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Ahead of its proposed Initial Public Offering (IPO), financial services company PhonePe has appointed Zarin Daruwala, former CEO of Standard Chartered Bank for India and South Asia, to its board. 


In February, PhonePe had announced that it was beginning preparations for IPO in order to list on Indian exchanges.


Daruwala headed Standard Chartered Bank – India from 2016 to March 2025. Before joining Standard Chartered Bank, she was the president at ICICI Bank, responsible for managing the wholesale banking business of the bank. In addition to her responsibility, Daruwala served on the board of directors of key ICICI group companies, ICICI Lombard – General Insurance, and ICICI Securities. In the past,she has been on the board of JSW Steel too. 


In May, PhonePe had named chief executive Sameer Nigam, chief technology officer Rahul Chari, chief financial officer Adarsh Nahata and company secretary Ankit Popat as key management personnel, stated a Moneycontrol report.


Here, the executives would be considered the go-to people for any issues pertaining to regulatory or for communication with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) or market regulators SEBI, etc.


The announcement was a part of PhonePe's move to becoming a public company from a private company, ahead of its planned Initial Public Offer (IPO), further added the report.


In April, it had been reported that PhonePe had transitioned from a private firm to a public company, ahead of its IPO, where it would change its name from PhonePe Private Limited to PhonePe Limited.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/phonepe-names-top-officials-as-key-management-personnels-66569.htm">PhonePe names top officials as key management personnels</a>

PhonePe appoints former Standard Chartered Bank CEO Zarin Daruwala to the board

Rebecca Van Dyck has been appointed as chief marketing officer of Airbnb.

 
A veteran of Meta, Apple and Wieden + Kennedy, began consulting for Airbnb earlier this year. As the CMO, she will lead Airbnb’s marketing, research, and creative teams. She will report to Hiroki Asai.


Hiroki Asai, global head of marketing since 2020, is being named chief experience officer. In this role, Asai will continue to oversee the marketing, design, product, and community teams.


In an email to employees earlier today, Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky shared his thoughts on the following developments.


On Dyck, he stated, “I’ve actually been trying to get Becca to join Airbnb since I first met her in 2012. This 13-year journey has been the longest recruiting process of my career. We’re in the midst of a major transformation as a company—Airbnb is now more than a place to stay. As we launch two new businesses, we need people around the world to understand this shift, and Becca brings exactly the kind of leadership we need for this moment.” 


On Asai, he stated, “With Becca joining, Hiroki will have the space to go even deeper on our roadmap. Hiroki’s role is to look out for our hosts and guests and their experience. It’s what he’s been doing for the last few years, but this change will give him more space to formally focus on it. Hiroki has been behind so much of Airbnb’s evolution as a company, and he’ll bring that same thoughtfulness to our company’s next chapter.”


“As a lifelong traveler, I have personally experienced how Airbnb has changed the way we travel. As a marketer, I have always admired how the Airbnb team has created such a well-known and loved brand. I’m delighted to work with Brian, Hiroki, and the outstanding Marketing, Creative, and Research teams to tell the story of Airbnb’s exciting new chapter with the world,” said Dyck.


Prior to Airbnb, Dyck had over 30 years of experience in marketing and has worked with a number of iconic brands. Her previous roles included chief operating officer at Meta Reality Labs, CMOfor AR/VR at Meta, senior director of marketing at Apple and global account director at Wieden + Kennedy working with Nike.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/interviews/india-is-at-the-heart-of-airbnbs-global-expansion-story-amanpreet-singh-bajaj-47902.htm">India is at the heart of Airbnb's global expansion story: Amanpreet Singh Bajaj</a>

Airbnb appoints Rebecca Van Dyck as CMO

Dell Technologies announces the appointment of Manish Gupta as president and managing director for India, effective immediately.


Gupta will spearhead the company’s strategic growth initiatives and drive sales in India. Based in Bengaluru, he will report to Peter Marrs, president, Asia Pacific Japan C Greater China (APJC), Dell Technologies.


Gupta succeeds Alok Ohrie, who is leaving the company to dedicate more time to his family and focus on personal endeavors.


“I am excited to have Manish leading Dell in India. His exceptional blend of technical expertise, deep market understanding, and visionary leadership will be instrumental in driving growth and innovation. Manish’s unwavering focus on customer success, partner collaboration, talent development, and innovation will further solidify Dell’s position as an industry leader. With his guidance, I am confident we will continue to empower businesses and communities, delivering technology that fuels human progress,” said Marrs. 


“I would like to thank Alok for the incredible impact he has made at Dell Technologies India and wish him all the best for the future,” he added.


Gupta brings over 25 years of extensive experience in the IT sector, with more than a decade at Dell Technologies in leadership roles. Prior to this position, he led global alliances, channel engagement, and strategy development for APJC. He has also served as vice president of the Infrastructure Solutions Group in India, where he contributed significantly to Dell’s growth and success.


Speaking about his new role, Gupta shared, “India presents immense opportunities, with businesses striving to harness technology for agility and competitive advantage. With a talented team, a strong portfolio, and a culture of innovation, Dell Technologies is uniquely positioned to empower customers on their digital transformation journey. I look forward to working with our customers and partners as they navigate change and drive an AI-powered future.”


Gupta holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Panjab University. He is also a Fulbright-Nehru Fellow for Leadership in Management from the Carnegie Mellon University - Tepper School of Business.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/dell-unveils-an-apple-style-rebrand-to-spark-renewed-excitement-for-pcs-52538.htm">Dell unveils an Apple-style rebrand to spark renewed excitement for PCs</a>

Dell Technologies appoints Manish Gupta as President & Managing Director, India

Fox Corporation has appointed Puja Vohra as the chief marketing officer and executive vice president - advertising sales. In her new role, Vohra will lead the ad sales marketing strategy across the FOX portfolio, which consists of Fox Entertainment, FOX Sports, Fox News Media and Tubi.

In a note, Vohra shared, "It’s such an honor to join Fox Corporation at this exciting time in their business. I’m also excited to get out of my DTC marketing comfort zone, get closer to the revenue and operations functions and partner across a variety of divisions including Fox Broadcast, Fox News, Fox Sports and TUBI."

Previously, Vohra headed Paramount+ as the EVP - marketing. Vohra had led marketing and media for the top five streaming service. 

Vohra, who holds an MBA from IIM-Calcutta, began her career at Seagram's as an assistant brand manager. She headed Viacom as a marketing manager, and then worked across Oxygen Media, Bravo TV, NBCUniversal and Warner Media.

As the former CMO of truTV, a Warner Media cable network, her overall responsibility for brand and marketing operations included strategy, media, experiential, creative, product and social.

She led digital transformation with 1.6B impressions across all social channels including 5x growth in YouTube subscribers earning 1B+ views in 5 years. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/paramount-snaps-ties-with-wpp-media-after-a-20-year-partnership-68639.htm">Paramount snaps ties with WPP Media after a 20-year partnership</a>

Fox Corporation appoints Puja Vohra as CMO & EVP - Ad sales

Hasbro Inc., a global leader in toys and entertainment products, has announced the elevation of Nilay Verma as Cluster Head for India and Southeast Asia. In his new role, Verma will oversee Hasbro’s commercial and marketing operations across India, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Previously serving as Country Manager, India, Verma's promotion marks a significant global responsibility. He originally joined Hasbro in 2016 and climbed the ranks to become National Sales Head before being promoted to Country Manager in May 2024.

Verma brings with him a rich professional background, having worked with leading consumer brands including TVS Motors, Asian Paints, Mondelez International, and GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Verma was earlier responsible for end-to-end business ownership, including profit and loss (P&L) management, market analysis, strategic planning, financial performance, operational efficiency, and cross-functional leadership for the region.

Nilay Verma of Hasbro gets global role, promoted as cluster head India & SEA

The Board of Directors of TVS Motor has unanimously appointed Sudarshan Venu as Chairman, effective August 25, 2025. This move marks a generational shift, with Venu taking over from Ralf Speth, who will step down as Chairman following the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on August 22, 2025.

The company announced that Speth will transition into the role of Chief Mentor for a period of three years starting August 23, ensuring the continuation of his strategic counsel and global experience.

The decision to elevate Sudarshan Venu, currently Managing Director, was taken “in recognition of his exemplary contributions to the company’s sustained growth and strategic development,” TVS said in a regulatory filing.

Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company, said, "Ralf as Chairman over the last three years has been invaluable in guiding our strategic expansion into global markets and fostering innovation that has significantly strengthened our industry standing. We are grateful for his continued support as Chief Mentor for TVS Motor and in welcoming Sudarshan into his new role. I am confident that Sudarshan, who in his capacity as Managing Director has demonstrated tremendous growth for the business, will take the Company to even greater heights.”

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/sumit-dhingra-appointed-ceo-and-country-director-of-bestseller-india-68983.htm">Sumit Dhingra appointed CEO and Country Director of Bestseller India</a>

Ralf Speth, said, "It has been an honour for me to steer TVS Motor Company as its Chairman over the last three years. As I hand over the Chairmanship to Sudarshan, I am confident that under his leadership, the Company will continue its growth journey while championing core TVS values. Sudarshan’s dynamism and passion underscore his vision for the business, and I am confident that TVS is in safe, responsible hands. I wish Sudarshan and TVS Motor a bright future ahead.”

Under Sudarshan’s leadership, TVS Motor has made strides in electric mobility, global market penetration and product innovation. The announcement signals a reinforcement of the company’s long-term commitment to global expansion, future-ready technology, and talent development.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/palo-alto-networks-chairman-ceo-nikesh-arora-joins-ubers-board-of-directors-69007.htm">Palo Alto Networks' Chairman & CEO Nikesh Arora joins Uber's Board of Directors</a>

Sudarshan Venu to take charge as Chairman of TVS Motor

Multinational transportation company and tech platform Uber Technologies has appointed Nikesh Arora, cybersecurity company's chairman and chief executive officer, to its board. Arora will also serve on Uber's Nominating and Governance Committee, and Compensation Committee.

Earlier this week, Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty announced that he was departing from Uber after a 13 year stint. He held the position of senior vice president - delivery.

Before joining Palo Alto Networks, Arora was with Softbank where he held the position of president and COO. For a decade, he led tech giant Google as chief business officer. He began his career at T-Mobile, mobile telecommunication company as the chief marketing officer.

Recently, Uber appointed Pradeep Parameswaran as the new global head of its mobility operations.

Parameswaran, who previously led Uber’s operations in India and South Asia and later oversaw mobility across the Asia-Pacific region, will now spearhead the company’s global Mobility strategy and operations, covering over 70 countries.

In his new role, Parameswaran will be responsible for advancing Uber’s vision for multimodal transportation including ridesharing and emerging formats with a focus on accessibility, sustainability and efficiency. He will relocate to New York City as part of the transition.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/uber-elevates-pradeep-parameswaran-to-lead-global-mobility-operations-68553.htm">Uber elevates Pradeep Parameswaran to lead global mobility operations</a>

Palo Alto Networks' Chairman & CEO Nikesh Arora joins Uber's Board of Directors

Neeraj Bassi joins Ogilvy India as the India head of Ogilvy's Consulting practice. Bassi will be based in the Ogilvy Gurugram office, from where he will also serve as the head of strategic planning for Ogilvy India (North).


Globally, Ogilvy Consulting focusses on solving three key strategic business problems – Growth & Innovation, Business Design & Digital Transformation. 


Over his career spanning 28 years, Bassi previously held the position of chief growth officer for Cheil X, the specialist division of Cheil SWA focusing on expanding the client portfolio across the full service offering. He has previously served as CSO at Publicis, Havas and Cheil India. 


Bassi started his career in 1997 with McCann Erickson and has also done an international stint with JWT in Dubai. His last stint in Ogilvy was till 2015 when he was as the President – Strategic Planning for Ogilvy, Gurugram.


Prem Narayan, chief strategy officer, Ogilvy India said, "'Neeraj is back in Ogilvy'. That's a feeling that many of us in Ogilvy have been wishing for quite some time. I have always admired Neeraj. He is one of the finest strategic minds in the country. His rich experience across consulting, advertising and driving growth make him one of the rare few who excel at intersecting consumer x culture x brand x business x modern media landscape to deliver business impact and transformation."


He added, "There couldn't have been anyone better to lead and launch the Ogilvy Consulting practice and drive excellence of the strategic planning function for Ogilvy India (North), Neeraj will make us sharper, stronger and sweeter.”


Bassi stated, “I am really excited to lead the Ogilvy Consulting practice in India. Globally we are getting a good traction in this space and I am looking forward to offering independent, unbiased advice for full funnel management of marquee brands – right from fuelling desire to demand conversion at point of sale. Ogilvy Consulting would address the issue of distributed brand narrative that is happening because of domain experts working in their silos. Championing the cause of one brand, one narrative, Ogilvy Consulting will help clients integrate the domains at a strategic level. It’s a homecoming for me and coming home is always special.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cheil-india-appoints-neeraj-bassi-as-chief-growth-officer-5511.htm">Cheil India appoints Neeraj Bassi as chief growth officer</a>

Ogilvy India launches Ogilvy Consulting; Neeraj Bassi to lead the practice

BESTSELLER has appointed Sumit Dhingra as the CEO and Country Director. The appointment marks a strategic shift as the company sharpens its focus on retail expansion and long-term brand value creation in India’s fast-evolving fashion landscape.

Dhingra brings nearly two decades of experience in the retail and apparel industry, with a track record of building and scaling international brands in diverse markets. He was most recently Vice President and General Manager at Crocs, Inc., overseeing operations across India, Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Arvind Fashions Limited and Benetton Group India, where he played a pivotal role in the growth of global brands such as Arrow, Gant and Aéropostale in the Indian market.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/whsmith-india-names-shantanu-chakravartty-as-new-ceo-68713.htm">WHSmith India names Shantanu Chakravartty as new CEO</a>
An alumnus of IIM Lucknow and NIT Trichy, Dhingra is widely regarded for his sharp business acumen, deep understanding of brand positioning and focus on delivering sustainable growth.

At BESTSELLER India, which houses popular fashion brands including Jack & Jones, Vero Moda, ONLY and Selected Homme, Dhingra is expected to lead efforts to expand the company’s retail footprint, enhance consumer engagement and drive strategic transformation across its brand portfolio.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bharatpe-group-names-siddhartha-jain-as-chief-network-officer-68909.htm">BharatPe Group names Siddhartha Jain as Chief Network Officer</a>

Sumit Dhingra appointed CEO and Country Director of Bestseller India

BharatPe Group has named Siddhartha Jain as its chief network officer. Jain was previously the chief commercial officer at Coca Cola FBO SLMG Beverages, the largest private Coca-Cola Bottler in India. He led verticals of revenue growth management, channel, trade marketing, capability and route to market. 

Jain started his career at ITC where as the assistant manager - Central & Eastern UP, he was elevated to assistant branch manager - Bengaluru Metro. As the senior brand manager at Aditya Birla Retail, Jain led the complete P&L for the home care, home cleaning, insecticide and freshners business.

As the category revenue planning manager at Mondelez International, Jain's focus was on structuring the role and scaling-up the chocolates category further for the company.

At Perfetti Van Melle, as the senior associate director, he led the trade marketing function. Then, he joined Vodafone Idea as EVP and cluster business head. Here, he led the P&L responsibility for Karnataka and AP Telangana metro circles as Circle CEO, and looked into sales, marketing, customer service, postpaid, HR, finance, network, legal and regulatory responsibility.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bharatpe-restructures-its-leadership-team-28525.htm">BharatPe restructures its leadership team</a>

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