MAM
Anil S Nair inducted into Saatchi & Saatchi global leadership team
MUMBAI: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi India CEO and MD Anil S Nair has been inducted into the new global leadership team of Saatchi & Saatchi.
The new team under the able leadership of Magnus Djaba, Global President, Saatchi & Saatchi is looking at building the future of the Saatchi brand and its business.
United by the “Nothing is impossible” spirit, the new Global Leadership Team represents Saatchi & Saatchi’s major offices and clients. All within the Publicis Groupe’s crucial path of transformation under the PubCom Umbrella, and focus on being the most valued partner for clients.
Praveen Kenneth, Co – Owner, Chairman and Managing Director L&K Saatchi & Saatchi said ” Am extremely pleased and proud of L&K Saatchi & Saatchi being among the top 10 countries in the Saatchi World and having our CEO and Managing Partner Anil Nair on the Global Leadership Team of Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide. When Magnus and I spoke, recently, we had no doubt that Anil Nair will be the worthy flag bearer going forward, of what has been a brilliant adventure over the last 15 years, and more importantly as he leads L&K | Saatchi & Saatchi into the future.
He is also an integral part of PubCom India. He carries well the aggressive entrepreneurial zeal of Law & Kenneth and the magic of Saatchi’s Creative Mystique. This also marks the resounding success of the merged entity- L&K | Saatchi & Saatchi. Its spectacular contribution to the Global Creative lead board by winning at Cannes, two years in a row, besides its continued growth and importantly being the most loved agency partner of our clients”.
Commenting on this appointment, Magnus Djaba – Global President Saatchi & Saatchi, said “The Indian market is crucial to our business and Anil represents the next generation of leadership for our network. I’m really looking forward to working more closely with him”
Nair stated “For me this invitation is a huge validation and recognition of the team at L&K Saatchi & Saatchi India and their hard work. It’s an honour to be a part of the leadership team that shapes the future of an iconic network like Saatchi & Saatchi.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
