MAM
ACKO appoints Saurabh Jha as senior VP of digital marketing
Mumbai: Digital-native insurer Acko has announced the appointment of Saurabh Jha as the senior vice president of digital marketing.
Saurabh is a seasoned leader with strong management experience across the consumer internet and start-up space. He has worked in various verticals such as travel, ecommerce, and real estate for both digital and traditional marketing functions. Saurabh’s prime focus has been to lead businesses towards excellence.
At Acko, he will be responsible for scaling and driving growth across all business units, and his mandate will include digital marketing, content, and strategic partnerships.
Before joining Acko, Saurabh was associated with Housing.com as the senior director of growth, marketing & analytics, where he spearheaded the team. During his professional journey, he has also contributed significantly to the growth of HolidayIQ and Jungle Lodges & Resorts.
Saurabh holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from IIFM and a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
Speaking at Saurabh’s appointment, ACKO founder & CEO Varun Dua said, “I am delighted to welcome Saurabh to the team. Saurabh brings with him years of knowledge in the performance marketing domain. He has been a part of the growth journey of some well-known digital brands and clearly understands what it takes to fuel growth for brands.”
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.
