MAM
Kalpana Bansal to head Mudra’s LLC division
MUMBAI: Marketing communications firm Mudra has appointed Kalpana Bansal as its executive VP and head Leadership Learning and Change (LLC) division.
LLC was set up a couple of years ago by Mudra and it was the firms humar resources response to the need to identify, grow and nurture talent. Mudra MD and CEO Madhukar Kamat said, “At Mudra we put people first. It is great to have Kalpana on board. She is critical to our senior management team. With our people focus the LLC function is central to ourplans for the future. I look forward to kalpana’s contribution to our mission to build the Mudra Group into the most admired and valuable communications group in India. We are bringing our international partner DDB’s priceless philosophy – people, product and profit.”
Bansal said, ” It is indeed an honour to be associated with Mudra. Mudra has a legacy honed carefully over the last 25 years that has been built on team work. It is an exciting time to join the Mudra Group, helping in the process of change, nurturing leadership values and supporting ambitious growth plans with the right talent.”
Bansal joins Mudra from HR consulting firm Watson Wyatt. She has also worked with Star, IMRB and Tata-Unisys.
MAM
Aparna Bhawal steps down as KFC India CMO after three years
Set to exit by May 2026, launches AB Advisory Group for growth strategy.
MUMBAI: From brand buckets to building her own playbook, Aparna Bhawal is swapping the CMO seat for the founder’s chair. Bhawal has resigned as chief marketing officer of KFC India and its partner markets, drawing the curtain on a three-year stint with the Yum! Brands portfolio. She is currently transitioning responsibilities through March and is expected to complete her exit by May 2026.
The move marks a shift towards entrepreneurship, with Bhawal setting up AB Advisory Group, a venture aimed at working with founders and scaling businesses on growth strategy, execution and commercial focus. The decision, she indicated, has been a long-considered one centred on building a platform that helps companies navigate growth with sharper strategic direction and stronger marketing fundamentals.
With over two decades of experience, Bhawal’s career spans leadership roles across HT Media, The Coca-Cola Company and Procter & Gamble, covering brand building, consumer engagement and business growth across categories.
Beyond corporate roles, she has remained closely involved with the industry ecosystem. She is part of the managing committee of The Advertising Club of India for 2025–26 and serves as an advisory board member at the Indian Influencer Governing Council.
Her contributions have also earned recognition, including features in BW’s Top 100 Marketers list and BW Marketing World’s Most Influential Women list in both 2024 and 2025.
As Bhawal steps into her next chapter, the shift reflects a broader trend in marketing leadership where seasoned operators are increasingly moving from building brands to building businesses.
