Brands
Praveen Kumar named SVP, business head sports digital and LTV at JioStar
MUMBAI: Praveen Kumar has hit the ground running at JioStar, taking on a new leadership assignment as senior vice president and business head for sports digital and LTV. The move marks another decisive chapter in a career built on steering brands, deals and data through India’s fast-changing media landscape.
With over two decades of experience behind him, Kumar arrives at JioStar after a high-impact stint at GroupM, where he led trading, partnerships and sports. Known for blending commercial sharpness with strategic flair, he played a central role in managing large-scale advertiser relationships and navigating both online and offline media ecosystems.
Before GroupM, Kumar spent more than four years at GroupM Essence as vice president and national trading head, overseeing trading operations across platforms and handling marquee clients spanning technology, FMCG, telecom and digital-first brands. His earlier career reads like a tour of the industry’s powerhouses, with senior roles at Amazon, Mindshare and Madison Media, where he cut his teeth in media planning, trading and leadership.
Beyond boardrooms and balance sheets, Kumar also brings an academic edge, having taught marketing and advertising early in his career. That mix of classroom clarity and commercial grit has shaped his reputation as a leader who can simplify complexity and spot value where others see noise.
At JioStar, Kumar is expected to sharpen the company’s sports digital strategy while building long-term value in a market where audiences, platforms and monetisation models are constantly on the move. For an industry obsessed with the next big play, his appointment signals a steady hand on the tiller and an eye firmly on the future.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
