Brands
Chennai clicks into place as Lego builds its first certified store in Tamil Nadu
MUMBAI: Chennai just got its newest reason to snap into joy Lego has finally clicked into the city, with its first-ever Lego Certified Store opening on 28 November 2025, marking the toy giant’s official entry into Tamil Nadu and signalling a major push into South India’s fast-growing premium retail scene.
Spread across ~2800 sq. ft. of ground-floor space, the store is designed as a full-blown playground for builders of every age. From immersive play zones and model displays to the iconic Pick-a-Brick Wall and a Make Your Own Minifig station, the space brings Chennai an authentic, world-class Lego experience. Adding to the excitement is an impressive portfolio of exclusive-to-store-only sets, spanning quick builds, rare collectibles, and complex, advanced creations.
To sweeten the grand opening, shoppers spending Rs 10,000 or more can unlock a free Lego Mini Store through a Gift-with-Purchase offer and if that’s not persuasive enough, the launch weekend brings a flurry of Black Friday deals, making the debut impossible for fans to ignore.
“We’re really excited to bring the authentic Lego experience to Chennai with our first certified store here,” said Lego India general manager Bhavana Mandon. She added that the strong response in Gurugram and Bengaluru has boosted confidence to expand across high-potential cities, with Chennai seen as a natural next step for its creative and family-driven culture.
For Ample Group, Lego’s retail partner in India, the launch is both a milestone and a springboard. “This marks an exciting new chapter for Lego enthusiasts in Tamil Nadu,” said Ample Group CEO & founder Rajesh Narang. “Chennai’s strong affinity for culture, creativity and family experiences makes it the perfect home for Lego, and this opening reflects our commitment to bringing leading global brands closer to Indian consumers.”
And Ample isn’t stopping at Chennai. Riding the momentum, the company is set to open a second Lego Certified Store in Bengaluru just weeks later, a 4,393 sq. ft. large-format destination featuring expanded experiential zones, interactive installations, and all hallmark Lego retail signatures. Located in one of the city’s busiest premium retail districts, the Bengaluru store aims to become a flagship-like hub for the region.
Together, the back-to-back launches position South India as one of Lego’s fastest-growing markets, blending nostalgia, creativity and premium retail in a region known for its appetite for global experiences. While Chennai lays the foundation with a vibrant new store, Bengaluru is set to elevate the experience even further, creating a thriving community of families, hobbyists and lifelong builders.
With the bricks now firmly in place, Lego’s South India chapter looks ready to build and build big.
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.
