MAM
BBDO India appoints Edward Gunn as head of planning Mumbai
MUMBAI: BBDO India has appointed Edward Gunn as head of planning for its Mumbai office.
Gunn moved to India in 2017 as director at DDB Mudra Group.
Commenting on his new role Gunn said,“BBDO India becomes a natural fit for this. Their notion of creating ‘Acts Not Ads’ is perfectly aligned to my own. It’s the exact reason that I decided to move to India and I firmly believe that there is no place on earth that lives and breathes those ideals more than BBDO India. They’ve had a huge amount of success transmitting these values throughout India and the world, and I can’t wait to be at the epicentre of it all with the great Josy, and the wider team.”
“The modern Indian consumer isn’t without a conscience, they know how to vote with their wallets and want to do what they can to make India progress. Brands should have a role within this, and that’s what I want to implement in the most effective and creative way possible,” he added.
BBDO India chairman Josy Paul added, “Ed represents the wanderer in all of us. His search for cultural truths led him to us, and us to him. That’s the joy of serendipity. His ‘fresh eyes’ will help us open our mind about the world we live in. We are excited to have his ‘international Indian’ heart add value to our deeply local observations. Some may call it diversity, we see it as our third eye.”
Along with Colenso BBDO and DDB Mudra, he also runs his own agency.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: 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.
