Brands
The Body Shop India joins hands with Plan International to support female empowerment this Christmas
MUMBAI: Known to be a feminist brand standing for female empowerment and gender equality, The Body Shop recently announced its partnership with Plan International, a global non-profit organisation that is leading the movement to campaign for the rights of young women and girls, to take their fight against gender inequality a step further.
The announcement was made at an event in Delhi where the brand took to the platform a panel of 5 successful women from different walks of life that chose to break the stereotype and fulfil their dreams. An open-ended conversation with The Body Shop India vice president, marketing, merchandising and e-commerce Harmeet Singh and panellists Plan International India executive director Anuja Bansal, Professional Super Biker Niharika Yadav, first female police superintendent of Tihar men’s jail Anju Mangla, and the first female DTC bus driver Vankadarath Saritha, led to unfolding of inspirational stories of their struggles and success.
The Body Shop India VP marketing, merchandising e-commerce Harmeet Singh said, “In a corporate career spanning 20+ years, I have seen numerous instances of disparity between men and women – women are often disadvantaged to succeed despite being as capable and more. Self-belief has played a big role in my journey and I truly hope young girls everywhere believe in themselves and have the support of their family and community to achieve what they want to be. I am an advocate for gender equality and my dream for a better world is one where men and women are treated equally.”
For the past 40 years, The Body Shop has been a quintessential beauty brand with its foundations in women empowerment. They have shown that being environmentally sustainable, people-centred and profitable can go hand in hand. From creating opportunities for people to improve their lives to giving back to local communities and nature, it has established its position as an environment-friendly, cruelty-free and sustainable brand.
PLAN International India executive director Anuja Bansal said, "The commitment to achieve sustainable social goals is non-negotiable and inclusion of girls and women in all SDGS is a must. I have committed myself to the cause of social development of women and children. Having worked across several organisations, I have made my humble contribution to helping children and women realize their potential. Presently at Plan India, as the executive director, I envision our organisation reaching out to communities and societies at large, with strong gender-transformative programmers for children and girls so that they all can learn, lead, decide and thrive.”
The Body Shop India is also urging its customers to contribute towards the initiative by making small voluntary donation on the transactions at The Body Shop stores and online from December 2019 -January 2020 proceeds which will go towards to Plan International's India project Saksham-an initiative to enable disadvantaged young women, to escape poverty and become economically secure by equipping them with essential life and market-oriented vocational skills.
Brands
Abhinav Rastogi named global marketing director for YouTube Shopping
Google veteran to scale creator commerce and expand shopping across global markets
SINGAPORE: Abhinav Rastogi has stepped into a new role as global marketing director for YouTube Shopping, marking the latest chapter in a more than decade-long career at Google.
Rastogi, who took on the position in February and is based in Singapore, will lead global marketing for YouTube Shopping, a platform designed to connect creators, viewers and merchants in a single ecosystem. His remit includes expanding the service into new markets and strengthening its positioning as a growth channel for both creators and brands.
In a reflective note on the transition, Rastogi pointed to a simple but powerful idea driving the role. For years, creators have quietly built trust with audiences through consistent and authentic content, and that trust often shapes purchasing decisions. What is changing now, he said, is the infrastructure around that behaviour. YouTube Shopping aims to make it easier for viewers to discover and buy products recommended by creators they already follow.
The scale is already significant. More than half a million creators have joined the programme, with recent expansion into Japan through a partnership with Rakuten signalling further global ambitions.
Rastogi believes the future of shopping on YouTube will be driven by a blend of creators, content and communities. In his view, it is the human voice behind the screen, not just the product, that ultimately builds trust and drives discovery.
Prior to this role, he served as director of marketing, YouTube Asia Pacific, where he led regional marketing across creator engagement, brand building and reputation. During that time, he played a key role in launching and scaling YouTube Shopping across eight markets in the region.
Earlier stints at Google include group product marketing manager, consumer apps, overseeing growth for products such as Search, Maps and Assistant across India and Southeast Asia, and product marketing manager roles spanning consumer apps and YouTube, where he contributed to launches including YouTube Music, YouTube Originals and YouTube Shorts.
Rastogi began his career in consulting with Boston Consulting Group and A.T. Kearney, before moving into the technology sector. He is an alumnus of Indian Institute of Management Calcutta and Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.
Alongside his corporate role, he is also an active angel investor, backing early-stage startups in consumer technology and electric mobility across India and Southeast Asia.
As he settles into the new role, Rastogi is betting on a future where every video can double up as a storefront, and where commerce feels less like a transaction and more like a recommendation from a trusted voice.
