MAM
Cuemath bolsters leadership team with key appointments
Mumbai: Cuemath, the global math tutoring platform, has announced several new senior appointments as it continues the reorganisation of its leadership team. The company onboarded Samir Kulshresth as CFO, Nisha Popli as CHRO, Janardan Singh as chief of sales, and Anushray Gupta as chief product and technology officer ahead of its next growth phase.
Samir and Nisha have joined Cuemath already, with Janardan and Anushray’s appointments effective from January 2022. All the new hires will report to Vivek Sunder, who was newly appointed as CEO in October.
“As we prepare for our next wave of growth, these leadership changes will strengthen governance in Cuemath 3.0 and support our goal of a presence in 50 countries and becoming a global math leader,” stated Cuemath founder and chairman Manan Khurma. “With Vivek at the helm, supported by this senior leadership talent, we are poised to scale greater heights.”
Samir, a chartered accountant, has over 19 years of financial management experience across the e-commerce, healthcare, telecom & IT/ITES industries. He has held previous roles at Practo, Fortis Healthcare, Genpact, and Indus Towers.
Janardan has over 20 years of business leadership experience with expertise in scaling up in the ed-tech industry. His last assignment was with ClassKlap as its founder and COO.
Nisha has over 19 years of experience in directing human resources programs for leading businesses, including the Big Four accountancy firms and leading global professional services firms globally. Prior to Cuemath, she was heading HR for Moglix India, a B2B e-commerce start-up. She has also worked as the head of people office for the small format business of Future Group India, global HR head with The Smart Cube, and other HR roles with KPMG, Grant Thornton, and Ernst & Young.
Anushray is rejoining Cuemath having originally built the company’s engineering and product team as CTO. He then moved to Udaan as product lead for their grocery vertical where he was key in increasing market share.
“The new array of dedicated leaders makes me more confident and committed to entering this new chapter of Cuemath’s growth and integrating our diverse knowledge and expertise in realising the company’s vision,” said Vivek Sunder, welcoming new appointees on board.
MAM
Barista partners Ginny Weds Sunny 2 with mango campaign
Cafe chain blends cinema buzz with summer menu and 20 per cent offer.
MUMBAI: Love may brew slowly, but marketing clearly doesn’t especially when coffee meets cinema and mangoes steal the spotlight. Barista Coffee Company has partnered with the upcoming hindi film Ginny Weds Sunny 2 as its official beverage partner, in a move aimed at tapping into youth culture through entertainment-led engagement. The collaboration is not just a logo placement exercise. Instead, Barista is translating the film’s high-energy vibe into its cafés with a themed summer menu titled “Main Hoon Mango”, accompanied by a limited-period 20 per cent discount on combo offerings across outlets.
Actors Medha Shankr and Avinash Tiwary feature in the campaign, seen engaging with the mango-themed menu inside Barista cafés, a visual cue designed to blur the lines between reel and real-life consumption moments.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in how consumer brands are leveraging hindi film industry not just for visibility, but for immersive, on-ground engagement. By embedding the film’s narrative into its product experience, Barista is aiming to drive footfall, especially among younger audiences who increasingly seek experiential touchpoints over traditional advertising.
Barista Coffee Company CEO Rajat Agrawal described the partnership as both a branding and growth play, focused on expanding reach beyond the existing customer base and aligning with evolving consumer preferences.
The emphasis on a seasonal, flavour-led hook mango, one of India’s most culturally resonant ingredients adds a timely layer to the campaign, aligning with summer consumption trends while riding on the film’s promotional momentum.
For Barista, the move is part of a larger positioning shift. Rather than operating purely as a coffee retail chain, the brand is increasingly framing itself as a lifestyle destination, one that intersects with entertainment, conversation and shared experiences. By integrating cinema into its physical spaces, Barista is effectively turning cafés into micro-extensions of the film’s universe, where consumers do not just watch a story unfold but participate in it sip by sip.
The 20 per cent offer further nudges trial, lowering the barrier for consumers to engage with the themed menu while amplifying recall through a tangible incentive.
Brand-film collaborations are hardly new, but their execution is evolving. Where earlier partnerships relied on co-branded ads or product placements, the current playbook leans towards immersive storytelling and retail integration.
In that sense, Barista’s “Main Hoon Mango” push is less about promotion and more about participation inviting consumers to experience a slice of the film within a familiar, everyday setting. As the film industry continues to act as a cultural amplifier, such partnerships underline a growing truth, in today’s attention economy, it is not enough to be seen brands must be experienced.
And if that experience comes with a mango twist and a cinematic backdrop, all the better.
