MAM
JWT ropes Matchett as chief creative officer & national executive creative director
MUMBAI: JWT India has roped in Bruce Matchett as the chief creative officer and national executive creative director.
Matchett was earlier with Ogilvy & Mather Australia and New Zealand as chief creative officer at Singleton.
JWT India CEO Colvyn Harris said, “This is the culmination of our global search to hire the best chief creative officer and national executive creative director. We have been most discerning. Bruce represents our relentless pursuit to develop creative work to global standards.”
Matchett is credited with some of Australia’s best loved advertising for brands like Toohey’s, Coke, Qantas, BMW, among others. Prior to Ogilvy, Matchett was with Saatchi & Saatchi, besides holding various positions in the UK and New Zealand.
Matchett’s reputation as a talented and a path breaking creative person precedes him, as much his acclaimed creative leadership. He has been known to build a passionate drive amongst his team mates to excel and create work that builds brands and sells. He will bring a skill and standard by which JWT India can benchmark its future work.
Harris further added, “He will provide the freshness and a new sensibility to Indian advertising – something the industry really needs. We want our clients to continue to be market leaders, to lead in the standards they set, and we wish to partner this. Bruce and JWT India vice president and executive creative director Agnello Dias will form the new team who will shoulder our client and brand responsibilities with our existing creative team.”
Commenting on his appointment, Matchett said, “I am looking forward to working for JWT in India. India as a market is vastly different from any other country that I have worked in. To me, India represents both a challenge and an opportunity, and the excitement will be in decoding the cultural diversity that exists in the Indian market.”
JWT Worldwide chief creative officer Craig Davis said, “Bruce has the talent, passion and energy to raise standards in the Indian market. He has worked on some of the largest and most progressive brands in the UK and Australasia and he is an inspiration to young creative talent. Bruce has the perfect disposition for the national creative director’s role. He will learn a lot in India and has a lot to offer in return.”
JWT Worldwide president Michael Maedel said, “The success of companies in our business is determined by its talent and in particular the relationship between the CEO and the national executive creative director. In Colvyn and Bruce, we have a dream team in India who I believe will deliver outstanding results in one of our most important markets.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
