MAM
DDB Mudra west appoints Manoj Bhavnani as senior CD
MUMBAI: Joining DDB Mudra west’s formidable creative force under the leadership of creative head, Rahul Mathew, is Manoj Bhavnani who has joined as senior creative director.
Bhavnani joins DDB Mudra west from Bates India, where he was creative director working on some of the agency’s biggest accounts such as Fiat, Tata AIG and Colgate. He was a part of the RedFuse team, a group created by WPP to exclusively handle the communication duties for Colgate.
With over 11 years of work experience and a degree in Statistics, Bhavnani has also worked with top agencies in the country including FCB Ulka (earlier known as Draft FCB Ulka), Lowe Lintas, Grey Worldwide and Ogilvy & Mather. He has also authored a novel, ‘Screwed!’ which has been published by Penguin in September 2012.
Bhavnani said, “It’s an exciting time to be joining DDB Mudra. The agency has been creating great campaigns that have picked up many awards. Rahul, Rajiv and Sonal have placed their faith in me to keep up the quality of work, and I hope I will repay their faith in the time to come.”
Mathew added, “Over the past five months, Rajiv & I have been working hard at improving our product. Manoj is yet another step in this direction. He brings sound thinking and a lot of enthusiasm to our talented bunch. And am sure he will prove to be an essential cog in our creative machinery.”
DDB Mudra west president Rajiv Sabnis said, “Manoj is talented professional who has cut his teeth on demanding large brands in some of the best agencies. His ability to produce consistently good creative work on global, process-driven businesses really got us talking. We look forward to his contribution, especially on J&J Beauty Care, and hope that he has long innings in DDB Mudra.”
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
