MAM
COVID-19 a disruptor that comes with great learnings
NEW DELHI: The ongoing COVID-19 crisis has come as a great leveller to the brands and marketing industry, conceded a panel comprising industry experts during a virtual panel discussion on “How brands are communicating in times of lockdown”, organised on Friday by Indiantelevision.com.
The panel included Future Retail CMO-FBB Prachi Mohapatra, Timex Group India head marketing Ajay Dhyani, Duroflex Mattresses India VP-marketing Smita Murarka, Shemaroo Entertainment head marketing and communications Rahul Mishra, Dentsu One India president Harjot Singh Narang, and Mirum India joint CEO Sanjay Mehta.
The panel was moderated by Indiantelevisio.com CEO, founder, and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari.
The participants agreed that while the pandemic came as a huge disruptor, causing feelings like anxiety and doubt, it gave them a better understanding of how their respective industries function.
Murarka quipped that she took on the charge of Duroflex just a month prior to the lockdown and while it was challenging, it really helped her figure out the industry and the brand proposition, which wouldn’t otherwise have been possible in such a short span.
According to Narang, the pandemic also helped great human relationships flourish with teams bonding over the work in critical times and client relationships getting better.
The panel also agreed that once the situation gets back to the “new normal”, which according to Anil Wanvari would have nothing normal, will come as another disruption in the industry, making people more mindful of their purchases. Mehta said that a young person who might have faced a job loss or pay cut might be thinking about saving more in the coming future and may skip the backpacking trip one took.
Mohapatra stayed hopeful that the ongoing pandemic might once again result in a lipstick effect for the fashion industry and especially for her brand whose USP lies in its pricing.
The panellists predicted that the business and life might bounce back to normalcy around September-October, which they are seeing as a great time for the businesses to pick up again, given that it will be the festive season in India.
MAM
Indigo appoints Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer
Air India Express MD joins to steer global growth and operational efficiency.
MUMBAI: Indigo just recruited its next big strategist from the rival camp because when you’re chasing the skies, sometimes the best way to fly higher is to borrow the pilot who already knows the route. InterGlobe Aviation, parent company of IndiGo, announced on 23 March 2026 that its board has approved the appointment of Aloke Singh as Chief Strategy Officer. Singh, who most recently served as managing director and CEO of Air India Express, will lead enterprise-wide strategic planning, operational efficiency initiatives and the airline’s aggressive push into international routes.
Reporting initially to managing director Rahul Bhatia and later to Indigo’s incoming CEO Singh brings over three decades of experience across strategy, operations and commercial functions in aviation. At Air India Express he drove network expansion and performance turnaround, earlier roles at Air India and Oman Air sharpened his focus on long-term planning.
“Aloke brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth,” Bhatia said. “His experience will be critical as Indigo seeks to build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation.”
The appointment arrives at a pivotal moment. Indigo, India’s dominant domestic carrier, has faced intense scrutiny after operational disruptions in December 2025 thousands of cancelled and delayed flights due to crew scheduling misalignments with new pilot fatigue norms triggering fines, passenger chaos and regulatory heat. Former CEO Pieter Elbers resigned in March 2026 citing personal reasons, though his exit followed sustained pressure from those setbacks and rising costs.
Singh described joining Indigo as “a pivotal moment” for both the airline and Indian aviation, as the carrier accelerates beyond its domestic stronghold into a more competitive global arena.
In an industry where turbulence is measured in both altitude and headlines, Indigo isn’t just hiring a strategist, it’s recruiting a steady hand to navigate from domestic dominance to international takeoff, one calculated flight plan at a time.
