MAM
Tops joins Horn OK Please festival as presenting partner
Mumbai: GD Foods MFG (I), the company behind Tops, has announced its partnership with the Horn Ok Please Festival as the ‘presenting partner’ for the 13th edition. The festival will take place on 16 and 17 November 2024 at JLN Stadium in Delhi, featuring a vibrant lineup of Punjabi superstars, rappers, and hip-hop icons.
As the presenting partner, Tops will play a key role in curating an exciting mix of food, music, and cultural experiences that reflect the energy of today’s youth. Known for its diverse range of products that combine taste, quality, and trendsetting appeal, Tops sees this collaboration as a great way to connect with a dynamic, culture-driven audience. The brand has been associated with the Horn Ok Please Festival since 2019.
“We are thrilled to partner with Horn Ok Please as the Presenting Partner,” said GD Foods vice chairman Dr Nitin Seth. “Our brand has always embraced the enthusiasm and creativity of young people, and this festival embodies that same spirit of innovation, self-expression, and cultural celebration. This association offers an exciting opportunity for us to engage with the vibrant youth of today, supporting an event that reflects their versatile talents and passions, and their love for music and food. We are committed to delivering a brand experience that resonates with the ever-evolving tastes of our consumers, and this collaboration aligns perfectly with our mission of delivering India ka top taste to our consumers.”
As part of the collaboration, Tops will also introduce a series of exciting activations and engagements at the event including a specially curated menu of delectable dishes prepared with Tops products, further enhancing the festival’s immersive vibe and offering fans a chance to engage with the brand in new and innovative ways.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
