Sam Balsara appointed to the Board of Blue Star Limited

Air conditioning and commercial refrigeration major, Blue Star Limited, has announced the appointment of Sam Balsara as an Additional Director of the Company with effect from June 20, 2017. Sam is Chairman & Managing Director of Madison World, which is amongst India’s largest media buying and communication agencies.

Sam holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and a post graduate diploma from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies. He has over 45 years of extensive experience in marketing, advertising and media. Sam started his career at Sarabhai’s in 1972, and held various stints in Cadbury India Ltd, Contract Advertising Company (WPP) and Mudra Communications, before founding Madison World in 1988. Madison World is a diversified communication group with 26 units across 11 specialised functions of advertising, media planning and buying, business analytics, public relations, entertainment, events and others, with offices in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand.

Sam is a veteran of the advertising industry, having won many accolades in his illustrious career, such as ‘The Most Influential Person in Media’ by Economic Times-Brand Equity for the last 10 consecutive years; recipient of IAA Leadership Award for Media Agency Professional of the Year, 2013; recipient of ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ in 2009 from Advertising Agencies Association of India; and jury member at the International Festival of Advertising in Cannes in 2005 as well as 2014; to name a few. Sam has held prestigious positions in several associations such as Past President of AAAI of which he continues to be an Executive Committee Member; Past Chairman of The Advertising Standards Council of India 2000-2001 and presently its Advisor; amongst several others. Sam has created several benchmarks in the advertising and media business, and continues to be an inspiration for many in this field.

Suneel M Advani, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Blue Star Limited, adds, “Sam Balsara, with his vision and enthusiasm as well as an impressive list of professional accomplishments, will bring in rich experience and a creative facet to the Board of Blue Star, at a time when the Company is seeking to further expand its products business and leverage its brand.”