OOH Media ropes in Raju Sarin and Shamik Talukder

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Mumbai
OOH Media has made two new appointments in the top level management of the company, hiring Raju Sarin as director and Shamik Talukder as business director. Both will join the management committee of the company and report to Ishan Raina, chief executive officer, OOH Media.

Sarin will be based in Delhi and look after the north business. He brings in more than two decades of media, marketing and management experience. Earlier, Sarin was the chief operating officer, projects, Sakal Media Group. He has also worked with The Times of India Group in the response department and in international marketing.

He was the publisher for India Today's newspaper, Mail Today, and was also the head and associate publisher of magazines such as Business Today, Harvard Business Review, Time, Golf Digest and Men's Health.

Sarin also worked with MTV as regional director and his longest stint was with Media Transasia India as president and CEO of Swagat, Discover India, Architecture+Design, Indian Design and Interiors, Golf Style, Travel+Liesure and Maxim.

Sarin says, "I strongly believe that OOH is the medium of today and I can see exciting growth opportunities in this medium, which is in the phase of moving to the next level"

On the other hand, Talukder will be based in Mumbai. Prior to joining OOH Media, Talukder was vice-president, Internet, Essel Group. In OOH Media, he will oversee the drive and development of key categories nationally.

Talukder brings with him more than 13 years of media experience and has worked with media companies such as Star TV, Radio Mirchi, Times TV and FM, Radio Mid-Day, Indya.com, Sony Entertainment Television, Times OOH, Essel Group and VIA OOH.

Apart from working as regional sales head in Radio Mirchi and Sony Entertainment Television, and national business head in Times OOH, he also launched and managed VIA OOH as a co-promoter.

Talukder says, "The company and the industry are poised for significant growth. The leap forward will be challenging but exciting. One of the key areas is to get the brands to experience a better return on investment through this media. There will be several breakthrough initiatives which will make the digital screen media a compelling component for advertisers in their media mix."

About the new appointments, Niloufer Dundh, chief sales officer, OOH Media, says, "North and West India are key markets for us in terms of sales and business development. I am sure that with the wealth of experience both have, they will be able to guide us to the great levels of success."

Ishan Raina, says, "For a while now, we have been looking for a senior industry leader based in North India to help us leverage our potential and create new opportunities for us. I am personally very excited that someone with such an experience and caliber has teamed up with us to take the company to the next level."

For the record, OOH Media has more than 5,000 screens in diverse locations such as corporate parks, malls, multiplexes, residential complexes, gyms, salons, bookstores and restaurants in 22 cities in India. The company was launched in May 2007 with 1,800 screens and claims to have the largest network of screens in the country.