MAM
Omnicom elevates Jyoti Bansal, Shavon Barua
MUMBAI: Omnicom Media Group has strengthened the leadership of its media agency, PHD India, having promoted Jyoti Bansal to the role of CEO and Shavon Barua to chief client officer.
The promotions follow the exceptional growth and performance of the agency over the past few years under these leaders’ tenures.
An engineering and MBA graduate, Bansal joined Omnicom Media Group in 2009 to lead its new business initiatives and when PHD India was established, she was appointed to lead the new agency. Under her leadership, the agency has continued to climb from strength to strength, winning global, regional and local accolades for its innovative approach to communications planning. As CEO, Bansal will focus on expanding PHD’s footprint in India through continued digital transformation and innovation in the media space.
Barua joined PHD in 2015 as managing partner to work on the Hindustan Unilever business from the agency’s Mumbai office. Over the past three years, she has played an instrumental role in growing the business, gaining invaluable experience that she will now leverage in her new role. As CCO, Barua will now work closely with Bansal to further develop PHD’s market-leading and award-winning client offering.
Speaking on the promotions, Omnicom Media Group India CEO Harish Shriyan said, “With a unique leadership mix of Jyoti’s media prowess and Shavon’s creative background, PHD India has soared to incredible heights over the past few years, becoming one of India’s most acclaimed media agencies. These well-deserved promotions will ensure PHD India continues to scale new heights, as they continue to find a better way for their team, clients and partners.”
“Over the years, we have built a highly differentiated offering in the market, rooted in a culture of smart strategic thinking and creative innovation,” said Bansal. “From a young challenger brand in the market to winning Media Agency of the Year, the last five years have been an exhilarating journey. I look forward to continuing forging a future-ready agency, helping clients’ future-proof their businesses and working with the team to produce more industry-leading work.”
Barua added: “At PHD, our mission has always been about ‘finding a better way’ to produce innovative communications solutions work for our clients. In my new capacity, I look forward to combining gamification techniques with hard-core strategic principles to spark further innovation and deliver stronger business results for our clients.’’
The promotions are effective immediately.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
