March 2025 – storyboard18

IN PHOTOS: At Global Pioneers Summit, visionaries chart the future of business and creativity

(From left to right: Nestle India's chairman and managing directr Suresh Narayanan, Ogilvy's global CEO Devika Bulchandani, PepsiCo India & South Asia's CEO Jagrut Kotecha, and Colgate-Palmolive(India)'s MD & CEO Prabha Narasimhan)

From the chiefs of Nestle, Diageo, Colgate, PepsiCo, Zetwerk and CRED to AI visionaries, marketing mavens, top creators, ad legends and leading global agencies’ CEOs, the brightest minds converged at the Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit for an action-packed day of meaningful dialogues on creativity, commerce and culture.

WPP drops Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion language amid political headwinds

In the latest annual report, released on March 28, WPP’s chief executive, Mark Read, acknowledged shifting political dynamics, writing that “much has changed over the last year.”

WPP’s Mark Read stresses on ‘more efficient operations and strict capital allocation’ amid market pressures

The world’s largest holding company’s CEO is betting big on tech and creativity amid market pressures. In his annual statement, Mark Read said the company plans to increase annual investment in WPP Open from £250 million in 2024 to £300 million in 2025.

The lost art of reading: Why Michael Sheldrick says books are the key to changing the world

For Sheldrick, reading was not just a pastime but a transformative experience.

In an age of fleeting digital content, author and founder of Global Citizen Michael Sheldrick champions deep reading as a cornerstone of critical thinking, leadership, and lasting change.

Misfits and machines: Ipsos’ Shaun Dix on why human insight still drives advertising success

“AI can generate content, but without human insight, it often misses the mark. It lacks the ability to truly understand human emotions, storytelling, and cultural context,” said Dix.

Ipsos’ Shaun Dix delivered a compelling message at the Global Pioneers Summit 2025 on ‘Misfits and the Machine: The role of AI in creative advertising’.

From Automation to Personalization: How AI is reshaping customer experience

One of the most exciting innovations in AI is the creation of hyper-realistic digital doubles.

AI is revolutionizing India’s business landscape, bridging digital divides, enhancing personalization, and reshaping industries from banking to marketing.

Bookstrapping: The Paradox of surging authors and dwindling readers

"Books in other languages, particularly those from culturally rich regions like Latin America and Europe, are gaining traction now through translation and increased international exposure. Every author is contributing to building a reading culture, even if it is to promote their own book," stated Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta. (Image Source: Unsplash)

In this week’s bookstrapping, Reeta Ramamurthy Gupta highlights that while the ease of publishing has led to a proliferation of books, the attention economy remains fiercely competitive.

Breaking: Gandhi family ends feud, restructures and merges Vadilal empire

A key component of the agreement involves securing the “Vadilal” brand within the company. Currently, the brand is used under a non-exclusive license from a promoter group entity.

The board approved a composite scheme of amalgamation to merge promoter/promoter group entities with Vadilal Industries. This includes the merger of Vadilal Finance Company Private Limited (VFCPL), Veronica Constructions Private Limited (VCPL) and Vadilal International Private Limited (VIPL).

Breaking: Saregama acquires majority stake in Pocket Aces for ₹127.47 crores

The transaction, amounting to INR 127.47 Crores, was executed as a second-tranche sale consideration paid to existing security holders of Pocket Aces.

With this latest move, Saregama now holds a 90.37% stake in the company, further strengthening its presence in the digital content space.

Agency CEOs missing in action: Fear and CCI probe cast a shadow over EMVIES

Among the missing were some of the most powerful figures in advertising: Shashi Sinha of IPG Mediabrands, Anupriya Acharya of Publicis Groupe South Asia, Kartik Sharma of Omnicom Media Group, Harsha Razdan of Dentsu, Rana Barua of Havas India, and Dheeraj Sinha of FCB Group.

Despite the uncertainty, some leaders still showed up, making a silent statement of resilience. Sam Balsara of Madison World, Prasanth Kumar of GroupM were present at the event.