MAM
Byju’s bolsters tech team with two key appointments
Mumbai: Ed-tech major Byju’s on Thursday announced the appointment of Mani Bansal and Maneesh Agrawal to lead key technology functions, in an effort towards strengthening its tech vertical and further drive innovative and impactful learning experiences.
Bansal will take on the role of vice-president – engineering and Agrawal joins as vice-president – reliability, security & cloud engineering. “Both executives will work on a group level towards catalysing critical technologies to augment Byju’s tech prowess and define the future of learning,” said the statement.
“At Byju’s, we are enriching our technology vertical by leveraging the vast pool of skilled technology talent in India and abroad, further enabling us to push boundaries, create value, and build more impactful learning programs for students,” said Byju’s president – technology Anil Goel. “I am thrilled to have Mani and Maneesh joinus on this journey, helping us strengthen our innovation backbone and redefine learning for the next generation.”
Mani Bansal will lead the content engineering platform across the group, along with working closely with the Byju’s Lab team to build AI/ML capabilities to set the benchmark for the future of personalised learning, the company said.
A tech leader with more than two decades of rich experience, Mani has been leading cross-functional engineering teams to deliver world-class products for millions of customers globally. With a rich career spanning 20+ years, the Hyderabad-based tech leader is an Amazon veteran, having donned multiple global technology leadership roles in Amazon Prime and Amazon Logistics. “I am thrilled to be joining the Byju’s family and embark upon an exciting new journey of bringing tech-driven learning to students everywhere. As someone who grew up in a small town, I recognise the immense power of education and look forward to further building Byju’s into a tech-first organisation,” he said.
Maneesh Agrawal commands over 22 years of experience with strategic thinking across design, implementation and operational excellence. He will play a pivotal role in driving the company’s reliability engineering, security & cloud engineering.
Formerly with Adobe, Olacabs, InMobi, Yahoo and Indiamart where he delivered strategic vision across IaaS, PaaS, SaaS & Cloud efficiency. With Data Security at core of Byju’s, Maneesh’s appointment will further accelerate the company’s investment in this area. “Education has the potential to transform the world, and I am excited to be a part of Byju’s endeavor to make it accessible, personalised, and engaging for all. I look forward to capacity building and creating innovative learning environments for students around the world,” he commented.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
