Brands
Creative Newtech brings esteemed UK audio brand Ruark to India
Mumbai: Creative Newtech (NSE: Creative), India’s foremost brand licensee and market entry specialist, has announced its partnership with Ruark, UK’s premium audio brand, which will see them available in India. British High Commission deputy director, trade & UK exports, South Asia Ajita Hathlia and senior trade adviser, lead for Western India – technology, education, innovation & smart cities – Farhad Unavala were present alongside Creative Newtech CMD Ketan Patel, Ruark UK global marketing & sales director Richard Mckinney, at a press conference held to announce its India entry.
In her remarks, British High Commission deputy director, trade & UK exports, South Asia Ajita Hathlia said,” The UK Government congratulates Ruark Audio and its partner Creative Newtech on their entry into the premium Indian Audio marketplace. Ruark’s arrival in India builds on its export successes in other markets and its strong reputation as a UK export champion”.
Commenting on the India entry, Ruark UK global marketing & sales director Richard Mckinney, said,” We are delighted and happy to be here in one of the world’s fastest growing economies with a growing audience whose appetite for great music is apparent. The credit for us being here entirely goes to the team at Creative Newtech who helped plan the entire India entry meticulously. Their shared passion for quality and consumer delight combined with their in-depth understanding of the Indian market, the nuances of distribution and their large network both offline & online, am sure will help Ruark fins its audience of audio lovers across India.”
In his comments, Creative Newtech CMD Ketan Patel said,” Ruark is a great addition to the ever-growing portfolio at Creative Newtech. Being a premium brand targeted at true music lovers and those with a design bent, it’s part of our strategy to bring more high-end brands into our portfolio. Indian market for high quality audio is still growing and the appetite has only grown post covid aided by the growing affluence particularly among millennials and GenZ. We thank the team at Ruark for believing in us and am sure it will be a mutually win-win partnership.”
With this global launch, Ruark is introducing the below-mentioned range of products MR1 MK2, R2 MK4, R3S, R410, RS1 available in India. With starting range Rs 69,000/- upto Rs 4,99,000/-.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
