Brands
Alliance Insurance Brokers names Aatur Thakkar CEO
MUMBAI: Alliance Insurance Brokers Private Limited has ushered in a new chapter by appointing Aatur Shashikant Thakkar as its chief executive officer and principal officer. The move signals a generational shift at one of India’s leading insurance and reinsurance brokerage firms, with growth firmly at the centre of the agenda.
Thakkar takes over from founder Shashikant Thakkar, who steps aside after building Alliance into a trusted name in insurance services and risk management. The founder will continue to play an active role, offering strategic guidance as the company sharpens its expansion plans.
The new CEO is clear about his ambitions. Over the next three financial years, Alliance aims to scale premiums under management to Rs 5,000 crore, while doubling the size of its reinsurance business. The strategy rests on widening the company’s reach across corporate insurance, B2B channels, strategic partnerships and digital platforms, all designed to keep growth steady and sustainable.
Commenting on the appointment, Alliance director Shashikant Thakkar, said Aatur’s long association with the firm made him a natural choice. Having grown within the organisation, he brings both continuity and a fresh perspective to the role.
For his part, Aatur Thakkar struck an upbeat note. He described the moment as both an honour and a responsibility, adding that Alliance is entering a decisive phase driven by scale, innovation and disciplined execution. The company closed FY25 with premiums under management of over Rs 1,500 crore and is targeting Rs 2,500 crore by the end of FY26.
With more than two decades at Alliance, Thakkar knows the business from the inside out. His blend of institutional memory and forward-looking ambition positions him to steer the firm through its next growth cycle, making insurance sound, if not thrilling, then at least a lot more interesting than before.
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.
