MAM
Rahul Welde exits Unilever after 31 years
MUMBAI: Unilever’s EVP – Digital Transformation and Digital Business Rahul Welde has decided to move on from Unilever after a stint of more than three decades at the FMCG conglomerate. He made the announcement on social media. While Welde did not disclose details of his future plans in his post, he said he is embarking on a new chapter, adding– “building a portfolio career, charting new waters and fostering the spirit of reinvention”.
Sharing a pic of himself handing over his Unilever employee pass, Welde wrote: Time does fly. It has been 31 years since I started my career at Unilever on a bright day. What a ride! I am fortunate to have been able to ‘pivot’ my career several times, long before the word became fashionable, all while being in the same company.
“I have always believed in owning your spirit – in my case, following my mantra of ‘Joy over Success’. And sustaining my undying thirst for the new and left field,” he continued, adding, “Unilever is a great company – just too good to sum up in words. When I completed 30 years I said (and it’s there on Twitter for posterity) – “When you are in the company that long, I guess you really bleed blue. It’s so much more than brands and business – it’s a family.”
“How does one leave family then? A fork in the road does come though, and it is time to move on from Unilever,” he further added.
Having joined Unilever as a management trainee back in 1991, Welde was appointed media director – south asia and general manager – media services in 2005. Thereafter, he held various senior positions like VP-media and global VP-Digital Transformation before being elevated to the post of EVP-Digital Transformation in April 2018. He undertook the additional role of EVP- digital business at the British multinational in February 2020.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
