MAM
Chinese Wok appoints Havas as creative & media partner
Brand eyes 500 stores with unified youth-first campaigns across ATL, digital and social.
MUMBAI: Chinese Wok just spiced up its marketing game because when you’re scaling to 500 stores, even the wok needs a fresh stir. Chinese Wok, India’s largest Desi Chinese QSR chain from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Havas Creative India and Arena Media (Havas Media Network India) as its integrated creative, social, and digital media partner. The move, announced in late February 2026, comes as the brand accelerates beyond 260 outlets toward its target of 500 stores across Tier 1, 2, and 3 markets.
The partnership signals a shift to platform-led, integrated brand building moving away from campaign-led bursts toward consistent, culturally sharp storytelling that resonates with young consumers. Havas will handle creative strategy, brand campaigns, social media ecosystem development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, and orchestration across ATL, digital, and in-store touchpoints.
Lenexis Foodworks founder & director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “As Chinese Wok scales nationally, we are investing in integrated brand building that matches our growth ambition. Havas will partner with us in shaping the next chapter of our journey.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer added, “Chinese Wok has always been a culture-first brand, and as we deepen our connect with Gen Z, integration becomes critical.”
Havas Creative India managing director & chief creative officer Anupama Ramaswamy commented, “Chinese Wok is pure fire, fast, flavourful and completely plugged into pop culture. Our role is to bottle that energy into a living brand platform that fuels everything, from big campaigns to cheeky social chatter to irresistible in-store experiences.”
Havas Media India & Havas Play COO Uday Mohan said, “Chinese Wok understands culture, speed, and the pulse of young India. By bringing together creative, media, and performance under one cohesive vision, we aim to build a brand ecosystem that is culturally sharp, digitally agile, and built for scale.”
The appointment aligns with Chinese Wok’s sharpened youth-first positioning and expansion of cultural IPs such as Wok FM and Crush Hour, alongside content collaborations. In a competitive QSR landscape where Desi Chinese remains a crowd favourite, the brand is betting big on a unified narrative that keeps the wok sizzling and the customers coming back for seconds.
MAM
Tata Communications CEO A S Lakshminarayanan retires
Seasoned leader hands over reins after guiding the company through key growth years.
MUMBAI: Tata Communications is turning a new page and this time, the chapter is being written by a fresh voice from the same trusted book. The company has announced the retirement of its managing director and chief executive officer, A S Lakshminarayanan, effective at the close of business on 13 April 2026. Lakshminarayanan’s departure marks the end of a significant chapter in the company’s leadership journey.
The board expressed appreciation for his contributions during his tenure, acknowledging the role he played in shaping the organisation. In January 2026, the board had already appointed Ganesh Lakshminarayanan as managing director and CEO (Designate), ensuring a smooth leadership transition.
Ganesh Lakshminarayanan brings over three decades of experience across domestic and global enterprises. He currently serves as Managing Director and Group Vice President at ServiceNow India, where he has focused on driving enterprise adoption of AI-led digital transformation and strengthening go-to-market capabilities. Prior to this, he led Bharti Airtel’s enterprise business as CEO of Airtel Business and earlier headed its Enterprise division. His career also includes roles as Chief Operating Officer at Capillary Technologies, along with advisory positions at Ernst & Young and Sequoia Capital.
The transition reflects Tata Communications’ focus on continuity while bringing in fresh perspectives to navigate the rapidly evolving digital infrastructure landscape.
In the fast-moving world of global communications, leadership changes are like well-timed signal switches necessary to keep the network strong and the journey smooth. As A S Lakshminarayanan steps down, Ganesh Lakshminarayanan steps up, ready to carry forward the legacy while steering the company into its next phase of growth.
