MAM
IAS does the maths right with Alpana Wegner as new CFO
MUMBAI: Integral Ad Science is crunching the numbers for a new chapter bringing seasoned financial powerhouse Alpana Wegner on board as chief financial officer, effective 10 June 2025. The move adds a strategic edge to IAS’s leadership team, as Wegner steps in to lead the global finance function and report directly to CEO Lisa Utzschneider. She replaces Jill Putman, who has served as Interim CFO since January and will now continue as an independent member of the IAS Board.
Utzschneider welcomed the new appointment with confidence: “Alpana is a versatile and results-driven leader with deep financial and operational expertise. From M&A to FP&A, she’s done it all at public companies, no less.”
And indeed, Wegner’s calculator comes with credentials. With over 25 years of financial leadership experience, she most recently served as CFO at Secureworks, where she built a high-performing finance team and helped steer the company through a strategic transformation before its sale. Prior to that, she was the CFO at Benefitfocus and held senior finance roles at cloud tech firm Blackbaud.
“IAS represents an exciting opportunity to join an industry leader enabling global brands and publishers to drive superior outcomes,” said Wegner, who holds a B.S. in Accounting from Arizona State University. “I’m all in on scaling operations, sharpening profitability, and unlocking IAS’s full growth potential.”
Her appointment comes at a time when IAS is sharpening its focus on media measurement and ROI optimisation areas where Wegner’s financial acumen is expected to make a tangible impact. With a steady hand on the financial tiller and a sharp eye on long-term value creation, Wegner looks set to add more than just numbers to the IAS playbook she’s bringing the formula for smart growth.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
