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F1 Sponsorship forum kicks off next month
MUMBAI: Juan Villalonga, the man who had the vision of bringing telecom major Telefónica into Formula One, will deliver the first keynote address at the Formula One Sponsorship Forum.
The event takes place from 16-17 November 2005 in Monaco, France. In India Formula One action airs on ESPN Star Sports (ESS).
Villalonga, the former chairman of Telefónica and one of Europe’s most eminent and influential business executives, still has close links to Formula One and is highly knowledgeable about the business of the sport. He said, “I wish there had been a conference like this when I was working on the proposal to bring Telefónica into Formula One. The sponsorship forum is the perfect opportunity for a potential sponsor to meet all the right people and do all its research within a concentrated two day period.”
Villalonga’s vision to introduce Telefónica to Formula One has since been more than justified after Renault and Spanish driver Fernando Alonso took the 2005 constructors and drivers world championships. Formula One’s stock in Spain has risen hugely and this has been a major boost for Telefónica’s sponsorship.
Joining Villalonga at the event will be hundreds of delegates from companies worldwide. Companies registered to attend include Allianz, AMD, British American Tobacco, BMW, Credit Suisse, Diageo, Intel, Panasonic, Petronas, SAP, Shell, Ford, Siemens, Emirates, Toyota Motor Corporation and Vodafone.
The forum is a meeting place for all of Formula One’s stakeholders to network, debate and close deals. 40 seminars taking place throughout the two day period, chaired by well-known experts across a range of different sectors. All participants will be able to join in any of these workshops and contribute to open debates, some of which will be reported or televised:
There will also be an exhibition and demonstration area consisting of 1000 sqm of space to demonstrate the latest equipment, techniques, solutions and advances.
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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.
