PR News October 2026

SEBI’s 35% retail allocation rules mean IPO communication must focus on first-time investors: NorthStar Insights Report

MUMBAI, 7th Oct, 2026:  The IPO Communications Report 2026 finds that Indian IPO narratives now have to work for first-time investors as well as fund managers. Retail investors now sit at the centre of India's IPO market. Under SEBI's allocation rules, eligible mainboard offerings must reserve at least 35 per cent of shares for retail individual investors. In US IPOs, retail investors typically receive between 5 and 10 per cent. 

Retail investors also account for an estimated 40 to 50 per cent of daily equity trading volume in India and China, compared with 20 to 35 per cent in the US, the UK and South Korea. 

NorthStar Insights, the senior-led global risk and communications advisory firm, published the IPO Communications Report 2026, which examines how communication strategy is shaping IPO outcomes across India, the GCC, East Asia, North America and North Africa.

The report finds that Indian issuers are responding with formats that sit alongside the offer document, including short explainers, podcasts, infographics and dedicated microsites. It also records a change in what those stories contain.

In the early 2020s, narratives for new age companies often led with scale measures such as gross merchandise value. Recent communications lead with profitability, positive cash flow, EBITDA expansion and capital efficiency. Companies are also starting earlier, with pre IPO communications often beginning 12 -18 months before the DRHP is filed.

The research also suggests that visibility before a listing has lasting effects. Companies that received three or more pieces of media coverage in the month before their IPO went on to attract, on average, 206 per cent more analyst coverage and 127 per cent more institutional investors in their first year than companies in the bottom third for pre IPO coverage.

The report comes during a crowded month for Indian listings as between 25 and 35 companies were expected to launch IPOs in September, many of them moving ahead of the 30 September expiry of a one-time extension to IPO approvals that SEBI granted because of the geopolitical situation.

Commenting on the report, Arth Malani, founder and CEO of NorthStar Insights, said: "Indian IPOs now have to win over two very different audiences at the same time. A company going public in India has to persuade a fund manager who will read every footnote and a first-time investor who may form a view from a single video, and it has to tell both of them the same story. That makes IPO communications a strategic discipline rather than a drafting exercise. Communications can earn a company a fair hearing, but it cannot substitute for the thing being heard."

The report draws on NorthStar's advisory work across five markets, with perspectives from senior advisor Mark Jackson on Hong Kong and director Seth Gagahina on creative storytelling. Market contributions come from Pranav Kumar of Alkimyx Global, Richard Mahony of KRG Advisors and Sara Gad of Moharram & Partners. The research is backed by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR), with contributions from its president, Farzana Baduel.

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James Carroll joins 10 Downing Street as head of business and public voices communications

James Carroll, who has worked for UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on previous comms assignments, has now joined 10 Downing Street. 

Announcing his new role via LinkedIn on Wednesday, he said, "Happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Head of Business and Public Voices Communications at 10 Downing Street!

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Pfizer's Frances Devlin joins Boehringer Ingelheim as global head of public and government affairs

After 18 years at pharma major Pfizer, Frances Devlin announced her new role on LinkedIn this week. She stated," I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as global head of public and government affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim. 

The company is a global human and animal health pharma firm.

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Prince William’s Earthshot Prize hands India creator engagement brief to On Purpose, widening The PRactice Group’s comms mandate

Following The Earthshot Prize's appointment of The PRactice in December 2025 as its strategic communications partner in India, it has extended its association with The PRactice Group by bringing in ON PURPOSE as its creator engagement partner ahead of the Mumbai Awards 2026.  

Joanna Swift, executive director of communications, The Earthshot Prize, said, “India is a very important part of The Earthshot Prize’s story, both because of the solutions being developed here and because of the audiences we want to engage as we bring the prize to Mumbai for the first time. The PRactice has been a formidable partner for us in India since our engagement with them in December, 2025 and through the summer of 2026. We are delighted to extend our partnership with ON PURPOSE as we build momentum towards November. Bringing our finalists’ stories to new audiences is an important part of our mission to inspire urgent optimism and demonstrate that solutions to the world’s environmental challenges are already within reach.”

Founded by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize drives a decade of environmental action. The 2026 cohort comprises 15 Finalists working across five Earthshots: Protect and Restore Nature, Clean Our Air, Revive Our Oceans, Build a Waste-Free World, and Fix Our Climate. Five winners are set to each receive £1 million to scale their solutions. India is home to seven Earthshot Prize Finalists, including four winners, more than any other country.

Girish Balachandran, Group CEO, The PRactice Group, said, “The Earthshot Prize represents an important shift in how we communicate about climate action, moving the conversation from the scale of the challenge to the people and solutions demonstrating what is possible. With the prize coming to India for the first time, there is a tremendous opportunity to bring these stories to Indian and global audiences. What makes this engagement exciting is the ability to bring together the complementary strengths of The PRactice and ON PURPOSE, while drawing on the wider capabilities of the Group to build meaningful engagement across media, creators, industry and cultural leaders and voices.”

Sachin Tendulkar, Alia Bhatt, Rami Malek, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonam Kapoor, and Simone Ashley will join awards night host Karan Johar and Earthshot Ambassadors Robert Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha, along with 5,000 distinguished guests in Mumbai, for a historic celebration of environmental leadership.

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Agasti Kaulgi joins PwC India as director, media relations, communications

Agasti Kaulgi has joined PwC India as director, media relations, communications.

In the new role, Agasti will be responsible for media relations and communications, supporting the organisation’s engagement with the media and its broader communications efforts.

The appointment marks a new step in Agasti’s communications career, bringing a focus on media engagement and corporate communications at the professional services firm.

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Former CBRE marketing head Raka Khashu Razdan launches RAKA Marketing & Growth Advisors

Raka Khashu Razdan, who brings 24 years of experience across the real estate, technology and insurance sectors and has led marketing and communications for CBRE, AMD and MetLife India, has launched RAKA Marketing & Growth Advisors LLP (RMGA)

RMGA's current portfolio includes a BFSI company, along with leading clients in real estate, hospitality, and technology.

“Marketing is a revenue contributor, not a support function. Brand strength, managed well, opens doors that no sales pitch can. Most companies don’t need another agency. They need senior judgement in the room, owning the outcome. That’s what we’ve built RMGA to do,” said Raka Khashu Razdan, founder and partner, RMGA.

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NAB Innovation Centre India appoints Rishi Tanna as executive director - communications and branding

NAB Innovation Centre India has appointed Rishi Tanna as executive director - communications and branding.

In this role, Rishi will lead NAB India's communications and brand strategy, with a focus on executive communications, associate engagement, employer branding, reputation management, online reputation management (ORM), strategic storytelling, and enhancing NAB India's external profile. He will work closely with leaders across the organisation to bring NAB India's culture to life, strengthen stakeholder engagement, and elevate the organisation's reputation and visibility both locally and globally.

Rishi brings more than two decades of experience in communications, public relations, corporate reputation, and brand building. Prior to joining NAB India, he held leadership roles with organisations including TIAA Global Capabilities, Holcim India (ACC and Ambuja Cements), BNP Paribas India, and Hindustan Unilever. 

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GE Aerospace appoints Rahul Vaidyanathan as communication director, India

Rahul Vaidyanathan joins GE Aerospace as communication director, India, following an 11-and-a-half-year stint at Weber Shandwick.

Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Rahul described the transition as the beginning of a new chapter after a career shaped by client relationships, team experiences and professional growth at the communications agency.

Reflecting on the journey at Weber Shandwick, Rahul expressed gratitude to colleagues, clients and leaders, highlighting the relationships and experiences that contributed to professional development.

The new role at GE Aerospace comes at a significant time for India’s aerospace sector, with developments across manufacturing, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), technology, talent and the broader aviation supply chain.

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HP Telecom India hires Psykie for integrated communications

HP Telecom India Limited (HPTL) has awarded its integrated communications mandate to Psykie Creative Strategies, as the company looks to strengthen its corporate narrative and communication strategy as it enters its next phase of growth.

Listed on the NSE Emerge platform in February 2025, the company has evolved since its establishment in 2011 from a telecom products distributor into a diversified technology and distribution business. HPTL has built associations with leading technology brands, including Apple and Nothing, while continuing to expand its presence across markets.

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Corteva's Bhavna Imran to lead APAC comms at seed and genetics global major Vylor

New Delhi, India, October 14, 2026 - Bhavna Imran has taken on the role of communications leader, APAC, at the advanced seed and genetics company Vylor. Vylor, Inc. is an independent, global, pure-play seed and crop genetics company spun off from Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA) in October 2026.

Imran said, “Vylor represents an exciting opportunity for me. I look forward to sharing the stories of science, innovation and commitment that are shaping the future of agriculture as the business enters its next phase.”

Imran brings more than two decades of experience in communications and marketing across agriculture, technology, telecom and financial services. Before joining Corteva, she led marketing and communications for Microsoft India Engineering and held roles at Vodafone, UBS, ADP and Airtel.

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Sharu Latha joins Sanofi as communications and engagement partner

Sharu Latha has taken on a new role as communications and engagement partner at Sanofi.

Announcing the move on LinkedIn, Sharu Latha expressed excitement about continuing her work in communications and storytelling, with a focus on building meaningful communication and engagement experiences that bring people and ideas together.

Sharu Latha’s appointment marks a new step in her communications career as she takes on the role at Sanofi.

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Denise Brashear joins Johnson & Johnson as VP, global immunology communications and public affairs

Denise Brashear has joined Johnson & Johnson as vice president, global immunology communications and public affairs, taking charge of communications and public affairs for the company's immunology business.

She joins from Incyte, where she was vice president and head of global communications. Before that, she held a series of senior communications roles at Novartis, including leading communications and patient advocacy for the US business and global portfolio communications for Novartis Oncology. Earlier in her career, she worked on the agency side at GCI Health and Grey Global Group.

Her experience cuts across oncology, general medicines and patient advocacy communications, giving her a broad biopharma grounding as she steps into J&J's immunology business.

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Ex-JSA partner Rachana Rautray launches specialist legal practice for media and tech

Rachana Rautray, a seasoned technology, media and regulatory lawyer and a former Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors, has launched Chambers of Rachana Rautray, a specialist practice advising the technology and media sector.

The chambers will be based in Mumbai, with a team working across Bengaluru and Delhi. It will advise boards, senior executives and in-house legal teams on how Indian regulation affects the design, launch and growth of technology and media businesses. Rautray will lead the chambers with a team of associates and will be directly involved in every matter. Its work will connect regulatory advice with business model structuring, product design and the negotiation of commercial arrangements needed to bring products, services and partnerships to market.

Speaking about the launch, Rachana Rautray said, “Technology and media businesses in India now deal with regulation at almost every stage. My work has always involved understanding what a business wants to achieve and finding a legally sound way to get there. Establishing the chambers allows me to build a practice around that approach, with the flexibility to work closely with clients and stay involved from the initial decision through to its implementation.”

A 2016 alumnus of National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata, Rachana has made a mark as a technology, media and regulatory lawyer with a decade of post-qualification experience.

She has advised a wide range of domestic and international clients, including global technology companies, fintechs, digital platforms, gaming companies, intermediaries and e-commerce players, on complex regulatory and strategic matters. Her work spans Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) compliance, cross-border data flows, digital lending, platform governance, payments regulation, crypto and blockchain structuring and AI-related risk assessment. She has routinely been involved in advising clients on business structuring, product launches, regulatory engagement and strategic risk mitigation in rapidly evolving regulatory environments.

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Omnicom Global Solutions opens office in Coimbatore

India, 9th October 2026: Omnicom Global Solutions (OGS), part of Omnicom, the world's leading marketing and sales company, recently expanded its presence in Coimbatore with the opening of a new office. OGS supports agencies and clients worldwide through expertise spanning technology, data, media, creative, and business support services. Today, OGS employs more than 1,000 professionals across Tamil Nadu, with operations in both Chennai and Coimbatore.

Vishal Srivastava, CEO, OGS India & Philippines, said: "The inauguration of our expanded Coimbatore office marks an important milestone in OGS's journey in Tamil Nadu. Coimbatore has emerged as a strong talent destination, supported by a rich education ecosystem, entrepreneurial spirit and highly skilled workforce. This facility reflects our confidence in the region's exceptional talent pool and long-term potential.

Through initiatives such as OGS Pro, we remain committed to developing future-ready talent and creating opportunities for young professionals to contribute to global teams and clients while building meaningful careers locally. We are particularly proud that Coimbatore continues to play a central role in our graduate talent strategy and capability-building efforts."

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Smile Foundation renews strategic communications mandate with Ardent Co.

Ardent Co. has renewed its mandate with Smile Foundation, one of India’s leading development organisations, The renewed engagement will see Ardent Co. continue to support Smile Foundation across strategic communications, programme advocacy and stakeholder engagement, building on the experience, institutional understanding and strategic foundation established during the first phase of the association.

Commenting on the renewed mandate, Sarthak Choudhary, co-founder and PR lead, Ardent Co., said, “Our first phase of engagement with Smile Foundation gave us a strong understanding of its work and impact, and this second phase allows us to build on that foundation with a sharper and more integrated communications approach.”

Smile Foundation has programmes across education, healthcare, livelihood and women’s empowerment reaching underserved communities through grassroots implementation, partnerships, technology and community-led approaches. 

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Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. to purchase 21 per cent equity stake in Japan's PRAP

Daniel J. Edelman, Inc. ("DJE"), the parent company of Edelman, the world's largest independent communications consultancy, and PRAP Japan, Inc. ("PRAP"), one of Japan's leading communications and public relations companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, have announced a strategic collaboration to support Japanese and global clients as they navigate the evolving communications and stakeholder engagement needs. The collaboration is formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”). 

As part of its commitment to the collaboration, DJE has entered into a purchase agreement with an existing shareholder to acquire a 21 percent equity stake in PRAP. Completion of the transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed before the end of the calendar year. 

Richard Edelman, chief executive officer, Edelman, said, “Japan is the world’s fourth-largest economy and home to some of the most important companies in the world. I have long admired PRAP, its leadership and the reputation it has built over more than five decades. There is something special about bringing together two companies that share a belief in trust, long-term relationships and putting clients first. PRAP brings extraordinary knowledge of Japan; Edelman brings the global reach to help Japanese companies succeed around the world. Together, we have an opportunity to build something distinctive for our clients and our people, in Japan and globally. I look forward to beginning this next chapter together.” 

 Isao Suzuki, president and CEO of PRAP Japan Co., Ltd. stated, "I am very pleased that we have entered into a strategic collaboration with Edelman, the world’s largest independent communications consultancy. Through our discussions with Edelman’s management, I felt a strong affinity between PRAP’s value of “integrity” and Edelman’s emphasis on “trust,” as well as our shared commitment to clients and people. I also deeply resonate with Edelman’s approach of understanding and respecting the cultures, markets and ways of working in each country and region. Moving forward, by combining the insights and networks of both companies while preserving what makes PRAP unique, we aim to create new value for clients in Japan and around the world."

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SPAG FINN Partners' Aman Gupta pens first book 'The Glass House' on leadership

 SPAG FINN Partners' Aman Gupta has launched his first book, The Glass House: Leadership and Reputation in an Era of Radical Transparency, a guide for leaders navigating a world where transparency is no longer a choice, scrutiny is constant, and reputation can be shaped in minutes. Aman has over two decades of experience working with organisations and leaders across health, policy, business and society and founded SPAG, a leading health communications consultancy, which was subsequently acquired by FINN Partners, where he is now managing partner.

The Glass House argues that leaders today are operating without a traditional “backstage”. Decisions that were once confined to boardrooms can become public conversations; moments of silence can be interpreted as signals; and inconsistencies between what an organisation says and what it does can travel across markets almost instantly.

The book outlines the architecture required for leadership under pressure, exploring the role of systems, culture, narrative discipline and a consistent leadership voice in building and sustaining credibility. These principles become particularly consequential during an infodemic, corporate crisis, reputational challenge or period of intense public scrutiny.

“Transparency is often treated as a vulnerability, but I believe it can become a source of strength. Leaders need to demonstrate that they have the courage, systems and culture to acknowledge the gaps and address them,” Gupta said. Drawing on Aman’s experience across strategic communications, health, policy and reputation, The Glass House looks beyond traditional crisis communications to examine reputation as a leadership responsibility. 

The book features a foreword by global health communications leader Gil Bashe, alongside commentary and contributions from senior leaders across global biopharma, medtech and communications agencies, including Rajat Goel, Rohit Gulati, Shruti Bose and S. Rajan, with an endorsement from Vikas Dandeker. 

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