MAM
ASCI appoints Benoy Roychowdhury as new chairman
MUMBAI: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has appointed HT Media executive director Benoy Roychowdhury as its new chairman. As a member of the Board of Governors for four years, he has represented print media and provided active support to self-regulation.
R.K. Swamy BBDO chairman and MD Srinivasan K. Swamy was elected as vice chairman and Media Brands CEO Shashidhar Sinha, was re-appointed the honorary treasurer.
ASCI outgoing chairman Narendra Ambwani said, “It has been quite an eventful year for ASCI. We had set four key priorities for the year i.e. Collaboration with the regulators, easier consumer access to ASCI services, inculcate self-discipline among creators of advertising and be seen as fair adjudicator by all stakeholders. Not only were we able to deliver on all four priorities; but we also received recognition for all the good work ASCI has been doing. The Department of Consumer Affair (DCA) engaged ASCI as their “Executive Arm” to curb misleading advertisements and has entrusted ASCI to process complaints received on DCA’s portal “Grievances Against Misleading Advertisements (gama.gov.in).”
Roychowdhury added, “There has been a remarkable transition in the last couple of years of how newer sectors like e-commerce and media such as digital advertising have changed the game. Over 90 per cent of consumers send in their complaints to ASCI online or via e: mail versus letters or phone calls. ASCI has also evolved to match the pace by significantly improving the efficiency and speed in ASCI’s consumer redressal process. These continuous efforts are now being backed by regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as well as the DCA, and more and more Government organizations are approaching ASCI to seek help in adjudicating on various complaints related to advertisements. Responsibility for the success of self-regulation rests with every player – Advertisers should advertise with a conscience, media which carry the ads should be more responsible and regulators should back self-regulation by lending their support.”
Speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com the new chairman said, “I would like to strengthen the four pillars that we stand tall on. Educate through our E-Learning initiative, enhance consumer interaction and our app will play a pivotal role in it. I am also looking at more collaborations. We had great success as Ministry of Consumer Affairs recognised us last year and lastly we need to advertise our presence so that more people are aware about ASCI.”
ASCI promotes self regulation philosophy and Roychowdhury thinks it’s healthy for the fraternity as the alternatives can be difficult. “The alternative to self regulation is government regulation which I think is not what the industry is looking towards. Responsible advertising is much better than courts and judicial processes,” he added.
Other members of the Board of Governors are CIABC vice president Abanti Sankanarayan, Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Healthcare managing director and chief executive Al Rajwani, Bennett Coleman and Co Ltd president Arunab Das Sharma, Pepsico India chairman & CEO D. Shivakumar, Eanadu director I Venkat, Agrotech Foods Ltd director Narendra Ambwani, Provacateur director Paritosh Joshi, Genesis Burson-Marsteller Asia Pacific & principal/founder, Burson-Marsteller vice chair Prema Sagar, Google India managing director Rajan Anandan, Hindustan Unilever executive director personal care Sameer Singh, S.P. Jain Institute management educationist SK Palekar, BBH Comms India managing partner Subhash Kamath and Grey Group chairman and managing director Sunil Lulla.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
