Brands
Shri B Sairam takes the helm at Coal India
KOLKATA: Coal India has a new hand on the wheel. B Sairam has taken charge as chairman-cum-managing director of the world’s largest coal miner, effective 15 December 2025, capping more than three decades spent deep inside India’s coal belt.
Sairam moves up from Northern Coalfields Limited, where as cmd he drove large-scale projectisation, steered project financing and tackled regulatory bottlenecks to keep output humming. The brief was tough; delivery was harder. He made it stick.
An alumnus of NIT Raipur and the NTPC School of Business, Delhi, Sairam has clocked senior stints across Central Coalfields Limited, Coal India and NCL. His track record spans mine operations, coal logistics, first mile connectivity, environmental and forest clearances, and community development, a rare, end-to-end view of the coal ecosystem.
At a time when Coal India is under pressure to lift productivity, clean up logistics and execute faster, the appointment signals continuity with bite. Expect fewer excuses, tighter timelines and a sharper push on the ground.
Brands
Aviva India appoints Harshit Agrawal as head of marketing
Former Clix Capital marketing head to steer brand strategy and growth
MUMBAI: Aviva India has appointed Harshit Agrawal as head of marketing, bringing on board a seasoned marketer with more than 15 years of experience across financial services, digital agencies and brand strategy.
Agrawal joins the life insurance company after a nearly five-year stint at Clix Capital, where he served as head of marketing. In that role, he led the company’s brand repositioning as an MSME-focused NBFC and oversaw a wide marketing mandate spanning brand strategy, PR, omni-channel platforms, social media, SEO and high-performance media.
During his tenure, Clix Capital saw a strong digital push, including a 200 per cent rise in annual website traffic and a significant reduction in customer acquisition costs. He also played a key role in the firm’s digital transformation initiatives, helping design digital journeys for its personal loan business.
Before Clix Capital, Agrawal was head of marketing at Muthoot Fincorp, where he managed integrated marketing campaigns across the Muthoot Pappachan Group’s financial and non-financial businesses. His work ranged from rolling out a nationwide CRM platform to managing ATL and BTL campaigns, brand ambassador-led advertising and large-scale sponsorships, including those linked to the IPL.
Earlier in his career, Agrawal worked with digital agencies including BC Web Wise and Dentsu Webchutney, where he handled digital strategy and online marketing campaigns for brands such as Hero MotoCorp, SanDisk and Bharti Airtel.
Alongside his corporate career, he also co-founded SRB Automotive, where he has been involved in running one of Central India’s long-standing fuel stations, focusing on customer data analytics and service excellence.
Commenting on the appointment, Aviva India MD and CEO Asit Rath said, “At Aviva, we are on a journey of transformation, building a progressive, customer-first brand that moves beyond conventional marketing. Harshit’s contribution will be instrumental in elevating our marketing capabilities and strengthening our position as a future-ready organisation.”
Sharing his thoughts on the new role, Harshit Agrawal said, “Aviva has always stood out as a progressive organisation, constantly evolving with new innovations and a forward-looking strategy. It inspires me to build on this momentum, moving beyond traditional approaches to create campaigns that resonate with customers, elevate the brand, and reflect Aviva’s shift from protection to prevention. I look forward to shaping an impactful marketing narrative that drives trust, engagement and sustainable growth.”
Agrawal holds an executive management programme certification in sales and marketing leadership from the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow and is also a certified CFA. At Aviva India, he will lead the company’s marketing strategy and brand initiatives as it looks to deepen customer engagement in an increasingly competitive insurance market.
