Brands
Deepa Krishnan takes charge as marketing head at Edelweiss AIF
MUMBAI: Edelweiss Alternate Asset Advisors has roped in seasoned marketer Deepa Krishnan as its new head of marketing, marking a notable leadership addition as the firm sharpens its focus on real estate-led alternate investments.
Announcing the move, Krishnan called it a “new beginning in 2026”, saying she looks forward to driving disproportionate growth for Edelweiss’s real estate business. The appointment brings a consumer-first marketing lens to a space that is increasingly courting sophisticated investors with sharper storytelling and stronger brand recall.
Krishnan joins Edelweiss after a high-profile stint at Hyatt Hotels Corporation, where she served as head of marketing for India and South West Asia. During her tenure, Hyatt clocked double-digit growth, strengthened its presence in key segments such as MICE, weddings and food and beverage, and emerged as the most followed hospitality brand in India on social media. She also helped lift loyalty contribution to topline by 10 per cent, blending brand-building with measurable business impact.
Before Hyatt, Krishnan spent over four years at Starbucks India, where she headed marketing, category, loyalty and digital. Her time there coincided with rapid expansion, with the store network tripling in four years and loyalty-led customer acquisition growing at 20 per cent year on year.
Her earlier career spans leadership roles at Kantar, Idea Cellular and Diageo India, along with a long consulting innings at The Futures Company, advising global giants on strategy, innovation and consumer trends across Asia. She began her professional journey at Godrej Appliances, working on marketing and new product development, including the launch of Godrej’s first rural refrigerator.
With experience cutting across FMCG, hospitality, telecom and now alternate assets, Krishnan brings a rare mix of brand craft and growth discipline. At Edelweiss Alternate Asset Advisors, that blend is likely to be put to work as the firm looks to stand out in a crowded and increasingly brand-conscious investment landscape.
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.
