MAM
Balesh Sharma becomes CEO of merged Vodafone-Idea entity
MUMBAI: Vodafone Group and Aditya Birla Group have announced the proposed new leadership team of the merger between two major telecom operators of India – Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.
Balesh Sharma who is currently the chief operating officer of Vodafone India will become the CEO of the merged entity. He joined Vodafone in 2003 and over the years, has held several senior management positions in India and internationally.
Idea Cellular CEO Kumar Mangalam Birla will become the non-executive chairman of the merged Company.
Sashi Shankar, who is currently the chief marketing officer at Idea, will be responsible for marketing and brand strategy for the consumer business.
Anil Tandon and Rajat Mukherjee, currently head of technology and head of corporate affairs of Idea will be full time advisers to the merged business in their respective areas of expertise, working closely with Vishant Vora and P Balaji, respectively.
The appointments will come into effect after the merger is completed.
Vodafone Group Plc and Idea Cellular announced the proposed leadership team of the combined business, which will come into effect after the merger has been completed. This is in line with the original merger announcement of March 20, 2017, which said that the management team of the combined business would be confirmed prior to closing.
This is in line with the original merger announcement of 20 March 2017, which said that the management team of the combined business would be confirmed prior to closing.
The existing leadership teams of Idea Cellular and Vodafone India will continue to manage their separate businesses and be accountable for each company’s operational performance until the merger becomes effective.
It is only upon completion of the merger that the two businesses will cease to operate as distinct and competing entities.
Also Read:
Vodafone to get new shine from Idea; merger on its last leg
Is India ready for the impact of AI on marketing?
Vodafone brings back the Pug in AR
The rising trend of coopetition among brands
MAM
Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
