Speakers

Abraham Thomas started his career in the print media with The Indian Express where he worked his way up to the position of All India Head of Ad Sales. Television soon called and he joined Sony Entertainment Network as a ‘Director – Sales’ for SET, MAX and AXN. From a premium mass entertainment channel he then moved to a premium youth entertainment channel, MTV Networks, where he headed the revenue function for MTV, Nickelodeon and VH1.

Abe joined RED FM as COO in March '05. He believes that his strong background in revenue generation and his experience working with client brands helps him to drive their programming and marketing towards increased listener pleasure, while co-creating win-win marketing solutions for his clients. His vision has enabled Red FM to move 'beyond radio' and on to REDActiv (activation), REDMobile (content on multi-digital platforms) and REDCreativ (Creative Solutions for Clients). In a short span of time, Red FM has made a mark for itself in the industry, having attained the numero uno position in Mumbai, from being a challenger brand.

Since 2000, Dipl.-Ing., MBA, Alexander Zink works at the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (Erlangen, Germany) as vice group leader for the work group 'Broadcast Applications'. Initially he developed the mobile and location based information system UMIS (Universal Mobile Information System). In 2001 he started as project director and business development manager for the professional broadcast system "Fraunhofer DRM, DAB/DMB ContentServer™".

Since 2002 he is project director of Journaline, an interactive text based information system for digital radio, and makes significant contributions to its development, standardization and market rollout. In addition he works in the fields of AudioServers, software defined radio, and transmission protocols. For Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) he acts as chairman of the work group Distribution Interfaces, vice chairman Technical Committee, and vice president of the DRM Assocication.

In addition he is a member of the WorldDMB Technical Committee, various DAB and DRM work groups, and the European HD-Radio Alliance.

Before returning to India as the COO of Radio Today Broadcasting Ltd Anil Srivatsa incubated a new media company funded by NeuLion Inc. that will deliver niche television channels to TV sets using IPTV technology. Prior to NeuLion, Srivatsa was Executive VP at ImaginAsian TV, overseeing distribution for their basic cable foray.

Srivatsa also hosts the largest syndicated South Asian radio show in USA, “Anil Ki Awaaz.” Before his stint at ImaginAsian Entertainment, Inc., he was Director of Worldwide Marketing and Public Relations for RTV UK. Earlier, as Director of Cricket and South Asian Programming at Kelly Broadcasting Systems, he oversaw the creation of the Cricket Channel. Previously, Srivatsa created “Medical Detectives” on the Learning Channel (now Forensic Files on Court TV). His broadcasting career began at Holt Radio Corporation as Board Operator, Technical Producer and then Producer for nationally syndicated Radio Talk shows.

Srivatsa is the Founding trustee of the Guild of Women Achievers, an NGO that works to empower women in India. Srivatsa earned a Master’s degree in Telecommunications (Kutztown University) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Public Administration, and Journalism (Mysore University). Srivatsa was the only Indian on the Nielsen Advisory council for Asian and Pacific Americans. He currently serves on the Advisory board of 212 Media Inc. and The Horror Channel in New York.

Apurva Purohit is the CEO of MBPL – which owns and operates Radio City, one of India’s leading FM radio networks. She is a specialist in the field of media businesses and brands. An alumnus of IIM Bangalore, she has spent over 20 years in advertising and media. Prior to her entry into radio she has been part of the television space where she worked with BCCL & Zee Telefilms. She has created and forged successful brands like Zoom, India’s first lifestyle channel. She also fashioned the re-launch strategy for Zee TV, the flagship channel of Zee Telefilms.

Apurva had spent several years in advertising with two of India’s largest ad agencies: Rediffusion DY&R and FCB ULKA. She is credited with bringing into the country, the concept of Media Buying as a separate business having started the first media buying house in the country in 1995, Lodestar. Today Lodestar is counted as one of the top 5 media houses in the country. In yet another pioneering effort she launched the Lodestar Labcentre, a unique media consultancy, and developed various media tools which worked on the principles of maximizing client ROI and improving the efficacy of the science of media planning.

Apurva is the President of AROI, the Association of Radio Operators of India, the Joint Secretary of the Mumbai Ad Club and the Chairperson of the EMVIES, the prestigious media awards conducted by the Ad Club.

After a long innings in Advertising followed by one in Television, Atul Phadnis is currently in his 4th year as a first-gen entrepreneur. His company, What’s-On-India (earlier called MediaE2E), is now the dominant TV Guidance and EPG standard for the Indian digital TV market powering millions of set-top-boxes with forward TV programming information and search metadata.

Atul is a keen media enthusiast and has won critical International acclaim and awards for his strategy papers on Product Placements, Branded Entertainment and new TV show promotional strategies.

Diarmid introduced the theory of sonic branding into the UK. As Capital Radio's Creative Development Manager, his presentations and workshops were originally aimed at advertising agencies and converted many major brands to radio and so produced brilliant sales results.

Diarmid left Capital Radio to develop his sonic project across a wide marketplace in the UK and overseas. He formed The Colour Of Sound which provides training and sales development to radio operators, agencies and media brands internationally.

Diarmid now works with United Radio to help our clients widen their understanding of the power of radio and realise increased creative selling opportunities.

Mr George M George, Executive Director, The Muthoot Group, A Muthoot M George Enterprise is among the fourth generation directors of the 122 year old company. Having started his career in the hospitality industry with various international groups after completing his graduation from WGSHA in Manipal and then his MBA from the prestigious ESSEC CORNELL Business School, he has spearheaded many new ventures in the group among 18 varied divisions. One of the divisions under his charge is the Media division of the Muthoot Group, which includes Chennai Live 104.8 FM (India’s first English Talk Radio Station).

Harrish M Bhatia is the COO of Synergy Media Entertainment Limited (SMEL), the Radio Network of Dainik Bhaskar Group, under the brand name – MY FM. He was the driving force behind the 17 station aggressive launch campaign of MY FM and has been spearheading innovations within the brand and in business operations. An active, vocal member of the radio fraternity, Mr. Bhatia has written guest articles for various publications. He was honoured with the Radio person of the year Award by Global Youth Marketing Forum, 2008.

An old hand at The Bhaskar Group, he has to his credit the launch of Divya Bhaskar in Gujarat in 2003 and Dainik Bhaskar in Jaipur. Since 2005, he was in Mumbai as VP - Sales and Marketing (South & West). Prior to Bhaskar, he has worked with brands like LG Electronics, Onida & Aristocrat Luggage. He was responsible for the launch of LG Door Cooling Refrigerators, one of the biggest successes in the Indian market. He also spearheaded the Rural Penetration Campaign for Onida and launch of Onida’s modern retail format. An agile, versatile and multi-tasking individual he has excellent leadership, man management & communication skills with high energy.

LV, joined TAM in October 2000 and his team’s focus has been on developing TAM as a key brand within the Indian Media industry.

LV’s background stretches to almost 15 years post joining the stream of Indian Media planning community. His experience has stretched across Mediacom (Grey India), JWT & Starcom, working for clients like P&G, Unilever personal products, Bayer, Bajaj, Godrej etc. In his stint in Starcom, his work on Coke went on to win the Starcom’s most prestigious global media award, “North Star”.

He owes all his experience & learning to his team mates in TAM and his other erstwhile organizations. While he continues to stretch his interest from Reading & Writing to teaching Media in various institutes, his passion for Astrophysics (the area he focused during his studies) still rules very high.

Over these years, he and his team has presented their selected Research paper on “Breaking Program Loyalty” in ESOMAR conferences in Tokyo as well as in Montreal, Canada on “Reincarnating TAM Panelists”. Today, looking back at the last decade, including the Nine years in TAM, it has certainly been an experience full of fun, challenges, innovations and a lot of dare devil acts.

Mark Story is the Founder and Managing Director of RADIOSTORY Radio Consultancy. The consultancy works chiefly in emerging markets including the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia. A radio professional for over 30 years, Mark has worked both in the public sector (BBC Radio 1 and Ireland’s RTE Radio 2) and commercial radio including Emap/ Bauer, Capital Radio and Virgin Radio. Elected a fellow of the UK Radio Academy in 1998, the highest honour the UK radio industry can bestow on a practitioner, Mark is a multi award winning and highly experienced Programme Maker.

Mark, as chief programmer of Bauer (formerly Emap Radio), has won more Sony Award in the past 10 years than any other Radio Group. Mark devised the programming aspects of Bauer’s Digital Radio policy of platform neutrality and was responsible for formatting and launching all of Emap/Bauer’s digital radio services.

In 2008, Magic 105.4 founded and run by Mark, was the most profitable Radio service in the UK with over £9 million profit for year ending 2008.Magic has been London’s number one commercial radio service by both reach hours and share for the past 2 years. Mark Story is an enthusiast for New Technology used intelligently and have spoken widely on Radio’s future in the Audio age.

Mike Reiss has won four Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his work on THE SIMPSONS, the wacky animated series that has kept American laughing for nearly two decades and earned TIME magazine's vote as "the greatest TV show of the twentieth century", leading up to the release of the hit, THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. During Mike Reiss' 17 years on the show, he penned a dozen scripts and produced over 400 episodes.

Mike Reiss' other television credits include THE TONIGHT SHOW with Johnny Carson, ALF, Eddie Murphy's THE PJs and It's Garry Shandling's Show, where he earned an ACE award for writing and producing.

Mike Reiss was a contributing writer to Ice Age 1 & 2, Horton Hears a Who (Starring Jim Carrey) and 2007's THE SIMPSONS MOVIE. Mike Reiss' original script, My Life In Ruins, will be released this summer starring Nia Vardolas of My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Mike Reiss is also the co-creator of The Critic, an animated series starring Jon Lovitz as a lovable movie critic. Mike also created Queer Duck, the animated adventures of a gay duck. His feature-length animated film, Queer Duck: The Movie, was named "One of the 100 Greatest Cartoons of All Time" in a British TV poll. The film has won top awards in film festivals in New York, Chicago, San Diego, Germany, Sweden and Wales.

Pradeep Hejmadi is the Senior Vice President of TAM Media Research and heads the Strategy Group and Marketing initiatives of the organization. He brings huge amounts of value additions on the industry’s table as he has been associated with a wide variety of assignments in the domain of media planning and broadcast management. Pradeep joined TAM in the year 2005. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Science . He brings with him 14 years of experience. He started his career with Times FM in 1994. His experience traverses through various media organizations like Turner International, Discovery India, HTA, Times of India and the latest being at MTV where he was the Business Head of Nickelodeon.

At TAM Media Research he has contributed tremendously through working in a close and collaborative manner with programmers, producers, media planners and advertisers. He has spearheaded S-Group (a specialized strategy consultation division of TAM) with his experience in broadcast management. In the broadcasting space, he has an in-depth understanding of Television as well as Radio. He has also been responsible for the launch of RAM, a Radio Audience Measurement tool for Radio broadcasters.

Prashant Panday, joined Radio Mirchi Company in August 2000. Prashant holds a Bachelors Degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Gujarat University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore. Prior to joining Radio Mirchi Company, he was Director (Marketing) for Modi Revlon Limited India operations.

Prashant has 17 years of experience in sales, marketing and advertising industries and has held various other senior positions. Previously, he worked with Hindustan Lever Limited, Frito Lay India, Mudra Communications and Citibank N.A.