MAM
Captain Steel partners with L&K Saatchi & Saatchi for the creative and digital media mandate
Mumbai: L&K Saatchi & Saatchi has won the media mandate for Captain Steel India Ltd, a leading TMT bar producer. The account will be serviced from the agency’s Kolkata office.
This collaboration marks a significant step forward in Captain Steel’s mission to enhance its brand presence and expand its reach across the country. As part of this partnership, the agency will be responsible for managing Captain Steel’s mainline and digital creatives, as well as its digital media solutions. This holistic approach aims to leverage the agency’s expertise to develop captivating narratives that resonate with the target audience and drive brand recognition.
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi Jt national creative director Rohit Malkani said, “When one of the fastest growing TMT bar manufacturers was looking out for an agency to partner them to create a national footprint, it was an opportunity we couldn’t wait to sink our teeth into. Captain Steel is one of the most visible brands in the East with a legendary brand ambassador and huge ambitions. We are delighted to win this opportunity to get them to where they want to be.”
Captain Steel director Avinash Agarwalla expressed, “Captain Steel is a brand that has carved its niche in Eastern India, Assam, Tripura. Our focus is to strengthen and expand our footprints across India. We wanted an agency partner that provides strategic thinking combined with creative solutions to augment the brand value and volume. With L&K Saatchi & Saatchi onboard, we are looking to create a difference in this highly cluttered marketplace.”
L&K Saatchi & Saatchi executive vice president and business head (North & East) Hindol Purkayastha added, “Captain Steel has been at the forefront in the TMT segment and their presence through distribution and marketing is truly enviable. We are indeed delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the brand’s ambitious growth trajectory. L&K Saatchi & Saatchi Kolkata has been strengthening its presence last few years and is truly invigorated to be able to add value to Captain Steel. What is most rewarding is the digital journey that will focus on key influencers and consumers alike. The brand is clear on taking significant strides in the market, and that is an exciting challenge for us.”
Captain Steel India Ltd is one of the leading TMT bar producers manufacturing TMT rebars, TMT rings, wires and nails. With a strong network of over 5000 trade partners, it is one of the fastest growing TMT manufacturers, expanding footprints to multiple states across the country including Eastern India in Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odissa, Tripura and certain parts of Uttar Pradesh.
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.
