MAM
Globale Media elevates Kritika Arora to senior director of brand strategy and performance marketing
The adtech firm bets on integrated brand and performance marketing as its next growth lever
GURUGRAM: Globale Media is not standing still. The Gurugram-based adtech company has promoted Kritika Arora to senior director of brand strategy and performance marketing, signalling a deliberate shift towards full-funnel marketing muscle as it accelerates expansion across global markets and moves into emerging digital ecosystems.
Arora, who has been part of Globale Media’s growth story since joining the firm, built her reputation running high-impact campaigns for leading global brands, combining brand-building instincts with data-driven performance outcomes. Her elevation puts her in charge of integrated brand and performance initiatives, with a mandate to drive strategic growth for clients while sharpening the company’s position as a full-funnel marketing operator.
She is clear about what excites her. “Globale Media’s vision of integrating brand and performance marketing to deliver measurable impact has always inspired me,” Arora said. “I’m excited to take on this expanded role and continue building innovative, data-driven strategies that help our clients scale sustainably. I look forward to working closely with our teams and partners to unlock new growth opportunities.”
Bhavesh Talreja, founder and chief executive of Globale Media, was equally direct about why the promotion matters. “Her strong understanding of both brand and performance ecosystems, coupled with her ability to drive measurable outcomes, makes her a valuable leader at Globale Media,” Talreja said. “Kritika has consistently demonstrated strategic vision and execution excellence, and we are confident that she will play a pivotal role in shaping our next phase of growth and strengthening our position as a global performance marketing powerhouse.”
Founded in 2017, Globale Media has grown into one of the faster-moving adtech companies operating across India, the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Its business spans ROI-led user acquisition, programmatic advertising, influencer marketing, connected TV and app marketing. The company is building an integrated adtech platform underpinned by artificial intelligence, automation and data intelligence, with a pitch to clients built around transparency and scale.
The timing of Arora’s promotion is not incidental. As brands demand more accountability from their marketing spend and the line between brand and performance continues to blur, Globale Media is making a clear bet: that the firms who can hold both disciplines in one hand will win. Arora is now the person holding them.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
