MAM
Cheil India hires Sudhir Das as senior executive creative director
Mumbai: Cheil India, an advertising agency has announced the appointment of Sudhir Das as Sr executive creative director. He will be responsible for overseeing the creative output of a segment of Samsung mobile business and Samsung exclusive stores.
In his current role, Sudhir will be reporting to Cheil India CCO Vikash Chemjong and will be based out of the agency’s Gurgaon office.
Sudhir has been in advertising for two-plus decades, in agencies like Publicis, McCann, Leo Burnett, and Dentsu WebChutney, winning around 100 national and international awards along the way. His previous role was group executive creative director at Dentsu Creative.
Sudhir has created advertising for some of India and the world’s most popular brands including Coca Cola, Nestle, Apple, Google, Airtel, LinkedIn, Tanishq, ITC and Uber. Along the way, he has been part of campaigns like ‘Ras-Ras mein India’, ‘Me and Meri Maggi’, ‘Spicejet Democracy’, ‘Cardekho Back-Off’, ‘Airtel 175 Replayed’ and ‘Motorola Deep Connect’ – covering the gamut from large, populist, TV-led campaigns to documentary-style film-making to social and tech innovations.
A proud geek, he is extremely interested in tech and using it new and interesting ways to create social conversations.
Cheil India CCO Vikash Chemjong said, “Sudhir when you meet him, seems alike a misfit in advertising. He doesn’t drink! Is not trying to run off to the hills/beach every chance he gets because he hates travelling! And he is a little anti-social, preferring the company of his cats more than the company of most people [but seeing the type of people surrounding us most days, I have begun to see the wisdom in it.
But dig a little deeper and one begins to see the many reasons for the multi-award winning adman that he is. He is a gamer. A lover of all things tech. A self-professed nerd. An encyclopedia of advertising trivia. Plus a great cook! Not just in what he whips up in the kitchen but what he manages to concoct every time you sit down with him, for work or otherwise. Be it stories. Strategies. Interesting theories. And of course, great advertising ideas! We’re lucky to have him join the Cheil fold. All set to mesmerize us and our clients with his unique and interesting way of telling the brand story.”
Commenting about his appointment, Sudhir said, “This is actually my second stint at Cheil. And it took literally a 15-minute conversation with Vikash to decide that I wanted to be back here. What really attracted me was the hunger to really explore the bleeding edge of creativity, and perhaps more importantly, this hunger was married to a scale and depth of integrated talent that actually manages to get things done. I have a feeling I’m really going to enjoy my time here.”
Cheil SWA group COO Sanjeev Jasani added, “I am happy to welcome Sudhir to Cheil India. He has a much-deserved reputation for being a creative maestro with a penchant for everything that is tech. His repertoire of work is amazing and eclectic in equal measures. I look forward to the unique perspective and ideas that Sudhir brings to the table, which will positively inform our campaigns.”
Brands
Reliance Consumer Products partners with Fazer for premium chocolates in India
MoU signed during Finnish President’s visit to leverage RCPL’s distribution for Fazer brands.
MUMBAI: Reliance just added Finnish chocolate to its sweet spot because when the land of saunas meets the land of spices, the result is a premium bar that melts borders. Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RCPL) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Finnish food company Fazer to manufacture, market and distribute Fazer’s premium branded chocolates across India. The agreement was formalised during Finnish President Alexander Stubb’s state visit to India on 7 March 2026.
The long-term strategic partnership combines Fazer’s heritage recipes, quality standards and global chocolate expertise with RCPL’s massive distribution network reaching nearly three million retail outlets nationwide. The collaboration aims to introduce Fazer’s well-known premium products to Indian consumers while strengthening business ties between the two nations.
Reliance Consumer Products Limited director T. Krishnakumar said, “By combining Fazer’s globally trusted brands and manufacturing excellence with RCPL’s local production capabilities, robust distribution network and deep consumer insights, we are well positioned to bring world-class products to Indian consumers and elevate the overall category experience.”
Fazer president and CEO Christoph Vitzthum added, “With RCPL handling commercialisation and distribution in India, we can establish a premium position in the chocolate market and create a foundation for a broader nationwide rollout.”
Since its launch in 2022, RCPL has steadily expanded in the confectionery segment by reviving legacy Indian brands such as Ravalgaon, Toffeeman, Pan Pasand and Lotus Chocolate Company. Fazer, a major player in the Nordics, Baltics, Poland and China with exports to over 40 countries, sees India’s fast-growing chocolate market as a key opportunity.
In a country where chocolate is no longer just a treat but a growing daily indulgence, this tie-up isn’t just about bars, it’s about blending Nordic precision with Indian scale to sweeten the next chapter of the confectionery story.
