project and DLF till date. A post graduate in Public Relations, Shailaja oversees
Developers. Talking about the future, Sarvesh foresees himself
carving a niche among effective communicators and his PR firm Strategy and Operations at Skateboard Media. At age 45
making inroads in major cities across India and world. He also she sees herself being an integral driving force in making
aims to continue being active on social fronts. Sarvesh believes Skateboard Media one of the leading PR firms recognised for
that communication is always a two-way process, should always
have an objective and should motivate engagement. quality, trust, integrity and its people.

Anuj Dayal, Executive Director (Communications), DMRC is his Shailaja is deeply inspired by Steve Jobs who once said
role model, mentor and guide. Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower. She

truly believes in creating something new each day to seek
one’s own greatest potential.

bit.ly/SarveshTiwari @sarveshkt123 bit.ly/ShailajaRao @shailajarao

32 33

SHREYA SUNNY
KRISHNAN GUGLANI

Vice President, Marketing & Commercial Aircraft
Communications Marketing Team
Anviti Insurance Brokers
Bangalore Instrumental in bringing Airbus’ ‘Make in India’ strategy alive from
a communications stand-point, Sunny fondly remembers when
A post graduate in Mass Communication, Shreya has previously their campaign ‘We make it in India’ received the award for the
worked with First Advantage where she set up the Marketing and best reputation management project in Asia in the Asia-Pacific
Communications function. Her entire journey at First Advantage
of ensuring that they are the best brand in the industry has been Communications Awards 2016 in Singapore. A Masters in General
a high point in her career. A decade from now, she sees herself Management (Finance) from Italy, Sunny has previously worked with
teaching, consulting with multiple businesses and also owning CNC Communications and Network Consulting and Tech Mahindra
and running a social enterprise impacting communication and
activism in the CSO space. She believes that communication in all at Indian and global locations. Contrary to what some believe, as
forms plays a role in formulating humans both personally and as communicators, we are not the news makers! Talking about the
professionals.
future, Sunny envisions himself as a news maker who is in the media
Shreya had a chance to work and interact with Eric Falt, Assistant because of his contributions towards the realisation of our country’s
Director-General for External Relations and Public Information,
UNESCO which has left her inspired for life. ‘Make in India’ ambitions in aerospace and defense.

He is inspired by Mahatma Gandhi – who, he believes, had the
power to communicate and influence peoples’ hearts and minds

with few spoken words.

bit.ly/ShreyaKrishnan @shreya_voxpop bit.ly/SunnyGuglani @Sunnyguglani

20 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

21

COVER FEATURE

37 37

SWETANK TARUN
JAIN NAGRANI

Chief Communications Officer & Leader, Communications
Chief Customer Officer GE
Future Group
Mumbai Gurgaon

Swetank has previously worked as a principal correspondent Tarun has spent close to a decade across four PR firms starting
for CNBC TV18 and later moved to public relations. A Masters with Good Relations and subsequently moving to Vaishnavi
in Communication from the Manipal University, he remembers Corporate Communications, Text 100 and Edelman. This is
steering the Future Group through its biggest debt crisis in
2012 as one of the most thrilling experiences. If it were not for remarkable for someone who did a post graduation in fashion
day-by-day strategic communications planning, we could have communication from the National Institute of Fashion Technology.
easily been written off as a business going bankrupt by media,
he says as he turned the negativity into positivity by changing He hails from Lucknow and was raised in Nigeria where he did
the conversation all together. most of his schooling. Tarun is one of the few PR professionals

At the age of 45 Swetank aspires to be running a who writes a regular blog.
communications consultancy cum college, where employees
would be teachers and the students will study as well as get Sharp, articulate and extremely thorough in his work, he is well
real life exposure to the business of communications. He has organised with his thoughts. As someone once wrote about him
already started work on that dream.
publicly- He is objective, passionate, and though seemingly an
introvert, manages teams extremely well. A motivator, mentor and

an effective colleague and counsellor, Tarun is a silent performer.

bit.ly/SwetankJain @swetankj bit.ly/TarunNagrani @tarunnagrani

38 36

TARUNJEET THOMAS
RATTAN CHERIAN

Managing Partner Director, Communications
Nucleus PR
Bangalore Netflix India

A communications professional with almost two decades of Mumbai
experience in the business, Tarunjeet is a post graduate in
Communication Management from SIMC, Pune. While she is Thomas Cherian made history earlier this year by being
sure that there are many high points in her career that are yet appointed as the first Communications Director of Netflix
to come, starting up her own venture was one of the highest in India. Having spent close to five years at two PR firms at
points so far. The utter thrill and plunging fear mixed with the the early stage of his career, this Madras Christian College
excitement of taking this decision is something she can never alumnus was hired by Cisco to manage Public Relations at their
forget. In the near future, she sees herself running a highly Globalization Centre in Bangalore. After spending a decade at
profitable and one of the country’s finest PR consultancies the iconic technology firm including most recently as the Head
working with interesting brands across MNCs, SME and start- of Corporate Communications for Asia Pacific and Japan,
up segments.
Thomas recently relocated to Mumbai.
Warren Buffet and, closer home, Deepshikha Dharamraj are on
Tarunjeet’s list of inspiring communicators. He holds a graduate certificate in Public Policy from the
Takshashila Institution. He is considered to be extremely self

aware, knowledgeable and a results-oriented professional
besides a great human being by his peers.

bit.ly/TarunjeetRattan @mindtweak123 bit.ly/ThomasCherian @rtcherian

22 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

COVER FEATURE

34 35

TUSHAR VARUN
BAJAJ CHOPRA

Vice President and Lead Digital Vice President
MSL Ketchum Sampark
New Delhi
New Delhi
Tushar defines communication as the ability to package and
share a message so it is consumable and understandable Varun has been with Ketchum Sampark for over a decade
by the intended audience driving the desired action or now. He has worked on a diverse portfolio of clients right from
reaction. A Masters in Business Administration from the
Alliance Manchester Business School, Tushar believes that communication strategy, client servicing to media relations.
the dynamism and challenges of this business make each He remembers the highest point of his career as winning the
day exciting. He remembers the highest point of his career as certificate of excellence at SABRE 2014 for the Max Life Insurance
winning the skunkworks challenge to win the Times of India – Retirement Planning campaign. Ten years from now, he sees
Organ Donation Day Challenge beating 120+ other firms. At himself becoming an industry leader in the communications space
age 45, he sees himself as a change driver of this ever-evolving by continuing learning new skills across domains, interacting with
business and leading a team that creates the world’s firsts.
different people and integrating new methods of working.
Tushar finds Narendra Modi a highly inspiring communicator.
Varun finds Warren Buffet an inspiring communicator and draws
his definition of communication from him, saying that good

communication is all about being able to convey information
to people clearly, simply and in a way that means things are

completely understood and will get done.

bit.ly/TusharBajaj @bajajtushar bit.ly/VarunChopra @varunchopra8286

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PRAXIS 2017 REPLAY

Dr Pragnya Ram (Aditya Birla Group) in conversation with John Saunders (FleishmanHillard) in conversation with
Meena Vaidyanathan (niiti Consulting) Ipshita Sen (Adfactors PR) after his engaging talk on
Staying True to the Calling of Communications

Rob Flaherty (Ketchum) in conversation with Tara Rogers Gabriela Lungu (WINGS-Creative Leadership Lab) in
Ellis (Mojo PR) after his stimulating session on How to be a conversation with Aniruddha Bhagwat (Ideosphere) discussing
Fearless and Fast Communicator more about the Culture of Creativity in Public Relations

Fred Cook (Golin) in conversation with Aakriti Bhargava Jennifer Granston (WE Communications) in conversation
(Boring Brands) after his keynote address on Being with Gaurav Bhaskar (Google) after her enlightening
Relevance Obsessed and Relevance Equipped session on Communicating for Brands in Motion
Communicators

26 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

PRAXIS 2017 REPLAY

Guillaume Herbette (MSL) in conversation with Nandini Independent, Indian and Impactful: What sets them apart?
Chatterjee (PwC) after his keynote address on Augmented (L-R) Xavier Prabhu (PRHUB), PK Khurana (Quik Relations),
Influence: How a second technology revolution is changing Pradyuman Maheshwari (MxM India) - Moderator, Pooja
Public Relations Pathak (Media Mantra) and Ruby Sinha (Kommune)

Using the Power of Communications to take Healthcare Corporate Communication Leaders on the Future of Communications
Closer to Patients (L-R) Aman Gupta (S.P.A.G) - Moderator, (L-R) Arun Sudhaman (The Holmes Report) - Moderator, Poonam Kaul
Aparna Thomas (Sanofi), Bhavna Singh (OPPI) and (PepsiCo India), Debasis Ray (Tata Trusts), Nitin Thakur (Max India),
Ambereen Shah (Edelman India) Shaily Vaswani (VFS Global) and Sonia Huria (Viacom18)

Young Achievers in Communication from In-house and Will Asia Lead the Way in the Next Wave of Creative
Consultancies (L-R) Col. Rajeev Kumar (Communications Communications?
Consultant) – Moderator, Deepa Jayaraman (H+K (L-R) Arun Sudhaman (The Holmes Report) – Moderator,
Strategies), Madhurjya Kotoky (Autodesk), Sheetal Singh Margaret Key (Burson-Marsteller) and Darren Burns (Weber
(Micromax) and Manas Mrinal (Skateboard Media) Shandwick)

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 27

PRAXIS 2017 REPLAY

Jose Manuel Guardado (Global Alliance) in conversation Author and Digital Transformation Coach Abhijit Bhaduri
with Radha Roy (RuderFinn) after his special session on delivers a special session on The Digital Tsunami
Challenges faced by the PR Profession

Padmashree Arunachalam Muruganantham leaves the Shreya Dubey receiving the Vishwajeet Ganpate Memorial
audience mesmerised with his Master Keynote Scholarship

Bhavna Singh receiving the Young Pride Challenge Award Karan Anand receiving the Ace Business Communicator
Prize

28 REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017

PRAXIS 2017 REPLAY

Team SCoRe: (L-R) Reenal Lobo, Ishaan Lahiri, Shreya The Core PRAXIS Team
Dubey, Julia Joseph, Riya Sarkar and Sudha Chachra

Co-chairs Divya Singh and Falguni Patel

Kiruba Shankar - Summit Anchor Live Concert by The Raghu Dixit Project

View the highlights of PRAXIS 2017 at - bit.ly/PRAXIS6high

REPUTATION TODAY DEC 2017 29

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ENGAGING STROKES

SHREE
LAHIRI

PRAXIS 2017 WAS FULL OF
NEW IDEAS, NEW INSIGHTS

AND LOTS OF LEARNING
AND SHARING

You may have been to PRAXIS either Being Relevance Obsessed and Brands need to ensure that the content
this year or in previous years or never Relevance Equipped - Fred Cook, Global around them is imaginative, artful,
been to one. For me, PRAXIS 2017 was Chairman questioned the audience if they ingenious, innovative as is ethical.
the second time being part of a Public had a systematic and strategic approach With brands synchronising new ways
Relations extravaganza with lots of to influencer management? A lot of people to generate and produce the magic of
learning and sharing. use Relevance as a buzzword, and no one words, content is king today.
is “anti-relevance”. There’s nothing more
The beautiful Fairmont Hotel at Jaipur set important than an individual or a brand Being a Fast and Fearless
the stage for the sixth edition of PRAXIS, being relevant, and there’s nothing worse Communicator - Be a fast and fearless
which this year was centered around the than being irrelevant in our business! communicator, stated Rob Flaherty,
theme of The Beauty of Communication Global CEO, Ketchum. The world
– Integration of Content, Creativity & Communicating for Brands in Motion keeps changing faster than we think.
Community. - Motion is the relationship between It’s not enough for the communications
the forces your brand exerts and forces business to keep pace with this change
In this column I will encapsulate the that are being exerted upon your – we need to be ahead of it, in order
essence of the six keynotes that were the brand, pointed out Jennifer Granston, to help our clients keep in contact with
highlight of the summit. And each of these Global COO, WE Communications. The their audiences.
keynotes were by a global leader. environment is accelerated now and there
is disruption happening, and everything Augmented Influence is Changing
Creating a Culture of Creativity - In her is moving faster. Brand motion takes Public Relations - A second technology
keynote Gabriela Lungu, the Founder into account the influence of broader revolution is changing PR once again,
of WINGS Creative Leadership Lab environmental factors and underlying noted Guillaume Herbette, Global
shared the following six thoughts: Make consumer expectations. CEO, MSL, as he gave us a peek into
Creativity a Business Priority; Make the future through the next wave of
Creativity Personal to Everyone; Focus Staying True to the Calling of transformation, which is around the
on the Creative Process; Compete for Communications - Insist on the highest corner. The first technology revolution
and Celebrate Creative Excellence; Take ethical standards in every aspect of what was aimed at the media profession,
Clients along on the Creative Journey you do, said John Saunders, Global CEO, giving rise to ‘new media’. The world
FleishmanHillard. Saunders stressed the is continuously changing. We have to
Do brands create stories or do stories need for Public Relations companies to re-imagine our future once again and
create brands? Or is the power of be honest and truthful. Recalling the story embrace change.
storytelling for brands and branding so of his involvement in the Van Morrison
pervasive that we can’t even begin to episode, he narrated the tale of how he All in all, there was an abundance of
see the end and the beginning? got caught up in it, but finally managed new ideas, new insights and all this in an
to move the courts to clear his own name engaging environment.
and safeguard his integrity.

Shree Lahiri has spent over two decades in the field of communication, as a journalist and being involved in reputation
management and public relations. She can be reached @shree_la on twitter.

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TAKING PRIDE

AMITH

PRABHU

THIS EDITION CELEBRATES
THE 40 UNDER FORTY
CLASS OF 2017. SOME OF
THEM MAY MAINTAIN A LOW
PROFILE BUT ALL OF THEM
ARE JEWELS IN INDIA’S
PUBLIC RELATIONS’ CROWN

As we come to the end of another year, Management, which we have come to behaviour, which we tend to forget. The
we have achieved what we set out to do believe is nothing but a newer term for recent example of a leading airline and its
with three clear-cut on-ground offerings Public Relations. actions, both before and after the video of
in the form of the first Super Night that its uniformed staff assaulting a passenger
took place in January, followed by two This edition celebrates the 40 under went viral is a great lesson on how lack
conclaves in Mumbai and Bangalore Forty Class of 2017. You would have of communications to some extent but
in early summer and finally the record- enjoyed reading about these dynamic arrogant behaviour for the most part got it
breaking sixth edition of PRAXIS in Jaipur. professionals. Some of them may maintain the sobriquet Indigoon.
What you have in your hand is the eighth a low profile but all of them are jewels in
edition of India’s only print magazine for India’s public relations crown. I hope you Well, as we come to the end of
the reputation management professional. connect with those you did not know of to another year, I request you to keep
We are glad we created this labour of know more about what they do and how in mind that now there is a School
love for the community. We have begun they do what they have done to get here. of Communications and Reputation
planning for 2018, our first offering is the we can all call our own located in
two-city conclave. This year I was fortunate to be in Helsinki Mumbai. The one-year post-graduate
in October to attend the ICCO Global programme it offers in partnership with
The conclave in New Delhi will be Summit. One of the most fascinating PRCAI will create the future rockstars
co-created with First Partners and is talks there was by Paul Holmes where of Indian Public Relations.
exclusively for in-house professionals he hit the nail on the head by telling it as
working in marketing communications, it is and stating that media relations is So, if you know of a relative, a neighbour,
public relations, brand management not Public Relations. He also said how a friend who is graduating in the summer
and public affairs. It will have a slightly we wrongly refer to Public Relations as of 2018 or has already graduated
different format from what we have Communications and use these terms direct them to me by way of an email
done in the past and will include the interchangeably. His talk brought clarity introduction at amith.prabhu@scoreindia.
unveiling of findings from a study on to my thinking that communications org and we would happily take their
Innovation in Communications. is only a subset of Public Relations as candidature forward for a career in the
the discipline is actually about building profession.
We will have the second conclave in and nurturing relationships with various
Mumbai almost similar to what we have stakeholders using various tools, one of Looking forward to hearing from you. Have
had in the past years, where six corporate which is communications. Most often a great year-end and a fabulous new
CEOs share insights on Reputation Public Relations is about actions and year ahead!

Amith Prabhu is the Founding Dean of the School of Communication and Reputation (SCoRe). He is also the founder of The Promise
Foundation – the only organisation from India which is a member of the Global Alliance. He can be reached @amithpr on Twitter.

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