MAM
Benedict Cumberbatch to endorse MG Motor India’s upcoming electric car: the MG ZS EV
MUMBAI: MG (Morris Garages) Motor India today announced Benedict Cumberbatch as the face and ambassador for their upcoming Electric Car “MG ZS EV” in India. The announcement comes as a further extension of the ongoing association between two British icons.
The MG ZS EV, which is slated to be unveiled in India in December 2019, is a testimony to the carmaker’s long-term commitment towards environment friendly mobility in India. Benedict, who was recently announced as MG India’s Brand Ambassador as well as roped in for the brand campaign and seen in the launch commercial for MG in India sporting the Hector Hybrid; will now don a new avatar for the MG ZS EV.
Benedict Cumberbatch on his association with MG said, “Since my childhood, I have grown up seeing and reading about MG’s. With the iconic MG brand set to drive into the future, I am delighted to be part of the brand’s journey in India. The ZS EV – India’s first connected electric SUV focuses on and furthers the required change in the environment which is the need of the hour. It is a start in India and am glad to be part of this start.”
MG India’s association with the acclaimed British actor also builds from the shared values and beliefs where both endorse community-led causes like diversity. Benedict Cumberbatch has been known for promoting gender equality and ‘diversity across the board’ within the global entertainment industry. Benedict has also many a times demonstrated his focus on the humanitarian crisis & is known for adopting cruelty free fashion.
“We are extremely charged up and excited to extend our association with Benedict for the MG ZS EV in India. The pure electric SUV from MG’s global stable has seen robust demand from customers in the UK, Thailand and other markets. It is part of our commitment to promote environmentally friendly mobility in India. We realize there is a need to become a catalyst for change and we are happy to do so with the MG ZS EV,” said Rajeev Chaba, President & Managing Director, MG Motor India.
MG Motor India, on its part, has been driving its vision of facilitating the creation of a more equal and diverse society with various in-house and on-ground initiatives. Women professionals currently account for 31% of the organisation’s workforce – the highest in the industry. MG Motor India has also associated with organisations such as IIMPACT an NGO engaged in providing quality education to the girl child through its learning centres in remote villages across the country. TRAX India to raise awareness on road safety across 200 schools and The Better India to raise awareness about community building through initiatives such as ‘MG Changemakers’.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
