MAM
Getty Images appoints Visage Media Services as its Indian subcontinent representative
MUMBAI: Getty Images, the imagery company, has signed an agreement with Visage Media Services to exclusively represent Getty Images creative collections in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Maldives. This agreement according to Getty Images marks the beginning of a new era for access to high quality photagraphy in India.
Previously, the Getty Images collections had been available to clients in these markets from the Getty Images Singapore office.
“A key focus for us this year is accelerating international growth particularly in non-English speaking markets,” said Getty Images VP agents and emerging markets Andrew Booth, “With this in mind, we have been looking carefully at our strategy for India. As one of the top 20 countries worldwide by advertising expenditure and one of the top 10 highest growth countries worldwide, India‘s strategic importance and potential is a great long-term opportunity for Getty Images, so it was key that we built our presence in this market.”
The company also stated that the best way to do this was to partner with a local company, and expressed their confidence levels about Visage Media Services who they believe would drive their business forward in this region.
There are also plans in place for the Visage team to build local content for India, working with the creative team from Getty Images to create imagery that meets clients‘ local and international requirements.
“We are delighted to partner with Getty Images,” says Visage Media Services CEO Srini Kilambi. “We feel confident that offering creative clients in the Indian region the opportunity to license the world‘s most comprehensive collection of quality imagery from a local partner will make their job far easier.”
Visage Media Services will license all Getty Images creative stills collections, including the award-winning collection Stone, along with The Image Bank, Taxi and Photodisc.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
