MAM
Himanshu Shekhar named as cluster CEO of GroupM Thailand, Indonesia & Vietnam
Mumbai: Media investment company GroupM has promoted Himanshu Shekhar to the role of cluster CEO of GroupM Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam. Shekhar became CEO of GroupM Indonesia in 2019, and in October last year, he took on the additional mantle as CEO of GroupM Vietnam. His remit as CEO of GroupM Indonesia and Vietnam has been expanded to include the burgeoning Thailand market.
Additionally, the company has appointed Pathamawan Sathaporn as the CEO of GroupM Thailand. She moves on from Mindshare Thailand’s CEO position where she held various leadership roles for over one and a half decades. Pathamawan assumes the portfolio held by Niklas Stalberg who will be leaving the network after a decade of long-standing service. In this role, she will report to cluster CEO Himanshu Shekhar.
“Both the appointments are with effect from 1 May,” the company said in a statement.
Having spent two decades within the GroupM network, Shekhar rose through the ranks in Mindshare managing the business in volume-heavy India and Indonesia. He was appointed CEO of Mindshare Southeast Asia from 2014 to 2018. During Shekhar’s tenure at Mindshare, the agency in Indonesia bagged gold at ‘Campaign Asia’s Agency of the Year’ for five years running, while Mindshare Southeast Asia also snagged gold for three consecutive years.
“The group’s strategy to cluster Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam under one unified leadership will strengthen market capabilities and network agility,” said Himanshu Shekhar. “Given the breadth and depth of resources across these three important markets, we will be able to further scale our capabilities and solutions to deliver enhanced value for all our clients and partners. I look forward to building pathways for our talents to flourish in their careers and do great work for our clients. Our chief goal is to make advertising work better for people across Southeast Asia.”
“I am thrilled to partner with an illustrious leader like Pathamawan whose depth of field experience in Thailand will undoubtedly propel us into an even more glorious future,” he further said.
As CEO of GroupM Thailand, Indonesia & Vietnam, Himanshu will report to GroupM Asia Pacific CEO Ashutosh Srivastava, the company stated.
GroupM Thailand CEO Pathamawan Sathaporn commented, “I am honoured to embark on a journey that is both familiar and new – the purple blood running through my veins has now taken on a shade of blue. Growing alongside Mindshare for the past 16 years, I feel privileged to have witnessed the dramatic evolution of the media landscape which sets us up for new adventures daily.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
