Jignesh Maniar goes ‘ON’ with his future plans
Jignesh Maniar has bid adieu to O&M and set up his own agency called ‘ON’ in partnership with Roshan Chowdhury. Speaking to exchange4media, Maniar shares his agency model and his vision about his new venture.

The past few months have witnessed the trend of some talented creative directors venturing out and setting up their own agencies. Names that come to mind include Sajan Raj Kurup who formed Creativeland Asia, Prashant Gogbole who formed Ideas@Work, Ashok Kranik who formed Bread Communication. The latest to join the growing brigade is Jignesh Maniar, former Creative Director at O&M, who has set up a new agency called ‘ON’.
Maniar, who is known for his work for the Mentos campaigns, has set up his venture in partnership with Roshan Chowdhry, who owns and runs the media agency NAC.
Commenting on the agency model, Maniar said that ‘On’ would concentrate on the creative business of a brand. “There are certain things that you can do in your own way rather than in a global network. O&M is a fabulous place to have explored one’s creativity, but at the end of the day, you’re still a part of that particular global network. Thus, my idea to set up my own agency is in providing innovations in a different and interesting way,” explained Maniar.
He further said, “What I have noted is that clients are looking for better and interesting solutions. So, I guess in the scheme of big agencies, they often find that they do not get their due attention and these are the clients who are actually willing to experiment with new innovations. ‘On’ is going deliver not just ideas with results, but ideas with consequences, and at the end of the day, an agency with the client should add value to the business.”
Stating that he was looking to partner Indian clients, Maniar said, “We plan to have a set-up in Delhi along with Mumbai. We are already in talks with some clients as there quiet a lot of interesting businesses booming there. Very soon we should have our presence in Delhi.”
Addressing the pitch fees issue, Maniar said that it was a collective initiative that needed to be taken by the industry as a whole. He noted, “Pitch fee is extremely important for an ad agency because when a client calls 10 agencies and then it decides to stay with its incumbent agency, it’s not fair. The client should be pushed to make a shortlist of five agencies, or whatever the number is, and be given their due fees. I strongly believe that we don’t get the correct valuation of our ideas, maybe I guess we ourselves underestimate the power of ideas. So, I guess it’s the industry that needs to make the client realise about the issue. However, I don’t see that likely to happen in the near future.”
According to Maniar, awards were fabulous and were an important motivational factor to do better to any industry. He added, “I don’t know why we have hyped up this whole issue of participation or non-participation in awards. Awards are present in every industry and are a sense of pride in recognition and motivation. Had there been no awards, then how could we have possibly seen the best works in advertising? As for any industry, one cannot survive without recognition.”
Maniar is bullish about his agency’s success and has affirmed that by the end of the year, the kind of work ‘On’ would do for its clients would be work that the industry fraternity looked up to. He was confident of ‘On’ setting new benchmarks in terms of communication.
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ABP Network appoints Ananta Natha Jha to lead UnCut
He has been roped in as Associate Vice-President of ABP Live
ABP Network has onboarded Ananta Natha Jha as the Associate Vice-President of ABP Live. With a rich experience in handling digital content and an in-depth understanding of video and radio content, he will take charge as the Editor of the UnCut team. Ananta Natha Jha will lead a young team of journalists who put out digital content for Gen-Z and millennials, the network said.
Jha has experience working at several reputable organisations in crucial roles. A well-recognised voice, he has donned various hats being a radio jockey, a news anchor, voiceover artist, producer, programming head, and a talk show host, stated a release.
Ananta Natha Jha will play a key role in reshaping UnCut and rechanneling focus towards the younger generation with a focus on high-quality content, the release stated.
UnCut is a Gen-Z/millennials-focused vertical of ABP Network.
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Network Advertising appoints Rahool Talukdar as Group Creative Director, Digital
Rahool previously worked at Dentsu iProspect
Network Advertising has announced the appointment of Rahool Talukdar as Group Creative Director, Digital. Rahool, previously at Dentsu iProspect, brings over 15 years of rich experience, having worked across both mainline and digital agencies.
Rahool is captivated by the digital medium and the innovative ways in which brands can connect with audiences through new media storytelling. At Network, he shares, "I resonate with the creative freedom provided by an independent venture, where transparency and clear direction foster professional growth. I am thrilled to be a part of their growth story."
During his tenure at Dentsu iProspect, Rahool led a team responsible for award-winning work on a diverse range of accounts, including State Bank of India, Essilor, Fossil Luxury Watches, Biba Apparels, Angel One, Finolex Pipes, Switzerland Tourism, ICICI Direct, and Shaze Luxury, among others.
Akashneel Dasgupta, CCO, Network Advertising, expresses enthusiasm about Rahool's addition to the team, stating, "Rahool will help shape our future as a fully integrated agency. He possesses extensive experience in nurturing young talent and guiding them towards greater accomplishments. We look forward to an exciting future and exceptional work with him on board."
Vinod Nair, Managing Director, Network Advertising, underscores the significance of digital communication for the agency, saying, "Digital Communication is a crucial element in our integrated offering to clients. Under Rahool's creative leadership, I am eager to see him add value to our clients' businesses alongside his dynamic team."
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Times Network digital head Shouneel Charles to quit after 4+ years
Sources have told e4m that Charles is currently serving his notice period
In his previous assignment, Charles was leading the digital business at NDTV Convergence as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and Chief Revenue Officer. He has also worked with multinational companies like Yahoo, Turner Broadcasting, Star India and National Geographic where he launched multiple channels and media properties.
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CNBC’s Latha Venkatesh to “transition” out of daily anchoring schedule
Venkatesh is taking the ‘break’ from August 1 to plan son’s wedding
Latha Venkatesh, Executive Editor with CNBC-TV18, will be “transitioning” out of the daily anchoring schedule and play much more of a supervisory role.” The arrangement will come into effect on August 1.
Venkatesh will continue to be the Executive Editor, and “only take a break from the daily activities.” She will be taking the break to plan her son’s wedding.
“Latha mam has kept the fire burning for almost two decades. She has brought her heart to work every day. Never once complained about the long hours, the stress, the pressure, because she loves what she does with a passion that is undeniable. As is the case with her, she doesn’t do anything half-heartedly and so as she gets ready to plan a BIG FAT INDIAN WEDDING for her son, she is keen to free up her time and mind space to focus on a wonderful life altering moment,” read an internal communication at CNBC accessed by exchange4media.
“She will continue to do her special shows and come in to do links/interviews etc even on daily shows as necessary and appropriate. But from Aug 1, she will not be anchoring Bazaar as a regular feature or fixing the show etc,” the read the communication.
Sonal Bhutra will take over from Venkatesh.
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OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore...
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
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OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
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For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
OMD India ropes in Udhayakumar Pasupathi to lead Chennai office
Pasupathi has spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore
OMD India has onboarded Udhayakumar Pasupathi as new Lead at the company’s Chennai office, reporting to Sulina Menon, Chief Client Officer, OMD India.
“Udhaya is an MBA graduate in marketing and joins with 12 years of diverse and prolific industry experience. He spent the last 9 years at Mindshare where his most recent role was that of cluster lead in Bangalore. Udhay has also worked with Lodestar UM, and has worn multiple hats as a planner, team lead, strategist, and media consultant. His roles have pivoted around providing integrated strategic solutions to brands, including marquee names such as Max Fashion, Lifestyle, Home Centre and Eenadu, among many others,” the agency said.
Commenting on the new appointment, Sulina Menon said, “We’re extremely pleased to have someone like Udhaya, with his experience and expertise, join our Chennai team, and are confident that we will benefit greatly from the insights he brings to the table. I’m especially excited about the growth journey ahead and look forward to collectively pursuing a host of new opportunities.”
Priti Murthy, CEO OMD India welcomed Udhaya Pasupathi on board saying, “All of us at OMD are eagerly looking forward to Udhaya’s fresh new perspectives combined with the rich repertoire of industry knowledge he’s gathered over the years. There are some exciting growth avenues ahead, and we can’t wait to unlock them together.”
Speaking about this new step in his career, Udhaya Pasupathi reflected, “It’s been over a decade of experience, learnings and leadership in the realm of media strategy & planning, and surely there’s no better place to mark 12 years than OMD. With its vast global network and its growth-driven environment, I’m delighted to be in a space where together we quite literally make better decisions, faster!”
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp