ITV News
Marico hands Pawan Agrawal charge of international business alongside CFO role
The consumer goods company restructures its global operations, with two regional heads now reporting to Agrawal and losing senior management personnel status from April 1st
MUMBAI: Marico Limited has given its group chief financial officer a bigger brief. The consumer goods company has elevated Pawan Agrawal to the dual role of group CFO and chief executive officer of its international business, effective April 1st, 2026, the company disclosed in an exchange filing on Wednesday.
The expanded mandate puts Agrawal in charge of Marico’s global operations across all markets, adding to his existing oversight of the company’s international business in Southeast Asia and Bangladesh. Two regional heads will now report directly to him: Binjit Kadakapcedlikayal, executive vice president for the Middle East and North Africa, and Ryan Bartram, managing director of Marico South Africa. As a result of the restructuring, both executives will cease to be classified as senior management personnel from April 1st, 2026.
Agrawal is no newcomer to the Marico story. He joined the company in 2004 and has spent over 25 years building expertise across financial planning and analysis, corporate finance, treasury, investor relations, taxation and governance. He has been a central figure in Marico’s push into digital-first brands, with acquisitions including Beardo, Just Herbs, True Elements, Plix, 4700BC and Cosmix all bearing his fingerprints.
Before Marico, Agrawal spent four years at Eveready Industries. A chartered accountant, he holds a B.Com (Hons) degree from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, and was named CFO of the Year in the consumer sector at the CII CFO Excellence Awards 2023-24.
Twenty-five years in the making. Marico has clearly decided Agrawal has earned the keys to the world.
ITV News
Apple removes VPN and proxy apps from Russian App Store
Move coincides with Telegram disruptions as Russia tightens internet controls.
MUMBAI: When the digital walls go up, even the cleverest escape routes can find themselves quietly blocked and Apple has just helped seal a few more in Russia. Apple has removed several VPN and proxy applications from its App Store in Russia as authorities intensify efforts to control internet access. The delisting includes apps such as Streisand, V2Box, v2RayTun and Happ Proxy Utility, which were popular among advanced users for setting up private proxy connections and bypassing restrictions.
These tools differed from mainstream VPN services like NordVPN or Surfshark by allowing manual server configuration and custom routing, making them harder for regulators to detect and block. Reports indicate the apps have been removed not only in Russia but also in some other regions, though similar tools remain available to Android users via Google Play.
Existing users who already have the apps installed can continue using them, but they will no longer receive updates, including important security patches or new features.
The removals align with a broader regulatory push in Russia to tighten control over online content. In recent years, authorities have introduced laws targeting services that help users circumvent restrictions. Enforcement now appears to be shifting towards tools with custom configurations, limiting alternative paths to unrestricted internet.
The move comes alongside ongoing disruptions to Telegram, a widely used messaging platform in Russia. Officials have indicated improvements in detecting VPN traffic, which may be contributing to these service interruptions.
For many Russian iPhone users, the combination of app removals and service disruptions signals growing limitations on internet access. With fewer tools available, bypassing restrictions could become significantly more challenging as enforcement continues to expand.
In a country where staying connected often requires creative workarounds, this latest development suggests the authorities and now Apple are making those workarounds a little harder to find.
