Brands
Ashika’s Fund Run Gets SEBI’s Nod
MUMBAI: Money matters are rarely poetic, but this one comes with a decisive stamp of approval. Ashika Group has received in-principle clearance from Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sponsor and set up Ashika Mutual Fund, marking a major strategic milestone in the group’s growth journey.
The approval allows Ashika to move ahead with establishing an Asset Management Company (AMC) and preparing for the launch of its mutual fund schemes, subject to meeting SEBI’s final registration conditions. It is a significant step towards the group’s ambition to build a future-ready asset management platform rooted in disciplined investing, robust governance and long-term wealth creation.
Ashika’s entry into the mutual fund space builds on its deep experience across capital markets and financial services, spanning retail and institutional broking, investment banking, research advisory, global family office services, alternative asset management and private equity. The proposed fund house plans to roll out a carefully curated suite of investment schemes designed to cater to varied investor profiles, supported by strong in-house research, structured risk management and a governance-first approach.
Commenting on the development, Ashika Group chairman and managing director Pawan Jain said the approval marks an important institutional moment for the organisation. He noted that the move reflects Ashika’s long-standing belief in building enduring, research-led financial platforms, adding that the group’s responsibility as a sponsor extends beyond performance to creating a culture anchored in accountability, prudence and sustainable long-term value for investors.
With SEBI’s in-principle nod now in place, Ashika Group joins a growing list of diversified financial services players eyeing India’s expanding asset management opportunity, as the mutual fund industry continues to attract new investors and fresh capital across market cycles.
Brands
Wow! Momo appoints Sylvia Dutta to lead corporate communications and PR
Ex-Jubilant FoodWorks communications lead swaps pizza for momos as QSR chain sharpens brand push
MUMBAI: From pizza boxes to momo cartons, Sylvia Dutta is on the move. After more than a decade shaping the communications playbook at Jubilant FoodWorks, the former lead for corporate communications has joined Wow! Momo as lead, corporate communications and PR, signalling the fast-growing QSR chain’s intent to double down on brand muscle.
Dutta spent over 14 years at Jubilant FoodWorks, steering communications for marquee brands including Domino’s Pizza, Dunkin’ Donuts, Popeyes and Hong’s Kitchen across India and neighbouring markets. Her tenure saw high-impact campaigns, milestone store launches and crisis communications through periods of rapid expansion in India’s fiercely competitive food services sector.
At Wow! Momo, she steps into a business that has scaled from a single kiosk in 2008 to more than 800 stores across 80 cities, spanning formats such as Wow! Momo, Wow! China, Wow! Chicken and Wow! Kulfi. The company is widely seen as one of India’s fastest-growing homegrown QSR chains, built on a simple product and an aggressive expansion strategy.
Dutta’s remit will cover corporate communications, media relations, reputation management and strategic brand positioning, areas that are becoming critical as QSR players chase scale and investor attention in an increasingly crowded market.
Her career arc runs from newsrooms to boardrooms. She began as a news anchor with Northeast TV before moving into public relations, with early stints at Grey Worldwide and GMR Delhi International Airport. At DIAL, she worked on the launch of Terminal 3 and contributed to international projects, earning internal recognition for execution.
At Jubilant, she rose through the ranks to lead communications, handling everything from external messaging to CSR initiatives. Campaigns under her watch ranged from brand storytelling to public-interest messaging, alongside projects such as documenting Domino’s India journey in a coffee table book.
Dutta described the move as a shift “from one beloved dough to a whole universe of flavour”, underscoring continuity in ambition rather than category.
The hire comes as Wow! Momo looks to deepen its brand narrative beyond product, betting on sharper storytelling to match its breakneck physical expansion. In a market where attention is as contested as appetite, the brief is clear. Build recall, manage reputation and keep the story moving.
From 30-minute deliveries to street-side staples turned national brands, the script has changed. The pace has not.
