Brands
Tejas Chaudhari to lead – quick commerce at Unilever
MUMBAI: Tejas Chaudhari has taken on a new challenge at Unilever, moving into the role of lead – quick commerce, where speed, scale and sharp execution are the order of the day.
After spending over four years building and shaping Unilever’s performance marketing engine, Chaudhari has signed off from his previous role as lead – performance marketing to head national account management for quick commerce platforms including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto and Big Basket.
Reflecting on the transition, Chaudhari described the move as anything but easy. He joined Hindustan Unilever when the performance marketing team was a five-member unit tucked away in a corner. Over 1,605 days, that small setup grew into a 20-plus strong team driving some of the company’s most critical digital growth levers.
The numbers were formidable. Annual media investments crossing 100 million dollars. Double-digit growth delivered year after year. Automation and AI-led systems built to scale performance marketing efficiently. Yet, Chaudhari says the real achievement was never the dashboards.
It was the people.
A team that questioned assumptions, cared more about outcomes than optics, and went on to top roles across AdTech, FMCG and entrepreneurship. The highs were shared victories. The lows signalled problems to be solved, not ignored.
Under his leadership, the function pushed hard for data-led decisions, defended the right spends, and often stepped beyond its formal mandate to solve larger business challenges. The learning curve, he says, never flattened.
Now, Chaudhari is turning his attention to a faster, more volatile arena. Quick commerce brings a different rhythm and a higher velocity, but the philosophy remains unchanged. Execution compounds.
As he steps into his new role at HUL, the marketer is clear-eyed about what lies ahead. More learning, some unlearning, and the familiar task of building once again.
Brands
Bajaj Consumer Care FY26 profit rises to Rs 193.7 crore
Revenue climbs to Rs 1,092 crore as profit grows 49 per cent YoY
MUMBAI: Hair today, growth tomorrow Bajaj Consumer Care Limited seems to have found its shine again, posting a sharp jump in profitability even as it doubled down on brand spends and expansion. The company reported a net profit of Rs 193.7 crore for FY26, marking a strong 49 per cent rise from Rs 130.1 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations also grew to Rs 1,092.2 crore, up from Rs 942.8 crore a year earlier, signalling steady demand momentum across its portfolio.
For the March quarter, profit stood at Rs 64.1 crore, compared to Rs 31.5 crore in the corresponding period last year, while revenue rose to Rs 308.3 crore from Rs 243.5 crore.
The performance came despite a notable increase in spending. Advertising and sales promotion expenses climbed to Rs 168.3 crore in FY26, up from Rs 137.8 crore in FY25, reflecting continued investment in brand building. Other expenses also rose to Rs 151.3 crore from Rs 134.2 crore, indicating a broader push towards growth.
Operating efficiency, however, held firm. Profit before tax increased to Rs 234.8 crore in FY26 from Rs 157.7 crore a year earlier, supported by disciplined cost management across materials and inventory.
On the balance sheet, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 959.1 crore as of March 31, 2026, compared to Rs 931.9 crore a year earlier. Other equity rose to Rs 780.3 crore, reinforcing a stronger financial base.
Cash flow from operations saw a significant uptick, reaching Rs 196.9 crore in FY26, nearly three times the Rs 67.9 crore recorded in FY25, highlighting improved working capital management.
However, the year also saw aggressive capital allocation. The company spent Rs 190.2 crore on share buybacks, contributing to a net cash outflow of Rs 196.5 crore from financing activities. Cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 6.8 crore at the end of the year, down from Rs 25.6 crore.
Even as investments in subsidiaries and assets continued, the numbers suggest a company balancing growth ambitions with shareholder returns keeping one eye on expansion and the other on efficiency.
With margins improving and revenue steadily climbing, Bajaj Consumer Care appears to be combing through the competition with renewed confidence.
