MAM
Humour Me names Joy Mohanty its chief operating officer
Mumbai: Entertainment creative agency Humour Me has announced the appointment of Joy Mohanty as its chief operating officer. He will be leading the overall creative function of the agency ahead of the firm’s expansion plans.
He will be based in New Delhi and spearhead the expansion of the new media creative shop, the agency said in a statement.
In a career spanning three decades in advertising, Mohanty has worked with agencies like Publicis Capital, Lowe Lintas, FCB Ulka, Bates Clarion, Leo Burnett, and Contract. He has won numerous local and international awards, including the One Show, D&AD, New York Festivals, and Goafest.
“With Joy coming on board, we want to send a signal to all our brand partners and the marketing/ advertising ecosystem that we’re here to offer up our brand of creative audacity to the world now,” said Humour Me founder Dhruv Sachdeva. “Our plan is to build and invest in one of the most differentiated creative teams, unlike what one might find in a traditional agency set-up.”
“We are also excited about cementing a new teaching model within Humour Me, wherein we aim to give our creative talent the edge they need by up-skilling them to serve the attention needs of today. The Donald Draper days of advertising are dead, the new creative person needs to be a Twitter ninja, an Instagram poet, plus an independent creator themselves. Humour Me is more a collective of creators wanting to serve the attention economy of today, than an agency,” Sachdeva said.
“Humour Me is a company created for the post-internet world, one in which marketing, creativity, and tech have coalesced,” said Joy Mohanty. “Today, consumers and culture are always in beta, and so should brands and ideas be forever ready to read the signals and rewire. In this landscape, Dhruv and his team have built something unique, with an enviable list of like-minded clients. I am thrilled to be here, to add my energy to the success of Humour Me.”
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.
