MAM
IPL 2022: Ather Energy partners with Gujarat Titans
Mumbai: Ahead of the 15th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), homegrown electric scooter manufacturer Ather Energy has announced a multi-year partnership with the newly formed IPL Ahmedabad franchise- Gujarat Titans, as the principal partner. The strategic partnership starting from this season will see the Ather Energy brand on the front of the Gujarat Titans’ official team jerseys.
This partnership with IPL’s Gujarat franchise will help the brand enhance its awareness, build credibility, and trust, it said in a statement.
As one of the two newest teams to join the league, Gujarat Titans has been actively building the squad, coaching and managing the team. Hardik Pandya has been appointed as the team’s captain, with spin wizard Rashid Khan and young batting talent Shubman Gill also selected as squad members.
“Being relative newcomers in our respective fields, what binds us are shared values of fearlessness and positivity, and a hunger to make a difference in our highly competitive environments,” said Ather Energy chief business officer Ravneet Singh Phokela. “The scale and reach of IPL provide a great platform for us to rapidly drive awareness and familiarity for the brand across the country, as we expand our geographic footprint. But beyond just reach numbers, the IPL has the unique advantage of being a sporting event whose appeal cuts across age and gender boundaries, engaging the entire household. This gives us the opportunity to introduce our scooters to a larger audience and accelerate the adoption of EVs across the country.”
In the recently concluded IPL auction, the Gujarat Titans team have roped in leading cricketers such as Mohammed Shami, Jason Roy, Lockie Ferguson, David Miller and Vijay Shankar. The cricket team management will be led by Vikram Solanki, who will hold the position of director of cricket, with Ashish Nehra as the head coach. Gary Kirsten will act as the Titans’ mentor and batting coach.
“The blend of youthfulness and strategic thinking that Ather Energy projects resonates with us as a team as we embark on a journey with youthful spirit and determination in mind to make our mark in the league. We hope to work together with great synergy to achieve our goals,” said Gujarat Titans chief operating officer Colonel Arvinder Singh.
Ather Energy has registered a 20 per cent month-on-month sales growth over the past year, according to the company. To cater to the growing demand, the brand is expanding its retail presence across the country. Currently, the company has 30 experience centres (retail outlets) across India, and by March 2023, it plans to open 150 experience centres in 100 cities, it stated.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
