MAM
BBDO gets govt nod for Rs 12.75 mn foreign investment
MUMBAI: BBDO India, which was set up in 2007 under the leadership of chairman & national creative director Josy Paul (who was later joined by CEO Ajai Jhala), yesterday got the go-ahead from India’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) to formalize its setup.
Under the approval, R K Swamy BBDO has been permitted to induct foreign equity amounting to Rs 12.75 million from BBDO Worldwide into its wholly-owned subsidiary BBDO India. Following this, BBDO India will operate as a separate private limited company.
RK Swamy BBDO group CEO Shekar Swamy says that the process of changing BBDO India from a wholly-owned subsidiary into a new company is currently on and it will become functional as a private limited organization by the end of the first quarter of 2010.
Adds Shekar: “The clearances have been under process for the past year or so. We believe that BBDO would like to scale up BBDO India, but it’s unlikely to happen in 2010. We have offices in Delhi and Mumbai and would like to consolidate them first.”
BBDO Worldwide will become a majority stake owner in BBDO India while RK Swamy BBDO will invest a significant amount to become a minority partner.
Says Swamy, “We needed BBDO India to function as a separate entity so that we could have multiple agencies from our stable operational in the market, thereby, increasing our overall market share. Thus, we decided to bring in a change in the investment pattern at BBDO India.”
Swamy further reveals that BBDO India is doing well with accounts such as 7Up, Hewlett Packard’s Printing and Imaging Business, Gillette, Quaker Oats, Nimbooz, Aviva Life Insurance, Wrigley’s Doublemint and a new brand from Godrej. Some of its recent works include campaigns such as Aviva ‘Education Is insurance’, Quaker Oats’ ‘Mission to Make India Heart Healthy’, Nimbooz ‘Ekdum Asli Indian’, 7 Up ‘Mood Ko Do Lemon Ka Lift’ and Wrigley’s Doublemint ‘Front Foot Pe Chabao’.
Brands
Reebok partners with Jerai Fitness for gym equipment in India
Long-term deal to manufacture and distribute Reebok-branded fitness products from April 2026.
MUMBAI: Reebok is pumping up its presence in India and this time, it’s bringing serious muscle to the gym floor. Jerai Fitness Limited, an Indian manufacturer with over three decades of experience in fitness equipment, has announced a first-of-its-kind long-term partnership with Reebok. Under the agreement, Jerai Fitness will manufacture and distribute Reebok-branded gym equipment across India and neighbouring countries including Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The products will be available from 1 April 2026.
The collaboration combines Jerai Fitness’ fully automated, technology-driven manufacturing facility with Reebok’s global brand legacy to redefine the fitness equipment ecosystem in the region.
Jerai Fitness Limited chairman & managing director Rajesh Rai said the partnership leverages advanced manufacturing capabilities to deliver high-quality products tailored to market needs.
Authentic Brands Group EVP of Reebok Steve Robaire noted that India is a dynamic and fast-growing fitness market. “Jerai Fitness brings the manufacturing expertise and local insight needed to deliver high-quality, performance-driven equipment at scale,” he said.
The partnership will introduce a comprehensive commercial range covering cardio, free weights, and high-end home-use equipment under two distinct series. All products adhere to international standards, including ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, ASTM certifications, and European safety standards EN ISO 20957-1:2013, EN 957-2:2003 and EN 957-4:2006.
Jerai Fitness’ manufacturing facility features fully automated production systems and dedicated storage infrastructure. As of 31 August 2025, it had an installed annual capacity of 21,000 units.
The Reebok-branded equipment will be available pan-India through Jerai Fitness showrooms and official websites jeraihomegym.com and jeraifitness.com.
In a market where fitness goals are rising faster than dumbbells, this partnership gives Reebok the local strength it needs while giving Jerai Fitness a powerful global brand to flex. For Indian fitness enthusiasts and gym owners, the workout just got a stylish upgrade.
