MAM
DDB Mudra & WARC launch India’s first strategy evening
MUMBAI: Advertising is all about creativity, but strategy is what keeps it on course. In an industry first, DDB Mudra Group has partnered with WARC to host Portfolio Evening: Strategy Edition in Mumbai on 26 November 2025, offering young strategists a chance to shine.
Open to professionals with zero to five years of experience, the event invites participants to present their work in 20-minute sessions before a jury of India’s leading strategy experts. Registrations are open until 15 November, and applicants must submit two pieces of work from their portfolio or developed in response to briefs, demonstrating their ability to spot consumer insights, define problems, and craft strategic recommendations.
The evening promises direct feedback from some of the country’s most respected strategic minds, including Sideways Consulting former CSO Aditi Patwardhan; Leo CEO – South Asia Amitesh Rao; TBWA India CSO Anirban Mozumdar; and DDB Mudra Group president and managing partner – growth and strategy Menaka Menon, among others.
The winner will receive exclusive access to WARC’s coveted thought leadership series, Creative Impact Unpacked from Cannes, taking the learning beyond the competition. The evening will also mark the launch of WARC’s Future of Strategy 2025 report in India for the first time. The report maps the evolving role of strategic planning in an AI-driven, rapidly fragmenting media landscape, offering key insights shaping global agency practices.
This inaugural event aims to nurture the next generation of strategy talent, connecting them with industry leaders while showcasing how sharp thinking can transform ideas into impactful campaigns. With creativity in the spotlight and strategy taking centre stage, this is one evening Mumbai’s advertising world will not want to miss.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
