MAM
Arjuna Gaur joins Leo Burnett as ECD
MUMBAI: Leo Burnett India has brought on board Arjuna Gaur as the executive creative director. In his new mandate, Gaur will lead the creative function of the North operations.
To be based in New Delhi, Gaur will report to Leo Burnett south Asia CCO RajDeepak Das.
Gaur joins the agency from M&C Saatchi Kuala Lumpur. He has 10 years of experience, including stints at Grey and BBDO India, where he worked with RajDeepak.
Speaking about his move, Gaur said, “Most people I met prior to joining Leo Burnett, spoke with great authority about the future of advertising and how their respective agencies were going to define it. Raj, on the other hand, spoke very fast, and threw a million ideas at me. A million very good ideas.”
Gaur is a passionate and energetic creative professional, with several award-winning campaigns to his name. He has worked across categories and brands, his most well-known work being the ‘I Feel Up’ campaign for 7UP, Quaker Oats’ ‘Make India Heart Healthy’ and ‘Art By The People’ for GE India among many others. He has won multiple awards for his campaigns at Spikes Asia, Effies, The One Show and the Kancils in Malaysia.
Das said, “Gaur is one of those few people who personifies ‘creativity’. We have worked together for 7-8 years at BBDO India, and I love the energy he brings to the table. I love that he is a geek, I love that he understands human behaviour, applies it to his craft, and makes the ad-meet-the-tech-meet-the-idea.”
Brands
Estée Lauder to fully acquire Indian luxury Ayurveda brand Forest Essentials
Move builds on 18-year partnership; Estée Lauder raised stake to 49 per cent in 2020
NEW YORK: The Estée Lauder Companies is moving to take full ownership of the Indian luxury skincare brand Forest Essentials, strengthening its bet on one of the world’s fastest-growing prestige beauty markets.
The US beauty giant said it has entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining stake in Forest Essentials, subject to regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
The move builds on an 18-year partnership between the two companies. Estée Lauder first invested in Forest Essentials in 2008, increasing its stake to 49 per cent in 2020.
Founded in 2000 by entrepreneur Mira Kulkarni, Forest Essentials has emerged as one of India’s leading prestige skincare brands, blending traditional Ayurvedic formulations with luxury retail experiences. The brand operates nearly 200 standalone stores and has built a reputation around what it calls “luxurious Ayurveda”.
Under the deal, Forest Essentials will remain headquartered in New Delhi, with Kulkarni continuing to lead the brand alongside her son Samrath Bedi, executive director.
The company will retain its vertically integrated operations in India, including Ayurveda-based research and development, local botanical sourcing and in-house manufacturing.
The Estée Lauder Companies president and chief executive officer Stéphane de La Faverie, said the deal marks a new phase in a long-standing partnership.
He said the company aims to strengthen Forest Essentials’ leadership in India while expanding the brand internationally through Estée Lauder’s global distribution and brand-building capabilities.
For Estée Lauder, the acquisition reflects a broader push into India’s fast-expanding prestige beauty segment. The group already sells 14 brands across skincare, makeup, fragrance and haircare in the country.
With the addition of Forest Essentials to its portfolio, the company expects India to become its largest emerging market.
Kulkarni said the partnership would help take the principles of Ayurveda to a global audience while preserving the brand’s heritage and identity.
The deal also aligns with Estée Lauder’s strategy of backing founder-led brands rooted in culture and heritage, while providing global scale.
The company has invested more than $14 million in social programmes in India, supporting initiatives in health, education and leadership through partnerships with local organisations.
