MAM
Lowe Lintas appoints Sagar Kapoor, Prateek Bhardwaj as CCOs
MUMBAI: MullenLowe Lintas Group has announced its new creative leadership, naming Sagar Kapoor and Prateek Bhardwaj as its chief creative officers (CCOs). While Kapoor will look after a part of the Mumbai office of the agency along with all the offices in the south, Bhardwaj will oversee the agency’s north offices.
Both of them will operate out of the Mumbai offices of Lowe Lintas, reporting to Amer Jaleel, chairman and CCO, MullenLowe Lintas Group.
Sagar Kapoor has been elevated from his post of executive director of the agency. He has served Lowe Lintas for more than 15 years and has been responsible for several iconic campaigns including Lifebuoy’s #HelpAChildReach5, which has consistently been one of the most awarded global campaigns for over five years. Other brands under his portfolio include Axe, Pepsodent, Zee, Astral Pipes, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, and Godrej HIT.
Prateek Bhardwaj has moved to Low Lintas from McCann Worldgroup where he was working as the national creative director. He has over two decades of experience in the business and has received a number of awards including Grand Prix at Cannes Lions and Jay Chiat Awards, and the coveted Black Pencil at D&AD. One of his most memorable campaigns has been the recent Nescafé ads featuring stammering comedian and RJ Rishi. He has worked for a number of brands like Dettol, PayTM, Sprite, Kinley, and Chlor-mint. Prior to McCann, Bhardwaj had also been a creative entrepreneur and founded Eleven Brandworks in 2008.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
