MAM
Birlas and Galeries Lafayette dazzle Mumbai night
MUMBAI: When Paris met Mumbai, it wasn’t on a runway but at a rooftop under the stars. The Birla family, Kumar Mangalam Birla, Neerja Birla, Ananya Birla, and Aryaman Birla, hosted a glittering private soirée with Galeries Lafayette, turning an ordinary evening into a masterclass in culture, couture, and conversation.
The night unfolded like a love letter to Parisian charm with a Mumbai heartbeat. Guests journeyed floor by floor through immersive spaces, each telling a different story of elegance.
At La Beauté on the lower ground, beauty and wine mingled to the sound of a live cello. The Ground Floor’s La Coupole shimmered with over 800 designer bags, champagne bubbles, and decadent desserts, indulgence at its most refined. On the first floor, L’Atelier transformed into an art-meets-fashion haven, while L’Édition Femme on the second floor glowed with violin notes, couture, and champagne.
Style took a suave turn at L’Édition Homme, where whiskey flowed and a live saxophone serenaded guests amid sharp tailoring and timeless sophistication. The energy rose at Flip Side, a denim-fuelled floor pulsing with tequila, laughter, and live guitar, proving that luxury can let its hair down too.
The evening reached its crescendo at Turner Terrace, the rooftop finale. A breathtaking cross-cultural symphony united harpist Victor Espinola, sitar maestro Purbayan Chatterjee, Japanese violinist Suyaka Kurokichi, percussionist Satyajit Talwalkar, and drummer Shikhar Naad, a harmony of East and West under the night sky.
The 130-year-old French maison provided the perfect backdrop for a guest list that sparkled as brightly as the chandeliers. Among those in attendance were Anil Kapoor, Juhi Chawla, Aditi Rao Hydari, Arjun Kapoor, Tamannaah Bhatia, Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia, Armaan Malik, Anuv Jain, Shankar Mahadevan, Tarun Tahiliani, and Ahaan Shetty, all adding their own flair to the soirée’s splendour.
An evening of Parisian poise and Mumbai magic, it was a night where art, fashion, and music converged, proving that when the Birlas host, luxury takes centre stage.
MAM
Kwality Wall’s appoints new board members after Magnum acquisition
Abhijit Bhattacharya named Chairperson as ice cream company enters next growth phase.
MUMBAI: When your ice cream business gets a fresh scoop of leadership, things are bound to get even cooler and Kwality Wall’s has just done exactly that. Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL), now part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company (TMICC), has announced the appointment of Abhijit Bhattacharya and Tahir Toloy Tanridagli to its Board of Directors. The appointments, effective 30 March, follow TMICC HoldCo’s acquisition of a controlling 61.90 per cent stake in KWIL.
Mr Abhijit Bhattacharya has been appointed as additional (non-executive and non-independent) director and chairperson of the board. He currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of The Magnum Ice Cream Company N.V. and previously held the role of CFO for Unilever Ice Cream. With nearly four decades of experience, including 38 years at Koninklijke Philips N.V. in senior finance and operational roles across Europe, Asia and the United States, Bhattacharya brings deep expertise in strategic transformation and complex corporate restructurings.
Mr Tahir Toloy Tanridagli has been appointed as additional (non-executive and non-independent) director. A graduate of Bogazici University with a High Honours BA in Business Administration, he currently serves as President for METSA markets (Middle East, Turkey, Africa, Israel, and South Asia) at TMICC and is a member of the Global Ice Cream Executive Leadership Team. With over two decades in the snacking and FMCG sector, including leadership roles at Kraft Foods–Mondelez and Unilever, Toloy has extensive experience across ice cream, chocolate, snacks, beverages and desserts.
The appointments come as KWIL, which listed as an independent entity after its demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited, enters a new phase of growth following the Share Purchase Agreement signed between Unilever and TMICC in June 2025.
In the fast-melting world of ice cream, adding two heavyweights to the board is a clear signal that Kwality Wall’s is ready to scoop up even bigger opportunities ahead.
