MAM
EaseMyTrip onboards Jacqueline Fernandez as brand ambassador
Mumbai: EaseMyTrip.com, an online travel tech platform, has roped in actress Jacqueline Fernandez as its brand ambassador. This strategic partnership is part of a long-term strategy to boost EaseMyTrip’s brand presence and attract new customers and Bollywood fans. The actress’s large number of fans and followers would enhance EaseMyTrip’s brand image.
Jacqueline Fernandez, known for her screen presence and love of travel, often explores new places for work and leisure. Her passion for travel aligns with EaseMyTrip, making her a fitting representative for the brand. The long-term partnership will promote travel deals and unique experiences through campaigns featuring her. This collaboration will help EaseMyTrip reach Jacqueline’s 70.5 million Instagram followers and other fans nationwide.
EaseMyTrip co-founder Rikant Pittie shared his thoughts on the partnership, stating, “We are excited to be associated with Jacqueline Fernandez. Her vibrant personality and passion for travelling, match perfectly with our brand ethos. With her on board, we aim to connect with a broader audience and encourage them to explore the world with confidence. This partnership is the beginning of an exciting chapter, and we are looking forward to a productive journey ahead.”
Sharing her excitement about the partnership with EaseMyTrip, Jacqueline Fernandez said, “Both personally and professionally, travelling has always been a huge part of my life. I’m delighted to be associated with EaseMyTrip, a brand that pledges to make travel easier, more accessible, and memorable for everyone. I am looking forward to working closely with EaseMyTrip.”
As the new face of EaseMyTrip, Jacqueline will be featured in a series of television commercials and marketing campaigns that will highlight the brand’s offerings, from budget-friendly travel packages to luxury experiences. This long-term partnership signifies EaseMyTrip’s commitment to creating significant connections with customers by providing seamless travel solutions that cater to a diverse audience.
EaseMyTrip continues to innovate and evolve to meet the needs of modern travellers, and with Jacqueline Fernandez on board, the company is set to take its mission to new heights.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
