MAM
Paresh Chaudhry joins Madison PR as CEO
MUMBAI: Paresh Chaudhry has joined as Madison PR. The current CEO Veena Gidwani retires after a stint of 12 years on 30 June.
Chaudhry will be based out of Mumbai.
With over 24 years of experience in brand communication and reputation management experience across industries and key global markets, Chaudhry has worked with companies like Reliance Industries, Hindustan Unilever, Ranbaxy and Wockhardt. His last assignment was as group president -corporate communications, Reliance Industries where he reported to Reliance Industries Limited chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani. At RIL he was responsible for putting together systems and processes for effective global (internal and external) communications at RIL.
Through the years, Chaudhry has been involved in building the Ranbaxy‘s corporate brand in North America, Europe and India. He was also associated with the campaign for aligning regional communication country teams to bring alive â€?the transition to one Unilever brand‘ and driving the corporate name change from ‘HLL‘ to â€?HUL‘. He is also the founder President of the Indian Forum of Corporate Communicators (IFCC).
Madison World chairman and managing director Sam Balsara said, “Paresh‘s cross client category and cross country experience should help him add great value to our FMCG clients. Veena has done a wonderful job in building Madison PR into a specialist Brand PR consultancy and meeting the professional needs of our over 40 clients in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune and I wish her a very happy and fulfilling life ahead.”
Chaudhry said, “I am delighted with the opportunity to work with Madison PR that has carved out a distinct and distinguished niche within the industry and is known for its strong values and relationships with some of the best known companies in Corporate India. I look forward to working with Sam & his team of professionals to take Madison PR to the next level.”
Madison PR is a 12-year-old image management company specialising in innovative brand building techniques and campaigns. Its clients includes the likes of Procter & Gamble, Britannia, Godrej, Levis, Caf?© Coffee Day, Titan Fastrack, Parle Agro and many other brands; and has offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune.
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.
