MAM
Paytm Money appoints Varun Sridhar as CEO
NEW DELHI: India’s largest online investment & wealth management platform Paytm Money today announced the appointment of Varun Sridhar, as the new chief executive officer of Paytm Money. He will lead the launch & development of the equity brokerage other than growing the already successful mutual funds, NPS and Gold services. Under his leadership, the company will continue to simplify, innovate, and bring wealth management products to millions of Indians. He will be reporting to Amit Nayyar, president at Paytm.
Sridhar has led the digital transformation journey of some of the top retail banks in India and abroad. Most recently he served as CEO of FinShell India where he launched realme PaySa a fintech platform on mobile. Prior to this role, he was with BNP Paribas for close to eight years where amongst other assignments he supported the acquisition of Sharekhan. As a board member & member of the executive committee, he supported the scale-up of the digital equity brokerage & mutual fund business. He did his MBA from the prestigious SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan Italy, and graduated from the University of Delhi.
Nayyar said, “Paytm Money is on a mission to empower millions of Indians with wealth management products. We are very excited to welcome Varun, whose experience in retail banking, broking, and wealth segment would help us accelerate our goals. I look forward to working closely with him to expand Paytm Money further."
Sridhar said, "I am thrilled to be part of the team that is responsible for introducing wealth management services to consumers in both India and Bharat and making meaningful financial inclusion simple & easy. At Paytm Money, I hope to build along with a fantastic team the most cost-effective & consumer-friendly products & experience for investors & traders. The wealth management and financial service solutions that Paytm is building are transforming the lives of millions of Indians and are relevant globally as well."
Paytm Money also announced that Amit Kapoor has joined as the new CFO & vice president for the company. Prior to this role, he was working with Aviva India as CFO of the life insurance company.
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.
