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Aviva Life Insurance Company India announced the appointment of Suresh Mahalingam as its new chairperson.


Mahalingam has been associated with Aviva since July 2020, serving as an independent director on the board.

 
Speaking on his appointment, Mahalingam said, “I’m happy to take up the new role as Chairperson of Aviva India. I look forward to working closely with the Board and executive leadership team. I am sincerely grateful to the Board members and shareholders for their continued trust and support. I remain committed to driving Aviva India’s sustained growth, resilience, and long-term value creation.”

 
With over 30 years of leadership experience across the BFSI and FMCG sectors, Mahalingam has been instrumental in building, scaling, and transforming businesses in highly dynamic and competitive markets. 

 
In addition, he actively mentors emerging organizations and regularly shares his insights as a keynote speaker at leading industry platforms.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/choose-your-battles-you-cant-win-all-of-them-says-vinit-kapahi-aviva-india-21134.htm">Choose your battles. You can't win all of them, says Vinit Kapahi, Aviva India</a>

Aviva India appoints Suresh Mahalingam as Chairperson

Sujatha V Kumar, who headed Visa as head of marketing for India and South Asia, has stepped down from her position. 

During her stint, Kumar drove the overall marketing strategy and execution, including consumer, retail and digital marketing initiatives for India and the emerging markets of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal. With the growth of Digital Payments post the pandemic, there was a strong consumer payments shift from cash to cashless, and she led initiatives to drive cashless payments for both online and offline transactions for Visa.

In a note, she shared, "After six amazing years at Visa, I bid farewell to this wonderful company earlier this month. It has been an honour to lead the Marketing function for India & South Asia and work with the most talented and interesting group of people possible!"

Kumar began her career at Procter & Gamble as an assistant brand manager, and was elevated to the brand manager role. Then, she moved to Nokia as the marketing manager, and was appointed by The Royal Bank of Scotland as the vice president - marketing and communication.

The Coca-Cola Company named her as category director - marketing, and was then elevated to director - category marketing and corporate brand.

As Google's former head - brand and reputation, marketing and strategy, Kumar identified unique opportunities, redefines the medium, made the user the priority.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/we-have-a-lot-of-excitement-planned-around-the-2024-paris-olympics-visas-sujatha-v-kumar-26332.htm">Interest in Olympics is growing in India: Visa’s Sujatha Kumar</a>

Sujatha V Kumar quits Visa as head of marketing for India and South Asia

Bajaj Finserv has announced a series of key leadership changes approved by the Board of Directors, based on the recommendation of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee. As per the exchange filings, Manish Jain, Sidhant Dadwal and Harjeet Toor have been elevated to the role of Deputy Chief Executive Officer, effective May 1, 2025. 

Currently, they serve as Presidents within the organization and will take on expanded responsibilities, including oversight of additional lines of business. They will continue to report to Anup Saha, Managing Director, and will play a crucial role in achieving the company’s business objectives.

Manish Jain brings with him close to 27 years of industry experience, including 11 years at Bajaj Finserv, during which he has led diverse portfolios such as Marketing, Consumer Finance and Fixed Deposits. 

Sidhant Dadwal has more than 22 years of experience, with 17 of those years spent at Bajaj Finserv. He has successfully led key business verticals such as Business Loans, Professional Loans, New and Used Car financing, and Industrial and Medical Equipment Finance. 

Harjeet Toor, who joined the company three years ago, has a career spanning over 31 years. He has held leadership roles across Consumer Finance, Cards, Wealth Management, and the Retail-SME & Commercial segments. 

In addition to these appointments, the company also announced that Vivek Likhite, President – Corporate Audit Services, will cease to be part of the senior management upon reaching the age of superannuation. Furthermore, Kurush Irani, President – Corporate Social Responsibility, who currently oversees the CSR function, has been de-classified as senior management personnel.

Leadership reshuffle at Bajaj Finserv; Manish Jain, Sidhant Dadwal, Harjeet to take Deputy CEO roles

Naveen Kukreja, co-founder and chief executive officer of fintech startup Paisabazaar, has stepped down from his position.


In a note, he shared, "After 11 years of building and scaling Paisabazaar, I have decided to move on from the PB Fintech Group. With a deep sense of gratitude, I bid adieu to my colleagues, partners, investors, and well-wishers, and thank them for their trust and belief in me and the Paisabazaar team over the years. Building platform from scratch to reaching 50 million+ consumers, has been an incredible experience."


Kukreja will soon be co-founding a fintech startup along with Paisabazaar's Gaurav Aggarwal and Sahil Arora, who serve as chief product officer - credit products and chief business officer - lending.


He began his career at Citibank India as assistant vice president - credit cards, and then joined Capital One Bank. Then, he moved to Aviva India as vice president - customer management and business analytics, and then joined PolicyBazaar as group chief marketing officer and director. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/paisabazaar-names-santosh-agarwal-as-ceo-57951.htm">Paisabazaar names Santosh Agarwal as CEO</a>

Naveen Kukreja moves on from Paisabazaar

Anurag Iyer, who led BigBang.Social as chief executive officer, has stepped down from his position.

In a note, Iyer shared, "Over the last two and half years, we became the largest creator marketplace rooted in pop culture, signing over a 100+ talent, launching one of its kind creator app to creating a brand within the Collective Artists Network. We built a culture rooted in creativity, ambition and a never say never attitude. We established a strong foundation for future growth and innovation by always experimenting with A.I., data and analysis. Which is why legacy brand like Unilever, Flipkart, Diageo Myntra and many more have partnered with almost every campaign with us."

Iyer began his career at Contract Advertising, and then joined Zee Networks in the corporate sales department. Having been a part of media organisations like Network18 and Times Television International and BloombergQuint, he also worked at Haymarket SAC Publishing, and ByteDance. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/sudeep-subash-appointed-as-ceo-of-big-bang-social-58185.htm">Sudeep Subash appointed as CEO of Big Bang Social</a>

BigBang.Social's CEO Anurag Iyer steps down

YouTube has appointed Gunjan Soni as the Country Managing Director for India. With over two decades of leadership experience spanning business, technology, marketing, and e-commerce, Soni is set to lead YouTube's growth and innovation efforts in India.

Gautam Anand, VP, YouTube APAC, stated, "YouTube's journey in India continues to be vibrant and dynamic, representing a country filled with immense creative energy and potential. I amn excited to welcome Gunjan, a seasoned leader to guide our next phase of growth. Gunjan’s deep understanding of the creator economy and India's video commerce landscape, combined with her leadership, will enable us to accelerate creator growth, unlock new opportunities, engage users, and contribute meaningfully to India's digital journey.”

Soni joins YouTube from ZALORA, where she served as Group CEO for six years based in Singapore. During her tenure, she was instrumental in introducing new categories and business models, fostering innovation, and enhancing user experience through personalization and a successful loyalty program. Soni also possesses significant Indian media and marketing experience, having worked as EVP at Star India and CMO at Myntra. 

Prior to that, she was a Partner at McKinsey in the Consumer and Marketing practice. She serves on the board of CBRE Group, a Fortune 500 company.

"I am both humbled and thrilled to join this dynamic team and lead a platform that has long supported the powerhouse of talent that is the Indian creator economy," said Gunjan Soni.

"Witnessing how YouTube empowers creators and connects communities across India is truly inspiring. I'm particularly excited about building on this foundation, fostering innovation, and further enhancing the platform's role in helping creators unlock new storytelling opportunities and reach audiences globally. I am excited to work with and support our incredible partners across the ecosystem," she added.

YouTube announces Gunjan Soni as Country Managing Director for India

Jonnie Cahill, who led The Heineken Company as chief marketing officer, has joined PepsiCo as senior vice president and CMO, international foods.

Cahill started his career as senior brand manager - Guinness/ Budweiser at Diageo, and was elevated to global marketing manager - Guinness. Then, he joined Telefonica as vice president - communications and sponsorships, and then was elevated to CMO.

Cahill was appointed by The Heineken Company as CMO, where he was promoted to look after the US region as CMO.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/nitin-bhandari-to-head-pepsico-indias-beverages-business-george-kovoor-to-retire-53119.htm">Nitin Bhandari to head PepsiCo India's beverages business; George Kovoor to retire</a>

PepsiCo appoints Jonnie Cahill as SVP & CMO, International Foods

Madhav Sheth, who joined Alcatel India last year, will be leading Nxtcell as founder and tech advisor. NxtCell India holds the brand authorization for brand Alcatel for India and other international Markets.

Sheth mentioned, "I will be working closely with the Nxtcell team to spearhead technology transfer, foster patent-driven innovation, and ensure that local manufacturing aligns with India’s vision for tech self-reliance. We have successfully signed technology agreements, and our local manufacturing initiatives are poised to significantly boost India’s tech ecosystem and enhance exports."

He began his career as a data analyst at synopsis inc, and then joined Priory Business Group and Perfect Communications in a sales role. Then, he worked at Oppo and realme, where in realme, Sheth held the position of realme and president - realme International Business Group.

Sheth co-founded HTech in 2023 to reintroduce Honor smartphones in India following his departure from Realme. He said he would continue his role at HTech while simultaneously working with Nxtcell. Nxtcell India licenses the Alcatel brand from TCL Communication, which is owned by Nokia. Sheth told Moneycontrol his other venture, HTech, will not be involved in the Alcatel smartphone launch in India.

The report also stated that his affiliation with Nxtcell comes at a time when HTech is grappling with significant challenges in its efforts to reinvigorate the Honor brand. The company has faced considerable difficulty in gaining traction within the market, with operations largely stagnant over the past six months. This prolonged period of underperformance has been marked by widespread layoffs and a dearth of new product launches. According to sources, a notable number of former Realme employees, who had transitioned to HTech, have since departed the company.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/madhav-sheth-quits-realme-likely-to-join-another-chinese-phone-maker-9021.htm">Madhav Sheth quits realme, likely to join another Chinese phone maker</a>

HTech's co-founder Madhav Sheth to lead Nxtcell as founder and tech advisor

Keep up with all the key people movements in the brand marketing ecosystem in Storyboard18’s CXO Moves. Here’s a round-up of the executives who've moved jobs, got bigger roles, switched industries and more.


Anant Ambani


Present: Whole-time director, Reliance Industries


Reliance Industries has named Anant M. Ambani, the youngest son of chairman Mukesh Ambani, as a whole-time director of the company.


Ambani also serves on the boards of several Reliance group companies, including Jio Platforms since March 2020, Reliance Retail Ventures since May 2022, and Reliance New Energy and Reliance New Solar Energy since June 2021. He has also been a board member of Reliance Foundation since September 2022.


Shobhit Malhotra


Previous: Vice president and general manager, Colgate-Palmolive


Present: Chief executive officer, iD Fresh Foods


iD Fresh Foods has named Shobhit Malhotra as CEO. He has worked across Unilever and PepsiCo.


R Velusamy and Veejay Nakra


Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has announced a series of high-level executive changes affecting its automotive, farm equipment, and logistics businesses.


R. Velusamy, a longtime executive with the Mumbai-based conglomerate, has been appointed President of the company’s Automotive Business. Previously Head of Automotive Technology and Product Development, Velusamy will now assume responsibility for Mahindra’s entire automotive portfolio, including its sport utility vehicle (SUV) and light commercial vehicle (LCV) segments. The move brings the company’s vehicle divisions under a unified leadership structure.


Veejay Nakra, the outgoing president of the automotive division, will take over as president of the farm equipment business — a cornerstone of the company’s profitability, with returns on capital employed exceeding 60 percent.
 

Nakra, who joined the company in 1995, is credited with reviving the automotive segment through successful product launches and an expanded international presence.


Bharat Puri


Previous: Managing director, Pidilite Industries


Present: Senior advisor and director, Pidilite Industries


Bharat Puri has assumed the role of senior advisor and director at the company. He will contribute to the company’s strategic direction in a part-time, advisory capacity.


Prior to Pidilite, Puri held global leadership roles at Mondelēz International and Asian Paints. 


Campbell Wilson


Previous: Chairman, Air India Express


As per an internal memo sent by the company on April 22nd, Campbell Wilson who served as the chief executive officer of Air India, will be stepping down as the chairman of Air India Express, the airline's low-cost subsidiary. He will be replaced by its chief commercial officer Nipun Aggarwal.


Further, it has been highlighted that Basil Kwauk, who is Air India's chief operating officer, will replace Wilson on the board of Air Indian Express.


Himani Agrawal, Nitin Mittal and Aparna Kondaboina


Microsoft has appointed Himani Agrawal as chief operating officer (COO); Nitin Mittal as the industry leader, digital natives, India & South Asia; and Aparna Kondaboina as head - human resources.


Mittal has held leadership roles at Zee Entertainment, National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and was the founder of SOLV, a B2B platform for SMEs.


Agrawal has held key roles like chief of staff, country head for Azure and business applications building high-impact teams and driving scale.


Kondaboina previously worked at Microsoft India Development Centre (IDC).


Manohar Charan


Previous: Chief financial officer, ShareChat


Present: Co-founder & CFO, ShareChat


ShareChat has elevated Manohar Charan to co-founder. He has worked across Evalueserve, Datamonitor, RBS, PropTiger.com, Uber and Zomato.


Rakesh Ranjan


Previous: CEO - food delivery, Zomato


Rakesh Ranjan, the company’s chief executive officer of the food delivery business, will step down from his current role. 


Ranjan will remain with the company in a different capacity, though Zomato’s founder and Chief Executive, Deepinder Goyal, is expected to assume his responsibilities in the interim, as per reports.


Ranjan began his career at Evalueserve before taking on roles at diamond management & technology consultants and PricewaterhouseCoopers. He later joined the Boston Consulting Group, where he rose to the position of project leader.


Akshaya Vasishth


Present: Chief marketing officer, Sujata Appliances


Sujata Appliances has appointed Akshaya Vasishth as CMO for its appliances division.


Vasishth’s responsibilities will include overseeing marketing for not only mixer-grinder range, but also the newly launched premium small domestic appliances including hand blenders, breakfast appliances and irons.


Prakash Magdum


Present: Managing director, NFDC


Prakash Magdum, who is a 1999 batch IIS (Indian Information Service) officer, has been appointed as the managing director of National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) for a period of five years.


Previously, Magdum served as the director of the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) in Pune. He has also worked with various government media units across states such as Assam and Kerala, and notably served as the Defence Spokesperson in Thiruvananthapuram, stated a media report.


Varun Mohan


Previous: Head of growth and revenue, India & SAARC, MiQ


Present: Chief commercial officer, MiQ


MiQ, a global programmatic media partner, announced the elevation of Varun Mohan to chief commercial officer (CCO) in India.


Mohan has almost 20 years of experience in digital media, including stints at Microsoft Advertising (Aidem Ventures), Republic TV etc.


Priyanka Khaneja Gandhi


Previous: Director - integrated brand experience lead, Colgate-Palmolive (India) Ltd


Present: Head - Amazon India Ads Marketing, Amazon


Amazon has named Priyanka Khaneja Gandhi as head - Amazon India ads marketing. She has worked across Enterprise Nexus, Starcom, Carat and Madison Communications.


Karan Bajwa and Avinash Dhagat


Honasa Consumer Limited has announced the appointment of Karan Bajwa, formerly senior vice president – human resources, as chief human resources officer (CHRO), and Avinash Dhagat, who served as senior vice president – supply chain, as chief supply chain officer (CSCO).


In his new role, Bajwa will lead the next phase of Honasa’s people strategy, focused on building a future-ready, high-performing organization anchored in diversity, inclusion, and meritocracy.
 

Dhagat’s focus will be on enhancing efficiency, driving sustainability, and ensuring the supply chain is well-equipped to respond to the dynamic needs of the evolving Indian FMCG landscape.


Kinji Saito

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) announced that Kinji Saito has stepped down from his role as Non-Executive Director following the withdrawal of his nomination by parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC).


The Board of Directors, in its meeting held earlier today, approved the appointment of Koichi Suzuki as the new non-executive director, effective April 26, 2025. His appointment fills the vacancy left by Saito's departure.


Koichi Suzuki, a veteran at SMC, brings with him nearly four decades of experience. A graduate of Tokyo University’s Faculty of Letters, he joined SMC in 1987. He has previously served as executive officer of international marketing at Maruti Suzuki, overseeing Middle East and African markets. In April 2025, he was appointed as managing officer, executive general manager, India Operations.


Shalini Bhupal and Krishna R Bhupal


Taj GVK has announced the appointment of Shalini Bhupal as the managing director and chief executive officer for a period of five years.
 

Krishna R Bhupal has been appointed as the joint managing director of the company, also for a five-year term period.


Amrish Rau


Previous: Fintech Investments & Partnerships, Naspers 


Present: Chairman and MD, Pine Labs


Pine Labs has named Amrish Rau as chairman and managing director. He has worked across Siemens Nixdorf, NCR Corporation, Teradata, First Data Corporation and Citrus Payment Solutions. 


Sandip Basu


Previous: Managing partner and group chief financial officer, VerSe Innovation


Sandip Basu, who led VerSe Innovation, parent company of Dailyhunt, as managing partner and group chief financial officer, has stepped down from his position with reasons cited towards his health.


Basu, a qualified chartered accountant and cost accountant, began his career at Bharti Airtel as chief financial officer. Then, he joined Bpl Mobile Communication Limited as chief executive officer and group CFO. He led Xcel Telecom as CEO, and then worked at Loop Mobile India as CEO.


Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/cxo-moves-exec-movements-across-snap-porsche-india-bbdo-india-wavemaker-mccann-worldgroup-and-more-62646.htm">CXO Moves: Exec movements across Snap, Porsche India, BBDO India, Wavemaker, McCann Worldgroup and more</a>

CXO Moves: Exec movements across Colgate-Palmolive, ShareChat, Zomato, Air India Express and more

Reliance Industries Ltd on Friday named Anant M. Ambani, the youngest son of Chairman Mukesh Ambani, as a whole-time director of the company.

The board, acting on the recommendation of the Human Resources, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, approved Anant Ambani’s appointment for a five-year term beginning May 1, 2025, subject to shareholder approval, the company said in a stock exchange filing.

Anant Ambani, who has served as a non-executive director on Reliance’s board, will now take on a more active executive role at India’s most valuable company. Anant Ambani also serves on the boards of several Reliance group companies, including Jio Platforms since March 2020, Reliance Retail Ventures since May 2022, and Reliance New Energy and Reliance New Solar Energy since June 2021. He has also been a board member of Reliance Foundation since September 2022.

Anant Ambani, who has a Bachelor’s degree from Brown University in the US, is also very passionate about animal welfare and is involved in several initiatives focused on rehabilitating at-risk animals and providing care and dignity in their later years.

Anant’s older siblings Akash and Isha Ambani, too, serve on the board of RIL as non-executive directors.

CXO MOVES