MAM
LinEngage appoints Raman R.S. Minhas as creative head
MUMBAI: Mullen Lowe Lintas Group experiential marketing arm LinEngage has strengthened its team with the appointment of Raman R S Minhas as group creative head.
He will report to LinEngage executive vice president Sriharsh Grandhe.
Minhas comes on board with a mandate to add new, innovative dimensions to the way consumer engagement is defined and delivered for brands, in a media-agnostic manner.
Commenting on the appointment, Grandhe said, “The connected marketplace of today demands agencies to re-look at their offerings both the form and format of consumer engagement. With Raman on board LinEngage’s capabilities will be greatly enhanced in this direction.”
This move to LinEngage marks Minhas’s return to India after successful stints in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. His last assignment was at DM Pratama Group in Indonesia, where he led the creative function.
Mullen Lowe Lintas group CMO and group marketing services president Vikas Mehta said, “LinEngage is at a pivotal point in its evolution as we strive to set new benchmarks in the practices of experiential marketing and activation. In Raman, we’ve found a world class creative to lead this pursuit, partnering Sriharsh. A strong consumer engagement practice furthers our efforts towards making Mullen Lowe Lintas Group into a true omni-channel partner for its clients through a hyper-bundled offering.”
“To drive the creative mandate for one of the promising divisions of Mullen Lowe Lintas India is a challenge I am willing to take on with passion. With the legacy of Lowe Lintas and a team that rivals the best in the business, there is only one direction that we can move from here – upward,” said Minhas on his new role.
Brands
Honasa’s Varun Alagh targets next Rs 500 crore brands as profit doubles
Profit doubles as Mamaearth rebounds and new labels race to scale
MUMBAI: Honasa Consumer’s co-founder and chief executive officer Varun Alagh has set his sights on building the company’s next crop of Rs 500 crore brands, as the beauty and personal care firm delivered record revenue and nearly doubled its profit.
The Mamaearth parent reported revenue of Rs 602 crore, up 21.7 per cent year on year, with volume growth of 30 per cent. Ebitda rose to Rs 66 crore at a margin of 10.9 per cent, while profit after tax reached its highest-ever quarterly level.
“We have delivered our highest-ever quarterly revenue and almost doubled our PAT,” Alagh said. “The fundamentals we have rebuilt over the past few quarters are clearly delivering outcomes.”
With Mamaearth back to double-digit growth and The Derma Co sustaining strong momentum, Alagh believes the next wave of brands is ready to step up.
“It’s a race to become the next Rs 500 crore brand,” he said. “Reginald Men, Dr. Sheth’s, BBlunt, even Staze in colour cosmetics, each of them has the right to win in its category.”
Honasa’s portfolio of young brands grew more than 25 per cent during the quarter. The Derma Co, its science-led skincare label, has now achieved double-digit Ebitda margins and continues to gain share in sunscreen and actives-based skincare.
Mamaearth, once the company’s sole growth engine, has returned to the teens in year-on-year growth after a strategic reset.
“We focused on superior formulations, sharper communication and six core categories,” Alagh said. “We are seeing strong share gains, not just growth riding the market.”
Importantly, over 90 per cent of Mamaearth’s growth came from existing distributors and large retail partners, reflecting stronger consumer pull rather than mere expansion of reach.
From a channel perspective, e-commerce grew over 20 per cent, while general trade and modern trade delivered more than 25 per cent growth in secondary sales. Direct distribution now contributes nearly 80 per cent of revenue.
Honasa has also made a calculated entry into men’s skincare with the acquisition of Hyderabad-based Reginald Men. Alagh believes the category is at an inflection point.
“In the last two to three years, we’ve seen searches for ‘sunscreen for men’ and ‘face wash for men’ grow multi-fold,” he said. “Men want multi-benefit products without complicated regimes.”
Beyond category expansion, the acquisition strengthens Honasa’s footprint in South India and broadens its talent base.
The company reiterated its target of expanding Ebitda margins by around 100 basis points annually.
“Our endeavour is to unlock at least 100 basis points every year through a mix of A&P efficiency and overhead leverage,” said chief financial officer Raman Preet Sohi.
While advertising spends in absolute terms have risen, improved effectiveness has driven percentage efficiencies. Gross margins remained broadly stable, with guidance to maintain levels above 70 per cent.
With legacy FMCG giants sharpening their digital play and acquiring new-age brands, Alagh remained unfazed.
“Competition is not new to us,” he said. “We were born in categories where much larger players existed. The real value gets created when you focus on the consumer and where the consumer is moving.”
For Honasa, that focus now extends beyond one hero brand. As Alagh put it, the company is not content with a single success story. It wants a stable of them, each marching towards the Rs 500 crore mark.
