Brands
RBI approves Vinay Muralidhar Tonse’s appointment as Yes Bank’s MD & CEO
MUMBAI: Yes Bank has lined up its next leader. The Reserve Bank of India on February 4 approved Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer, setting the stage for a planned handover at the private lender as it steadies its post-crisis rebuild.
The approval, disclosed in a regulatory filing, is subject to shareholder clearance. Prashant Kumar, the incumbent md and ceo, will continue through his extended term, ensuring continuity while the bank prepares for transition.
Tonse arrives with a long retail-banking pedigree. Until November 30, 2025, he served as md (retail business and operations) at State Bank of India, where he built deep experience in retail lending, distribution and operations—areas crucial for Yes Bank’s growth ambitions. The bank underscored his operational depth and confirmed he is not debarred by Sebi or any authority.
The timing is notable. Yes Bank has spent the past few years repairing its balance sheet, rebuilding trust and sharpening governance after its 2020 rescue. Kumar, first appointed in March 2020 during the reconstruction, has been central to that clean-up. Reappointed in October 2022 and again in 2025, he has overseen a shift towards a more “re-energised, recapitalised and recalibrated” bank.
Kumar’s own SBI career spanned 34 years across credit, finance, HR and operations, from probationary officer in 1983 to senior leadership roles including deputy md and chief financial officer. His tenure at Yes Bank stabilised the ship; Tonse’s task will be to accelerate the voyage.
For a bank once defined by crisis, the narrative is now about succession and scale. The regulator has spoken, the board has moved and the market will watch the next chapter closely. In Indian banking, turnarounds win headlines—but durable growth wins the story.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
