P M Balakrishna has joined The Hindu Group (Kasturi & Sons Ltd) as Business Head – National Accounts, on April 3, 2017. He will take overall responsibility of managing the business from national clients, to whom the full breadth of the Group’s capabilities will be brought to bear. PMB or Bala, as he’s known amongst friends and in industry circles, will be based out of the Mumbai office, and will be a part of The Hindu Group’s Executive Management Council.
This appointment is in line with The Hindu Group’s Vision 2020 to establish the organization as a leading media MARCOM solutions network, with the ability to provide customised, integrated solutions for clients across the board at a pan-India level. Bala’s proven expertise and passion for building & leading teams, nurturing talent and hands-on working across all functions make him a very valuable member of the leadership team and the KSL family.
With over two-and-a-half decades of rich professional experience in the media industry covering Advertising Sales, Strategy & Business Development, his exposure cuts across TV, print, internet, digital and 360-media, making him a unique professional capable of understanding the needs and demands of all key stakeholders in the media and advertising industry. In his last professional assignment, as Chief Executive Officer of Allied Media Network Pvt Ltd and Executive Vice President of Percept Media, he has spearheaded all India operations (1000 cr) to provide integrated marketing communication services for blue chip clients and brings on board deep relationships with clients & media agencies at multiple levels.
Bala has worked with leading media companies such as the Zee Network, Siticable, Times of India group and Indus Ind Media (IN Network). He has also been an entrepreneur, running a full service agency which he founded. His experience and connect with leading media organisations has helped him develop deep insights into the practices and new trends in the media industry and he will, therefore, be an asset to the Group in suggesting new ideas and solutions for clients.
“Bala is a seasoned veteran of the media industry and we are delighted to have him join our leadership team. We remain firm in our commitment to informing our readers objectively and delivering value to our advertising clients. Bala’s addition to our leadership team will take our capabilities to new heights and significantly enhance our ability to deliver solutions that advertising clients and agencies value,” said Rajiv Lochan, CEO & MD of Kasturi & Sons Ltd.
“I am very excited to be a part of this vision and am looking forward to working closely with the various teams to leverage the incredible strength of the Group and engage brands and agencies in conversations beyond vanilla advertising,” Bala remarked
