Red FM initiates key leadership changes across programming team

Vaibhav Vishal has been appointed as national creative head; Rohit Kulkarni will be national client solutions head; Mayur Chikramane has been appointed as regional programming head - North; and Macoy D'Souza will serve as regional programming head - West

Red FM has announced multiple appointments in its programming team. With an aim to strengthen the station's senior management in programming, Vaibhav Vishal has been appointed as the national creative head; while Rohit Kulkarni has been appointed the national client solutions head. Mayur Chikramane joins Red FM as the regional programming head - North; while Macoy D'Souza comes on-board as the regional programming head - West.

Prior to joining Red FM, both Vishal and Kulkarni were associated with MTV. As associate vice-president, creative and content at MTV, Vishal -- who holds a post graduate diploma in Advertising and Communications from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai -- played a key role in defining the channel on and beyond the television screen, both strategically and creatively.

Kulkarni -- who has a Masters degree in Communication Management from Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune -- has led ideation, creation and client solutions throughout his career and brings with him a keen insight on radio programming and creatives. In his last stint, Kulkarni was an associate creative director at MTV.

Chikramane, who was earlier associated with Fever 104 FM as the national promotions head, has over a decade's experience in the radio and media industry. He holds a Masters degree in Finance from University of Oregon, USA.

D'souza has been associated with the media industry for more than a decade and previously led the regional programming teams for Big FM. D'souza holds a degree in Sound Engineering from Mumbai University.

Commenting on the four new appointments, Nisha Narayanan, senior vice-president, projects and programming, Red FM, conveys in a press statement, "We are pleased to have Vishal, Kulkarni, Chikramane and D'souza on-board as part of the Red FM family. Vishal's depth of expertise in creative conceptualisation and implementation ideas, along with Kulkarni's knowledge in programming and client integration will enable us to take this 'Station for Expression' to even greater heights."

She adds, "With a decade-long experience in the radio industry and an excellent track record in all aspects of radio programming, Chikramane and D'souza will be able to implement our ambitious plans for regional programming in the North and West, quite aggressively."

It may be noted that in June 2010, Red FM had made two new appointments in its Mumbai and Delhi offices. Krishna Menon was appointed as national activation head and station head, Mumbai; while Anand Raj was appointed station head, New Delhi.

For the record, Red FM, which was first launched in Mumbai in 2002 and then in Delhi and Kolkata in 2003, has 50 stations across India. In 2009, the brand was taken national in a first-of-its-kind rebranding exercise, in which 38 stations were rebranded to Red FM.