MAM
Soch Apparels appoints Deepak Mahnot as the CMO
Mumbai: Soch Apparels, the largest evening-occasion women’s ethnic wear brand, announces the appointment of Deepak Mahnot as its chief marketing officer (CMO). In his new capacity at Soch, Deepak will spearhead the brand marketing, CRM, visual merchandising, PR, and customer experience initiatives, firmly establishing Soch as a leader in the women’s ethnic wear segment in India.
As a marketing veteran with over two decades of experience, Deepak has an impressive track record in elevating brands across diverse industries. He has played a pivotal role in bringing various path-breaking campaigns to life, some of which won top honors, including the Cannes and Effie. He is known for leveraging data analytics and insights to drive complex transformative projects and initiatives in all his previous roles in India and Dubai. Before joining Soch, Deepak served as the marketing director for Vision Express India Operations for over four years. Throughout his career, he held key leadership positions at notable organizations like Reliance Infocomm, The Mobile Store, VLCC, and Babyshop (Landmark Group, Dubai).
“I am excited to be joining Soch at such a crucial period, as the brand gears for the next phase of exponential growth. Soch has built a fantastic legacy and is among the most loved brands, constantly evolving with the women in India today. I look forward to helping Soch take the next step forward.” shared Mahnot.
Soch MD and CEO Vinay Chatlani said, “Deepak is a passionate marketer with diverse industry experience across various industries in retail, as well as a keen understanding of how to activate and drive the business with a strategic lens. We welcome Deepak to the Soch family, he will play a critical role in helping to shape the next chapter of Soch”
With over 160 stores in over 60 cities across India, Soch continues to evolve and expand its presence in the ethnic wear market in India, as it has done in the past 17 years. Deepak’s leadership is anticipated to bring fresh perspectives and transformative strategies to implement initiatives that drive the growth that Soch aims to achieve in the coming years.
Brands
Amazon inks $30m carbon credit deal with Indian rice farmers
Methane-cutting farming push links climate goals with farmer income
NEW DELHI: Amazon has signed a $30 million agreement to purchase carbon credits generated by Indian rice farmers, marking one of the largest agriculture-linked carbon deals in the country to date and signalling a shift in how corporates approach climate action.
The agreement is being executed through the Good Rice Alliance, a collaboration between Bayer, GenZero, and Shell Nature-Based Solutions, backed by Singapore’s Temasek. Rather than dealing directly with individual farmers, Amazon is tapping into this alliance to scale the programme efficiently.
At the heart of the initiative is a relatively simple shift in farming practice known as Alternate Wetting and Drying. Traditionally, rice paddies remain flooded, creating oxygen-free conditions that produce methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide. Under the new method, fields are periodically allowed to dry, disrupting methane formation while maintaining crop yields.
The benefits go beyond emissions. The approach significantly reduces water usage, a crucial advantage in regions already facing water stress. For farmers, it also opens up a new income stream. By adopting climate-friendly techniques, they earn carbon credits that can be sold to companies like Amazon, effectively turning sustainability into a revenue opportunity.
The current phase of the project covers more than 13,000 smallholder farmers across roughly 35,000 hectares. Amazon expects the initiative to offset about 685,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, offering a measurable contribution to its broader climate commitments.
The deal is notable not just for its scale but for its direction. While many companies have historically focused on forestry or renewable energy offsets, this move highlights growing interest in agriculture-based solutions that tackle methane emissions directly. It also reflects the increasing sophistication of carbon markets, where even small, decentralised farms can be integrated into global climate strategies.
For India, the implications are significant. As the world’s largest rice producer and one of the biggest methane emitters, scaling such models could play a meaningful role in meeting climate targets while supporting rural livelihoods.
For Amazon, the message is clear. Climate action is no longer just about reducing emissions within operations. It is also about reshaping supply chains and ecosystems. And in this case, the path to net zero runs straight through the paddy fields.
