Brands
adidas celebrates Benzema’s historic win with a stunning short film ‘Hand of Gold’
Mumbai: adidas is celebrating French footballer Karim Mostafa Benzema’s historic win with a stunning short film, Hand of Gold,which sees the player’s iconic hand bandage transform into gold.
The film embodies the idea that everything KB9 touches on-pitch turns to gold. The film shows Benzema’s hand bandage turning from white to the colour of victory, communicating the inspiring story of a young boy from Bron in France, who shaped a career through determination to make it to the top.
Since 2005, Karim Benzema has challenged for the highest honour in the game. With his golden touch, he’s overcome all rivals and become one of the most decorated players of this era. His historic Ballon d’Or win last night in Paris marks what has not just been a remarkable season, but a remarkable career.
The achievement of this award is a culmination of all the games played before it. The player’s signature look, Benzema’s hand bandage, which epitomises the phrase “Impossible Is Nothing,” is a symbol of his success in overcoming obstacles in football.
It symbolises the struggles he has faced and overcome on the field to get to where he is now—at the pinnacle of world football—after a series of hand injuries in 2019 forced him to wear it throughout every game.
Since 2007, adidas has partnered with Benzema, celebrating on-pitch achievements at various milestones in his career, including this historical win. To further mark this milestone, the brand has created a hyper-limited not-for-sale golden-x speedportal boot for Benzema.
Furthermore, adidas and Benezema’s club, Real Madrid, have collaborated for a special edition gold-named and numbered Real Madrid Kit, which will be available for a limited time from 18 October, on Real Madrid official stores, realmadrid.com and select adidas stores.
Brands
Pocket FM elevates Lalit Gangwar to COO to drive global growth
Founding member to lead operations, monetisation and expansion across markets
MUMBAI: Pocket FM has elevated Lalit Gangwar to chief operating officer, tasking the founding team member with leading global business operations as the company sharpens its international growth strategy.
In his new role, Gangwar will oversee end-to-end operations across markets, including growth, monetisation and execution for the company’s audio business. The appointment comes as Pocket FM looks to strengthen its operating foundation and build a more predictable, scalable global business.
Gangwar has been closely involved in shaping the company’s trajectory from its early days. He played a key role in building the growth and marketing playbook in India, helping the platform scale to over 150 million users within its first year and establish a strong foothold in the audio storytelling category.
He later led Pocket FM’s expansion into the United States, where he set up teams, defined market strategy and drove scale, contributing significantly to the company’s international ambitions.
Pocket FM co-founder and CEO Rohan Nayak said, “Lalit has been central to Pocket FM’s journey from the very beginning. He has built our growth engine and scaled our business across markets.” He added that the company’s focus on nurturing internal talent makes Gangwar a natural choice to lead the next phase.
Gangwar said, “Pocket FM has always been driven by a simple belief that powerful stories can travel across borders and create meaningful impact.” He noted that the company will continue to focus on scaling markets, investing in AI-led storytelling and strengthening monetisation.
As COO, Gangwar is expected to bring greater operating discipline while building systems, talent and processes to support long-term growth.
With leadership continuity and a clear global focus, Pocket FM appears to be turning the page to its next chapter, one that aims to take its storytelling playbook well beyond home turf.
