MAM
Polaris India targets $100 mn turnover by 2016
BANGALORE: Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Polaris Industries‘ Indian subsidiary Polaris India (PIPL) is eyeing a turnover of $100 million by 2016 with a major push through BTL activities and presence in high visibility events. The ORV major is targeting the upper middle and rich class in the country.
“We will use cricket, as well some print and be present in auto magazines, but the main activities will be experiential – and through event such as the recent India West Indies series where we were present at a number of prominent places. We are also looking at events such motor sports, where we will be quite actively present. We will be visible at places such as malls, sports events etc,” said PIPL managing director Pankaj Dubey while speaking with Indiantelevision.com.
“A lot of Indians go abroad to experience rides on Polaris vehicles. We plan to make our ORV rides as one of the tourist attractions and are speaking with the tourism authorities in India. The specialised automobile market is at a nascent stage in India. Our principal aim is to sensitise the consumers and create a new market for the possible options available in recreational vehicles such as ATVs, Ranger, RZR Side-by-Side vehicles and snowmobiles and to generate more interest in these activities. We will focus on the utility application of our vehicles in areas of construction, mining, farming, forest, coastal patrolling and beach rescue, military, police and para military forces,” Dubey further added.
He said that the company has five dealerships in the country now and plan to increase this number to 10 by March 2012. By the end of 2012, it plans to have about 25 dealers in the country.
Delhi based Future Uday looks after the creative duties and Group M is the media buying agency of Polaris.
MAM
Kwality Wall’s appoints new board members after Magnum acquisition
Abhijit Bhattacharya named Chairperson as ice cream company enters next growth phase.
MUMBAI: When your ice cream business gets a fresh scoop of leadership, things are bound to get even cooler and Kwality Wall’s has just done exactly that. Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL), now part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), has announced the appointment of Abhijit Bhattacharya and Tahir Toloy Tanridagli to its Board of Directors. The appointments, effective 30 March, follow TMICC HoldCo’s acquisition of a controlling 61.90 per cent stake in KWIL.
Mr Abhijit Bhattacharya has been appointed as additional (non-executive and non-independent) director and chairperson of the board. He currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. and previously held the role of CFO for Unilever Ice Cream. With nearly four decades of experience, including 38 years at Koninklijke Philips N.V. in senior finance and operational roles across Europe, Asia and the United States, Bhattacharya brings deep expertise in strategic transformation and complex corporate restructurings.
Mr Tahir Toloy Tanridagli has been appointed as additional (non-executive and non-independent) director. A graduate of Bogazici University with a High Honours BA in Business Administration, he currently serves as President for METSA markets (Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Israel, and South Asia) at TMICC and is a member of the Global Ice Cream Executive Leadership Team. With over two decades in the snacking and FMCG sector, including leadership roles at Kraft Foods–Mondelez and Unilever, Toloy has extensive experience across ice cream, chocolate, snacks, beverages and desserts.
The appointments come as KWIL, which listed as an independent entity after its demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited, enters a new phase of growth following the Share Purchase Agreement signed between Unilever and TMICC in June 2025.
In the fast-melting world of ice cream, adding two heavyweights to the board is a clear signal that Kwality Wall’s is ready to scoop up even bigger opportunities ahead.
