MAM
P&G India rejigs tech leadership as Nikunj Jain exits, Jai Pankaj steps in
MUMBAI — Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care has announced a top-level shuffle in its technology leadership. Nikunj Jain, the current head of information technology, will step down from his role at the close of business on 30 June 2025, as he prepares to relocate overseas for a new assignment within the P&G group.
Replacing him is Jai Pankaj, a P&G veteran with over 15 years at the company. He will assume the role of head of IT effective 1 September 2025, and relocate back to India.
Pankaj, a B.E. in chemical engineering from NIT Karnataka and an MBA from IIM Lucknow, is currently based in Indonesia. He serves as the chief information officer for P&G’s Indonesian business as well as its e-commerce operations across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Over the years, he has spearheaded critical IT initiatives, including Martech and data science for P&G India, and managed tech strategy across 15 markets, including Japan and Korea.
The leadership transition was formally communicated to the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange in accordance with regulatory disclosure norms.
With Jain’s departure and Pankaj’s homecoming, the FMCG major appears to be tightening its digital strategy amid an increasingly tech-driven consumer landscape.
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Brands
De Beers & GJEPC partner JioStar to promote diamonds in cricket broadcasts
New JioStar tie-up blends sport and style as diamonds shine on and off pitch
MUMBAI: De Beers Group has teamed up with the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council to bring natural diamonds into India’s cricket broadcasts, marking an unusual crossover between sport and sparkle.
The collaboration, in association with JioStar, will see women anchors adorned with natural diamond jewellery throughout the cricketing season, adding a premium visual layer to studio coverage. From statement necklaces to cocktail rings and stacked bracelets, the idea is to place diamonds squarely in the spotlight of one of India’s most-watched formats.
In a first, the broadcast will also feature a weekly segment titled ‘Real Diamonds of the Week’, celebrating standout cricketing performances while drawing a parallel with the rarity and resilience associated with natural diamonds.
Beyond the studio, the campaign leans into a broader cultural shift. Cricketers Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav front the initiative, reflecting a growing acceptance of diamonds as a form of everyday self-expression, including among men.
“India is reimagining its relationship with natural diamonds, and our partnership with JioStar is a celebration of that evolution,” said De Beers Group SVP Shweta Harit. She added that, much like cricket, natural diamonds represent something earned, enduring and rare, now increasingly tied to personal identity rather than just milestone occasions.
Echoing the sentiment, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Kirit Bhansali said India is fast evolving from a manufacturing hub into a major consumer market for diamond jewellery. He noted that with India already the world’s second-largest diamond jewellery market and projected to reach Rs 1,500 billion by 2030, the cricket broadcast offers a powerful platform to connect with younger audiences.
The partnership also underscores a wider ambition within the industry to reposition natural diamonds as relevant, contemporary and woven into everyday culture.
From pitch-side drama to studio style, diamonds are stepping off the pedestal and into the mainstream, proving they can play the long game as well as any seasoned cricketer.
