Brands
Victorinox elevates Sengupta to top sales and marketing post
MUMBAI: Victorinox, the Swiss firm best known for its pocket knives and premium watches, has promoted Debraj Sengupta to managing director of sales and marketing, capping his impressive 15-year tenure with the company.
Sengupta, who was previously country head for watches and chief marketing officer across four product categories, steps into his new role with over three decades of experience in the luxury watch industry under his belt.
The promotion marks a crowning achievement for the executive who during his stint at Victorinox, has carved out an enviable position for the Swiss company in India’s premium watch segment, slicing through competition with a precision that would make one of the firm’s famous Swiss Army knives proud.
Sengupta’s track record at Victorinox includes expanding the company’s distribution network to more than 150 multi-brand watch stores across India, forging partnerships with major retailers including Helios and Ethos.
After joining Victorinox in 2010, he oversaw the successful launch and repositioning of the Swiss watch brand in the Indian market. His performance eventually earned him a promotion to chief marketing officer in 2016, adding responsibility for the firm’s travel gear, Swiss Army knives and cutlery divisions to his watch duties.
Before joining Victorinox, Sengupta spent three years at LVMH Watch and Jewelry, where he managed the Tag Heuer and Dior watch brands. Prior to that, he put in nearly seven years at Swatch Group, working with its Rado and Balmain brands.
In his LinkedIn profile—which reads like a luxury brand roll call—Sengupta describes himself as a “P&L maestro” and “market expansion specialist” who has “mastered the strategic oversight and development of elite watch brands.”
Victorinox, which opened its first flagship store in Mumbai in 2011, now operates six exclusive boutiques across major Indian cities, selling everything from its iconic red pocket knives to high-end chronographs.
With Sengupta at the helm of sales and marketing, the Swiss firm appears poised to cut deeper into India’s luxury retail market.
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.
