MAM
JLL brings Siddharth Taparia on board as global CMO
Mumbai: Jones Lang LaSalle Inc (JLL) on Tuesday announced the appointment of Siddharth Taparia to the global role of chief marketing officer (CMO), effective immediately. He will be responsible for the company’s global marketing strategy and will oversee all marketing activities worldwide, it said.
“As the real estate industry evolves in response to macro trends including rising capital allocations, sustainability, technology transformation and increasing commercial real estate outsourcing, Siddharth’s proven success as an innovator and strategic marketer will be instrumental in positioning JLL’s full capabilities to the market,” said JLL CEO Christian Ulbrich. “Siddharth’s background in leading commercially driven marketing teams in large, globally matrixed organisations will enable him to bring together our marketing talent across the globe to focus on our purpose of shaping the future of real estate for a better world.”
Prior to JLL, Taparia was associated with software company SAP as senior VP and global head of corporate brand and experience marketing. Previously, he has held several leadership positions across marketing, strategy, consulting, product management, and mergers and acquisitions.
Taparia is an accomplished author and advisor on data privacy, cloud computing and value-driven marketing. He earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya in Bhopal before moving to the US to earn his master’s degree from Texas A&M University.
He is a member of the CMO Club and sits on the board of the CMO Council. He was named in 2018 as one of the 40 Under 40 by DMN, an organisation focused on digital and data-driven marketing.
“JLL’s opportunity to have an outsized impact on delivering workplace flexibility and technology-enabled commercial real estate and sustainability solutions has never been greater,” said Taparia. “Marketing has a critical role to play, and I look forward to working with JLL’s leaders and marketing teams around the world to grow JLL’s brand equity and ability to connect with clients to achieve shared success.”
Brands
Muthoot FinCorp names Arun Kumar COO & Harjit Singh Takkar chief distribution officer
Leadership hires to boost operations and widen pan-India reach
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Muthoot FinCorp has strengthened its top deck with the appointment of Arun Kumar B as chief operating officer and Harjit Singh Takkar as chief distribution officer, sharpening its focus on scale, speed and service as it pushes into its next phase of growth.
The flagship financial services arm of the 138-year-old Muthoot Pappachan Group, popularly known as Muthoot Blue, is expanding both muscle and mindset. With more than 3,750 branches nationwide and its digital platform, the Muthoot FinCorp ONE app, the company is betting on tighter execution and wider reach to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive lending market.
Arun Kumar B steps in with nearly two decades of experience cutting across financial services, technology transformation and customer analytics. He previously worked with CreditAccess Grameen, where he led enterprise-wide technology and data strategy initiatives and played a pivotal role during a major merger in the microfinance space. His work spanned integrating operations and products while scaling lending and non-credit offerings such as insurance and pensions.
At Muthoot FinCorp, Arun will steer operational excellence and strategic growth initiatives, aligning teams and processes to deliver sharper efficiency across the business. A gold medallist from Anna University and a postgraduate from IIM Indore, he also holds certifications in design thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy and business analytics.
Harjit Singh Takkar takes on the newly created role of chief distribution officer, reporting directly to the chief executive officer. The position is designed to energise the company’s distribution engine and bring greater governance and agility across its branch network.
Takkar brings over 28 years of retail banking experience, having held senior leadership roles at IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank. Known for scaling branch networks and building high-performing teams, he combines distribution expertise with governance depth as a qualified company secretary with a master’s degree in finance and control.
In his new role, Takkar will oversee branch business and distribution channels, with a clear brief to expand reach, lift productivity and reinforce the company’s pan-India presence.
Commenting on the appointments, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd. chief executive officer Shaji Varghese, said the company continues to invest in leadership as it scales. “Our purpose is to improve the financial well-being of the common man. As we grow, strengthening leadership across key functions is important to ensure consistency in execution and customer experience,” he said.
With complementary strengths in operations and distribution now in place, Muthoot FinCorp appears set to move from steady expansion to sharper acceleration, backed by people, process and technology working in concert.
