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Saurabh Gupta
Co-founder - Phonethics Mobile Media (P) Ltd
Phonethics implements storytelling strategies for brands and helps build digital communities around specific interests. Primary features of the communications solution include short form digital content, social media networks, viral content (nudge networking) and characters (visual alphabets). Phonethics aspires to be at the forefront of developing communication using new media platforms and tools for the hugely divergent and vibrant Indian market. His primary role is to help people re-imagine their story, understand the audience and help deliver the final manifestation on devices/platforms/networks where it can be most easily accessed by the audience. He is an ideator, creator and a creative catalyst and loves to work with technologies and creative practices that amplify the reach of communication.
Judges’ citation:
The creativity and uniqueness of his product definitely has global appeal while still being deeply rooted in Indian tradition. The collaborative approach he initiates while working with different partners both at an individual and corporate level showcases his tremendous potential to scale up his business in the future.
Arvind Agrawal, Principal Shareholder and CEO of Atherstone Investor Communications Limited (AICL) received the runners up award.
Judges’ citation:
Arvind’s excellent communications skills while presenting AICL’s palate of services offered to enhance stakeholder-centric communication requirements clearly portrayed his ability to be a leader in the sector.
 AICL is a full-service communications consultancy working closely with organisations to help engage effectively with present and prospective investors. They assist in the identification of positioning strategies and key messages to derive optimal valuations and enhance investor goodwill. They deploy domain knowledge, financial expertise, investment insights and communication skills along with design capabilities and production bandwidth to create an all-encompassing and unique communications offering. AICL’s core products and services include the research, content, design and production of annual and interim reporting tools, the creation of specific presentations and collaterals for fund raising and analyst interaction events and the training of management in interfacing with the financial media and other focus groups. These solutions are delivered across media - print, interactive, web and audio-visual - by a twenty member team from three locations.
 Shahna Garg
Owner + Creative Head, DBar Inc.
Design isn’t just a profession but a lifestyle for Shahna. As the Founder and Creative Head of DBar Inc., a graphic design studio specializing in delivering high quality graphics and creative solutions in the field of brand development, collateral design, publication & web design, she leads her team to explore, analyze, interpret and create solutions in the field of graphics within the box and outside the box. She encourages them to find the most clear and effective solutions for problems around them for our clients and for the fast developing country. Together they aim to raise the bar of design in India by developing their own unique style and staying abreast with global trends.
Shahna also serve as the Official Ambassador for the Webby Awards in India, which allows her to be a part of the development of new media and promote the potential of the Indian design community globally.
 Manish Vij
Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer
Smile Interactive Technology Group, Quasar Media Private Limited, Tyroo Media Private Limited
Started young while in Business school as a first generation entrepreneur with Rs. 25,000 from his father and industry claimed him as One of the youngest dotcom entrepreneurs in India. Started his entrepreneurial journey with India’s first auction web site,kabadibazaar.com. Experienced the dotcom burst of 2000 and worked with India’s largest portal, then and now, Rediff.com. He was responsible for key functional responsibilities such as Media Sales, Rediff Mobile, Pay4Clicks among others. Co-Founded Smile Interactive Technologies Group in early 2005 and, thanks to his team, he would like to say among the few who did two international joint ventures with likes of WPP and Yahoo before crossed the age of 30. All Smile group companies are dedicated to digital media and among the top players in their respective field. As a person he is a team player and a learner always. Likes being with friends, meeting new people and travelling. Dream is to give most of the Indian students exposure to computers at an early age – what he thought was one of the reason for career, thanks to his parents, – by getting one computer per school in rural and semi urban areas.
 Parmesh Shahani
Editorial Director, Verve
Parmesh describes himself as a media generalist; a communications change agent whose entire career has been defined by the spirit of entrepreneurship. In the past, he founded, raised venture capital for, and ran India’s first website dedicated to youth expression (Freshlimesoda.com). At present he wears different hats all connected to communications entrepreneurship. As a venture capitalist, he seeks to fund global communication models. As a corporate representative of the Mahindra group, he seeks to expand the brand into different aspects of public culture (film festival, corporate blog, etc). As an associate at an international media consortium situated at the corporate-academic nexus, he translates the Indian media scene within a global context. As the Editorial Director of Verve, India’s leading lifestyle magazine, he is re-imagining the concept of what a magazine is and how it connects with its audiences. This includes a dynamic content mix, participatory communities and conversations, and unconventional marketing. As a scholar, he published his first book in 2008, called Gay Bombay: Globalization, Love and (Be) Longing in Contemporary India (Sage Publication: Los Angeles, New Delhi, London) which was unique as it sought to understand the intersection of sexuality and national identity within a mediated online-offline universe. Finally, because of the different roles he fulfils, he often serves as an ambassador for the Indian communication industries at conferences both within and outside India.
 Vivek Bhargava
Owner - Communicate2 (Ultimedia E-solutions Pvt. Ltd.)
Vivek started Communicate 2 with a simple vision 11 years ago; “We will help Indian Corporate Houses use technology to make their advertising effective” This vision describes what they do as a company. Today Communicate2 is the largest Contextual Advertising Company in the country with a team of 140 plus people.
Communicate 2 has four core values, Vivek believe that these core values define him as a person. The core values are “Employees and Customers are partners” Vivek believes that success in life is dependant through win-win relationships, if we focus delivering value to both our customers and team members, our interest would automatically be assured.
Second core value is “Continuous improvement” – Vivek strives each day how he can improve upon the way he does things.
The third core value is “Innovation Driven” – Innovation especially in the Communications industry is the key differentiator for any company or person. Unless Vivek personally focus on how he can be innovative in his deliverables, Communicate 2 would not go to the next level.
The last Core Value does not need much explanation; he believes this core value truly defines him. “Live by Commitments”
 Anand Mahesh Talari
Owner & Managing Partner
Mavcomm Consulting Pvt. Ltd.
Anand would describe himself as focused, diligent, result-oriented, imaginative and progressive. He enjoys working with people and believes in team work. He is a risk-taker and believes in trying out new challenges rather than getting complacent. Communication problems stimulate him and clients’ satisfaction enthuses him.
He would describe his work as confirmative yet path-breaking and creative. The key for him is to work within the budgetary and regulatory framework of the client but still bring innovativeness to each communication initiative rather than following a straight-jacket approach. He believes in systems, processes and formats especially in his current role as an entrepreneur.
Through personal experience and participative inputs of his team, He is building up his firm as a company which is as much process driven as it is people driven.
He is proud to say that this style of working has been well appreciated and accepted by the industry. Within two years of starting his business, he has worked on a prestigious assignment such as Auto Expo 2008 working on behalf of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), India’s prominent industry body. They have also bagged the account of prominent brands such as DLF (India’s largest real estate company) and Yamaha.
 V Sunil
Executive Creative Director, Wieden+Kennedy Delhi
Sunil has held key positions in India’s foremost advertising agencies, including Contract and McCann Erickson. In 2004, Sunil founded 'A', which went on to become India's most successful independent agency before merging operations with Wieden+Kennedy in 2007 (W+K is one of the world's largest independent agencies). Prior to founding A, Sunil was creative director at O&M Delhi.
Sunil has won over 25 international awards at Cannes, One Show, Communication Arts, the New York and London festivals, Campaign Brief and Asia Ad fest.
W+K Delhi was formed in November 2007 with the merger of Wieden+Kennedy and 'A', a Delhi based creative agency. Launched in 2004, 'A' has helped define a new approach to branding in India. The client list includes Incredible !ndia, Nokia, P&G, Save the Children, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Geodesic and IndiGo.
 Anurag Batra
Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media group
Anurag Batra is an entrepreneur, media expert and a journalist rolled into one. Batra is a B. Tech in Computer Sciences, a degree, which he acquired before joining Management Development Institute (MDI), Gurgaon, one of India's leading Business School. Batra is the Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of exchange4media group which includes exchange4media.com, PITCH, IMPACT, Realty Plus and Franchise Plus.
In early 2005 Indira Group of Institutes in Pune awarded the Young Marketer of the year award to Anurag Batra. Early in 2006 the prestigious Management Development Institute (MDI) and Batra's Alma matter awarded Batra the "Most Distinguished Alumni of the Decade Award". He was instrumental in setting up the India sports equity foundation along with Mr. Harish pal Singh. Batra is passionate about Magazines and is on the Executive Committee of the Association of Indian Magazines (AIM). He is the Chairman of the Advisory Board of FMCC (Futuristic Media Communication Centre).
He is also advising the government through his white papers on Internet, Media and Television and their impact on society. Batra also writes a monthly column on Entrepreneurship, in India's only Entrepreneurship magazine, Dare.
 Dilip Cherian
Consulting Partner Perfect Relations
Dilip Cherian is widely recognized as India's 'Image Guru'. He started Perfect Relations in early nineties which is now South Asia's largest communications consultancy with 14 offices and over 512 professionals on the team.
Dilip's involvement today cuts across a wide range of institutions of the country. He is the member of the Board of Advertising Standards Council of India and on the Governing Council of the National Institute of Design. He is also a member of the Central board of Film Certification and a Director on Radio Mid-day. Recently he has also been elected as the National Chair of International Public Relations Association (IPRA). Dilip has been Editor of India's biggest business magazine Business India and of The Observer. He currently authors syndicated columns in The Asian Age and the Mid Day newspaper.
 Mike Welch
Head of Business Development and Customer Services – British Council, New Delhi
After graduating from Bradford University Mike spent some time in Spain before returning to the UK to complete his RSA Dip TEFLA in 1988. He joined the British Council in 1991 and has worked in Kyoto, Hong Kong, Lisbon, London and Tokyo. He completed his MBA in 1996.
Currently Mike is the Head of Business Development and Customer Services at the British Council, New Delhi. He also leads the Young Audiences and Future Leaders programmes, an umbrella term for all the work delivered on-site, off-site and remotely to meet the needs of young audiences.
YXE participants can be drawn from any of the following areas of the Communications sector:
- Advertising and branding agencies
- PR agencies
- Photography agencies
- Graphic design agencies
- Print media, to include newspapers and magazines
- Broadcast media, to include radio, television and internet
- Direct marketing agencies
- Consultants providing specialist services in any of the areas outlined
Please note that the young creative entrepreneur awards are unique in rewarding entrepreneurial ability. We recognise that a finalist may be active in the creative process, but this should be secondary to their focus as an entrepreneur in the promotion of the communications industry in their country. Artistic talent will not be factored into the judging procedure – finalists will be judged solely on the merit of their entrepreneurial abilities in the industry.
Eligibility
To apply for the award, candidates must:
- Be aged between 25 and 35 years
- Already work in the communications sector (defined above) with at least 2 years professional experience
- Be entrepreneurial and have shown their ability and innovative approach to the development of the communications industry
Through their character, drive and abilities demonstrate their potential to be a leader of the communications industry.
More about the YXE Programme in the UK
In March/April 2009 (as above, dates TBC dependent on discussion with partners), the 10 finalists will arrive in the UK for a two week tour of the UK national communications industry. This programme, which will be created with UK partners, will take them to London and at least one other UK region/city (probably Manchester and Brighton) to meet leaders of the communications sector. The tour will comprise visits, meetings, seminars and events. We anticipate that it will also include a master-class with a key figure in the UK communications industry during which the finalists will be able to question him/her about the development of his highly successful communications business.
The programme will be tailored to the finalists’ interests, and include both a group itinerary for the finalists to get a shared overview of the best of the UK communications sector and specific meetings to introduce finalists to UK contacts of particular interest to them for commercial or collaborative purposes.
Details are still to be confirmed, but during YXE we anticipate finalists will:
- Attend events organised by D&AD
- Take part in a showcase opportunity to promote innovative work from their country which they feel is appropriate for the UK and wider international market.
- Website showcase: In addition, work selected for the showcase will also be featured on our Creative Economy webpage for visitors to vote for their favourite.
- Participate in the YXE award ceremony, where the award winner will be announced.
D&AD is an educational charity that represents the global creative, design and advertising communities. Since 1962, D&AD has set industry standards, educated and inspired the next generation and, more recently, has demonstrated the impact of creativity and innovation on enhancing business performance.
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