MAM
Neeraj Chopra signs first brand endorsement with Tata AIA post Tokyo win
Mumbai: Tata AIA Life Insurance has announced the signing of a multi-year brand partnership with Indian athlete and Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra as its brand ambassador on Wednesday. This association marks the very first brand partnership to be signed with the champion javelin thrower post his historic Olympic win.
Chopra closely embodies Tata AIA’s vision of enabling dreams and inspiring healthier and happier lives and its core value of passion for excellence, said the company in a statement. Over the next few years, he will support Tata AIA’s efforts in offering life protection and health & wellness solutions to its consumers across the country, it added.
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has also underlined the need for life and health insurance, more emphatically than ever. With a premium-to-GDP penetration of less than 3.5 per cent in India (as per Swiss Re Sigma report on World Insurance, 2021), there is a clear and urgent need to fast-track the insurance journey in the country.
Chopra’s association with Tata AIA stems from his own experience and understanding of the need for adequate life and health cover and timely planning for one’s key life milestones, stated the brand.
Welcoming Chopra on board, Tata AIA Life Insurance, executive vice president and chief distribution officer, Venky Iyer said, “As a VSM awardee in the Army and a National icon today, Neeraj symbolises incredible passion for excellence and a great commitment to serving the nation. For us at Tata AIA, his sports journey echoes greatly with our vision of enabling dreams and inspiring healthier and happier lives. And quite like we observe in Neeraj’s journey, passion for excellence, and an obsession to do the best for our consumers, the people of India, are among the core values at Tata AIA.”
Speaking on the association, Chopra said, “Joining the Tata AIA family was a logical step for me. I firmly believe that there is a need to educate Indians, especially the youth, about the need for life insurance and to help them plan for their financial goals, at the right time. Further, the pandemic has made us realize the key need to pursue physical and emotional wellbeing in our day-to-day life.”
Brands
KPMG names Gary Wingrove as global chairman and CEO from October
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MUMBAI: KPMG has chosen continuity with a forward tilt. The firm has announced that Gary Wingrove will take over as global chairman and CEO of KPMG International, beginning a four year term from 1 October 2026. Currently serving as global chief operating officer, Wingrove steps into the top role after being nominated by the global board and elected by the global council.
A KPMG veteran with over 25 years at the firm, Wingrove has been closely involved in shaping its recent trajectory. As global COO, he has helped drive the firm’s Collective Strategy, focusing on operational integration, global investments and the steady expansion of the KPMG Delivery Network. He has also been at the forefront of KPMG’s digital push, including the rollout of AI enabled solutions across its global operations.
Before his global role, Wingrove served as CEO of KPMG Australia for nearly a decade, where he led a period of strong growth, almost doubling revenue, profitability and headcount while steering a cultural reset.
He succeeds Bill Thomas, who has led KPMG since 2017 and will work alongside Wingrove over the next six months to ensure a smooth transition.
Thomas leaves behind a firm that looks markedly different from when he took charge. Under his leadership, KPMG’s global revenues have risen by 55 per cent, and its workforce has expanded to more than 276,000 people. He also unified the network of member firms under the Collective Strategy, aligning priorities and strengthening governance.
His tenure saw heavy investment in technology and partnerships, with alliances spanning Microsoft, Google Cloud, SAP, Oracle and ServiceNow. These collaborations, along with platforms like KPMG Clara, have helped the firm scale its AI-led offerings and sharpen its competitive edge.
Beyond growth, Thomas also pushed improvements in audit quality and sustainability. Initiatives such as a multiyear global sustainability strategy and the Our Impact Plan have aimed to embed long term thinking into the firm’s operations and client services.
For Wingrove, the brief is clear but evolving. He has signalled a focus on agility, deep expertise and technology driven solutions as clients navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. He also emphasised KPMG’s identity as a people first organisation, supported by technology and unified through its global network.
The timing of the leadership change comes as KPMG continues to grow, reporting a 5.1 per cent rise in global revenue in FY25, with gains across tax and legal, audit and advisory services. Growth was recorded across all regions, despite a challenging macro environment.
As Wingrove prepares to take charge, the firm appears set on a familiar path with a sharper digital edge. Same playbook, perhaps, but with a renewed focus on speed, scale and smarter solutions.
