MAM
Disney, Mumbai Indians in licensing pact
MUMBAI: Mukesh Ambani-owned IPL franchise Mumbai Indians has inked a licensing deal with The Walt Disney Company India to launch co-branded merchandise products targeted at under-14 kids segment.
The co-branded merchandise will be sold in around 5,000 Reliance retail outlets and will be also be promoted through the digital medium.
The two partners see a brand fit. Mumbai Indians have India’s favourite cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar at its helm who has huge following among kids particularly under-14. Mickey Mouse, Disney’s famous cartoon property, is also a popular character among kids..
With this association, the merchandise revenue of Mumbai Indians is expected to climb in comparison to last year’s revenue of Rs 50-60 million, according to Mumbai Indians co-owner Nita Ambani.
Ambani further said that her vision for Mumbai Indians was to make it a strong and satisfactory brand that is financially independent without the support of RIL. She also said that the franchise will break even in the long run.
Walt Disney India MD Ronnie Screwvala is delighted with this alliance. “Disney being the most acclaimed brand internationally has only bonded with brands that are commercially feasible in its nature,” he said.
He also feels that this coalition of Mumbai Indians and Walt Disney will expedite the aggrandizing of brand equity for both .
The former entrepreneur cum CEO of UTV also mentioned that the under 14 segment has high potential and will keep burgeoning in the next few years. He pegs the licensing market for kids in 4-14 age group at Rs 14 billion.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
