Brands
Uber elevates Balaji Krishnamurthy as CFO
CALIFORNIA: Uber has turned to an insider to mind the money. The ride-hailing giant has elevated Balaji Krishnamurthy as chief financial officer, tightening its grip on financial strategy as growth motors ahead.
The appointment takes effect on February 16, 2026. Krishnamurthy replaces Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, who will step down but stay on as a senior finance adviser to chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi until July 1, 2026.
Krishnamurthy is no stranger to Uber’s books. Currently vice president, strategic finance, he joined in 2019 and ran investor relations from 2020 to 2023, giving him a front-row seat to the firm’s market story.
Uber was keen to dampen any drama. Mahendra-Rajah’s departure, it said, has nothing to do with disputes over disclosures or accounting. His exit will count as a qualifying termination under the firm’s executive severance plan.
The reshuffle arrived alongside solid numbers. In the October–December quarter, trips climbed 22 per cent year on year to 3.8bn, powered by an 18 per cent rise in monthly active platform consumers. Gross bookings jumped 22 per cent to $54.1bn, while revenue rose 20 per cent to $14.4bn.
The message is clear: Uber’s engine is humming, and it wants a steady hand on the tiller. In a business built on speed, the real test is not just how fast you grow, but how well you count the fare at the end of the ride.
Brands
Parle-G celebrates Bihu with music-led campaign rooted in culture
Two-part films blend nostalgia and storytelling to capture Assam’s festive soul
MUMBAI: Parle-G has turned to music, memory and meaning in its latest campaign celebrating Bihu, offering a culturally rooted tribute that goes beyond typical festive advertising.
Created by Thought Blurb Communications, the two-part campaign builds on the brand’s long-standing thought of finding joy in others’ happiness. It begins with a music-led prequel and culminates in a narrative-driven film that explores the emotional essence of the festival.
The campaign opened with a two-and-a-half-minute Bihu music video featuring Partha Hazarika, with music composed by Nilotpal Bora and vocals by Dikshu. Rather than positioning itself as a conventional brand piece, the video leaned into authenticity, capturing the vibrancy and rhythm of Bihu. Viewers also drew emotional parallels to Zubeen Garg, whose absence lent the film a nostalgic undertone. The response was swift, with over 12 million combined views across YouTube and Instagram within a week.
Building on this momentum, the main film tells the story of Ahir, a musician struggling to compose a Bihu song within the confines of a studio. His journey takes him into the open landscapes of Assam and eventually to the banks of the Brahmaputra, where a boatman helps him rediscover the true spirit of Bihu. The narrative underscores a simple idea that the festival cannot be manufactured in isolation, it must be experienced in nature, community and shared joy.
Speaking about the campaign, Parle Products vice president Mayank Shah said the initiative aims to celebrate not just the festival but the emotion behind it. He noted that Bihu reflects the idea that joy multiplies when shared, a theme that sits at the heart of the story.
From the agency side, Thought Blurb Communications chief creative officer Vinod Kunj said the team sought to tap into Assam’s cultural pulse, acknowledging the emotional void left by the absence of Zubeen Garg while celebrating the enduring spirit of the festival.
Adding to this, Thought Blurb Communications national creative director Renu Somani Karwa said the campaign draws from deeply human stories, where small acts of generosity become powerful expressions of connection.
Meanwhile, Thought Blurb Communications executive creative director Auryndom Bose highlighted the importance of nature in shaping Bihu’s identity, noting that the film attempts to capture how music and movement emerge organically from the landscape itself.
With this campaign, Parle-G leans into cultural storytelling with a lighter brand footprint and a stronger emotional core. By placing music and community at the centre, it offers a reminder that some stories are best told not in studios, but in the shared rhythms of real life
