MAM
Potter! Potter! everywhere, served on silver platter
MUMBAI: “Aparecium!” The ink on the latest helping of Harry Potter has finally been made visible and Crossword is leaving no magic wands unwaved to give kids the true Hogwarts experience as J K Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hit the shelves today (16 July).
The release of the sixth Potter book is expected to be the biggest ever event in the book industry, and Crossword is at the center of Pottermania in India.
The bookstore in association with ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has converted its stores into an exciting fun-filled destination for kids and adults alike.
Kids will be treated to a host of activities at the Crossword stores like getting a photograph at ICICI Pru’s SmartKid Pottermania Studio and a Tattoo Stall where kids can get Harry Potter’s distinctive lightning scar painted on their forehead, an authentic sorting ceremony, where kids can find out which Hogwarts house they belong to — Griffyndor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. There will be badges for these houses as well. Also a Jigsaw Puzzle Stall, where each kid can come and try his/her hand at the puzzle, Magic Shows and much more is what’s in store!
“We are delighted to have Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince with us – the book we’ve been eagerly awaiting for two years! The customer interest has been phenomenal – amongst both children and grown-ups – even more than the earlier books,” said Crossword Bookstores Ltd chief executive officer and managing director R Sriram.
One of the highlights of Pottermania, ICICI Pru’s SmartKid Pottermania studio will bring Harry Potter alive for children by giving them a chance to don the wizard garb and pose for a memento photograph in front of Hogwarts castle.
Complete with a robe, wand, glasses and scar on the forehead, parents can see their children dressed up as the iconic wizard, and walk out with not just a book but also a treasured memory!
It’s the first time such an activity has been done in India, and is sure to be a huge hit amongst the thousands of people expected at the store on just the first day.
“We decided to use an interactive, non-intrusive platform, to reach out to parents through their kids. Harry Potter is a fantastic fit with our SmartKid brand – he is an icon for children around the world. Having a studio, where parents could see their kids dressed in Harry Potter’s robe worked as a simple and effective way of grabbing their attention in an interesting way and exposing them to ICICI Prudential,” said ICICI Prudential Life Insurance head – marketing Sujit Ganguli.
ICICI Pru’s SmartKid Pottermania photograph studios will be at Crossword bookstores in Mumbai for the three consecutive weekends – 16 – 17 July, 23 – 24 July and 30 – 31 July, and in Gurgaon on 16, 23 and 30 July.
Child actor Atith Naik of Kal Ho Na Ho fame will cast a spell at the release of the new book at the Crossword Bookstore in Mumbai.
The bookstore has also lined up a slew of activities for all Potter Fans in the days to come.
Surely the “Wingardium Leviosa!” spell (which makes things fly) has been cast as far as excitement is concerned amongst us ‘Muggles’!
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
