MAM
Shashwat Varma returns to BMW India as head of brand communication and media strategy
GURUGRAM: BMW India has welcomed back head of brand communication and media strategy, Shashwat Varma, who previously shaped the marque’s story in the country.
After a stint driving brand strategy and communication for global labels including Monkey Shoulder and Hendrick’s, Varma is set to craft fresh narratives for BMW in India. “Returning to a brand you admire is a rare alignment of passion and purpose. The road ahead is thrilling, and I’m excited to elevate BMW’s presence and deepen consumer connections,” said head of brand communication and media strategy, BMW India, Shashwat Varma.
Varma’s comeback signals a renewed push for BMW India as the company aims to consolidate its brand impact and media engagement in a fast-evolving automotive and luxury market.
With a team ready to accelerate campaigns and storytelling, Varma’s return promises high-octane strategies and memorable brand experiences.
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.
