MAM
uKnowva appoints Bistriti Poddar as chief communication officer
Mumbai: uKnowva, a flagship product of Convergence Services, announced the appointment of Bistriti Poddar as chief communication officer. Poddar will become a member of uKnowva’s executive team and lead the development, advancement and execution of the company’s communications and public affairs strategy.
“As we continue to grow, communications and content marketing are becoming increasingly critical to how we shape our culture, brand, products and overall business both internally and externally,” said uKnowva founder and CEO Vicky Jain. “The appointment of our first chief communication officer (CCO) signals the investment we’re making to increase our impact and showcase how we help our customers meet their digital transformation needs in more places.”
“We are thrilled to bring Bristriti’s proven success and experience to the uKnowva team as we enter our next phase. Bistriti embodies the entrepreneurial spirit that uKnowva was founded upon and will leverage her strong communications experience to develop and drive our corporate, brand, product and internal communications,” he further said.
Having worked with companies as diverse as start-ups to conglomerates like Havas Media, TATA AIA and Bewakoof.com, Poddar holds rich experience in copywriting, content creation and strategy, team mentoring, social media and PR. With an extensive experience of ten plus years she has worked on diverse workshops, training modules, content and social media strategies and motivational sessions.
On her appointment, Bistriti Poddar said, “There is no more exciting industry to be in than technology and I’m thrilled to be a part of the uKnowva team as we continue to grow. We have ambitious plans to bring more value to our fast growth and global tech clients. With a meteoric rise in growth over the last few months and seemingly unlimited opportunity in front of uKnowva, it’s a unique and exciting time to take on the CCO role.”
Poddar holds a graduation degree in Geography Honours from Delhi University and MSc in Tourism Management. She is a four-time TEDx speaker and has been featured on numerous news and radio shows like ET NOW Leaders of Tomorrow and Radio City to name a few.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
