Brands
Marico merges men’s grooming brand Beardo into its parent company
MUMBAI: Marico is tidying up its house.
The FMCG group on Tuesday announced the integration of Beardo, its men’s grooming brand, into the parent company, folding the Rs 214-crore business into Marico through an intra-group restructuring aimed at sharpening operational efficiency.
The move will be executed via the voluntary liquidation of Zed Lifestyle, Marico’s wholly owned subsidiary that runs the Beardo brand. Its entire business undertaking will be transferred to Marico, the company said in a regulatory filing, allowing resources, teams and decision-making to be consolidated under one roof.
In the last financial year, Zed Lifestyle posted a turnover of Rs 214.17 crore, accounting for 1.98 per cent of Marico’s consolidated revenue. The subsidiary reported a net worth of Rs 18.61 crore.
Marico first invested in Beardo before fully acquiring the brand in 2020, when it bought the remaining 55 per cent stake in an all-cash deal. The integration marks the final step in embedding the men’s grooming label into Marico’s core portfolio.
Popcorn, too
Alongside the restructuring, Marico also signalled its appetite for premium snacking. The company announced the acquisition of a controlling stake in Zea Maize, owner of gourmet popcorn brand 4700BC, for Rs 226.83 crore.
Marico will initially acquire a 93.27 per cent stake, with the transaction expected to close within 30 days. The company retains the right to buy the remaining stake after three years, at a valuation to be determined at that time.
Markets approve
Investors appeared unfazed by the corporate reshuffle and acquisition spree. Shares of Marico ended 0.85 per cent higher on Tuesday, closing at Rs 747.20 on the BSE.
Beardo is now fully inside the tent, popcorn is on the menu, and Marico’s message is unmistakable: fewer silos, tighter control and a sharper focus on growth.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
