MAM
South Indian Bank appoints Jose Kattoor as Non-Executive Chairman
RBI veteran takes helm for three-year term from March 23, 2026.
MUMBAI: Jose Kattoor just stepped into the chairman’s chair at South Indian Bank because when the RBI’s former enforcer joins the board, even the balance sheet starts behaving itself. South Indian Bank has appointed Jose Joseph Kattoor as non-executive part-time chairman (independent director) effective March 23, 2026, for a three-year term. The appointment, sanctioned by the Reserve Bank of India on February 3, 2026, follows the completion of V J Kurian’s tenure on March 22, 2026.
Kurian had served on the board since March 23, 2018, first as independent director and later as non-executive part-time chairman from November 2, 2023. He played a key role in guiding the bank through strategic transformation and challenging periods.
Kattoor brings over three decades of experience at the Reserve Bank of India (1991–2023), where he held the position of executive director and led critical departments including Enforcement, Corporate Strategy, Currency, and Human Resources. He has been an Independent Director on the South Indian Bank board since July 18, 2024.
In his new role, Kattoor will work closely with the board and senior management to strengthen governance standards and advance the bank’s long-term strategic vision.
After steering RBI departments that kept others in line, Kattoor now gets to keep South Indian Bank on course proving that the best way to lead a bank is sometimes to arrive with three decades of regulatory muscle already in your briefcase.
MAM
De Beers launches ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ centenary book
Visual retrospective traces 100 years of iconic slogan and cultural impact.
MUMBAI: De Beers just dropped a century’s worth of sparkle between two covers because when a four-word line becomes forever, even the book needs a forever title. De Beers Group has released A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of a Cultural Icon 1926–2026, a landmark visual retrospective celebrating 100 years of shaping the modern perception of natural diamonds. The book traces how the brand transformed diamonds from elite heirlooms into universal symbols of love, commitment and personal achievement, with rare archival material, campaign highlights and cultural commentary.
At its core is the legendary 1947 slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety. The four words redefined diamonds as eternal promises, earning the title of the 20th century’s greatest advertising slogan from Advertising Age in 1999. The book explores how this idea and others like the “Two Months’ Salary” guideline and the “Right Hand Ring” influenced social rituals, female independence and consumer behaviour worldwide, including in India, where diamonds shifted from gold-centric traditions to emotionally resonant milestones.
Beyond marketing, it showcases collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Raoul Dufy, alongside icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Later campaigns, including the 1990s “Shadows” series set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, reinforced diamonds as timeless and unique. The narrative also addresses today’s focus on provenance, sustainability and ethical stewardship, positioning natural diamonds as symbols of both enduring love and responsible luxury.
The book arrives as De Beers marks a century of innovation in luxury marketing, from the Great Depression to the era of conscious consumption, offering a rare window into one of advertising’s most enduring brand stories.
In a world where trends fade fast, De Beers didn’t just sell diamonds, it sold forever, and now it’s bound the proof in pages that will outlast even the hardest carat.
