Brands
Botswana and De Beers extend diamond partnership
MUMBAI: The government of Botswana and De Beers Group have signed new agreements, securing a 10-year sales deal (with a potential five-year extension) and a 25-year extension of mining licences for their 50:50 Debswana joint venture, now running from 2029 to 2054.
Botswana’s minister of minerals and energy, Bogolo Joy Kenewendo, said the agreements will “underpin the success of our diamond industry” and bring stability to the market. De Beers chief executive officer Al Cook, called it “the world’s greatest public-private partnership.”
Key Agreements
* Mining Licence Extension: Ensures long-term value from Debswana’s assets, including Jwaneng Cut-9, Jwaneng Underground, and Orapa Cut-3.
* Sales Agreement: Botswana’s Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) will sell 30 per cent of Debswana’s output, increasing to 40 per cent after five years. In an optional five-year extension, both ODC and De Beers will each sell 50 per cent.
Economic Commitments
* Diamonds for Development Fund: De Beers commits BWP 1 billion ($75 million) and further contributions from Debswana’s dividends to drive economic growth and job creation.
* Local Beneficiation: Investments in diamond jewellery manufacturing, a grading laboratory, and a vocational training institute.
* Marketing Initiatives: Botswana and De Beers will co-invest in campaigns to stimulate diamond demand and uphold ethical standards.
Brands
Vodafone Idea elevates Vineeth Jayendranath as VP, marketing head Mumbai
Telecom marketer takes charge of Mumbai circle with growth and brand focus
MUMBAI: Vodafone Idea Limited has promoted Vineeth Jayendranath to vice president, marketing head for the Mumbai circle, marking a key milestone in his career as the telecom operator sharpens its regional strategy.
In his new role, Jayendranath will lead marketing efforts across prepaid and postpaid segments in one of the country’s most competitive telecom markets. His mandate includes driving revenue growth, strengthening brand positioning, and deepening customer engagement, while also managing profit and loss responsibilities for the circle.
Sharing the update, Vineeth Jayendranath said, “Excited to share, I am starting my new stint as Vice President, Marketing Head for Mumbai circle at Vodafone Idea Ltd. Would like to thank everyone who has supported me in this journey.”
Jayendranath brings over 12 years of experience spanning telecom and IT, with a strong focus on customer value management and data-led marketing. Since joining Vodafone Idea, he has held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as general manager leading customer value management and prepaid business across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa.
During this period, he handled large subscriber bases and multi-billion rupee revenue portfolios, while rolling out hyper-personalised campaigns and a “segment of one” strategy to improve customer retention and upgrades. He also championed a digital-first approach, pushing adoption of data services and unlimited plans through targeted, insight-driven initiatives.
Earlier, he worked with Idea Cellular Ltd in strategy and business intelligence roles, and began his career at Infosys as a systems engineer. A brief stint at Hyundai Motor India Ltd during his internship added early exposure to marketing strategy.
An alumnus of SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Jayendranath has steadily built a reputation for combining analytics with marketing execution.
His elevation comes as telecom players double down on circle-level strategies to stay competitive, and Vodafone Idea appears to be betting on data-backed marketing to keep Mumbai firmly in its corner.
