Brands
Gulf Oil ropes in Smriti Mandhana as a brand ambassador
Mumbai: Gulf Oil Lubricants, a Hinduja Group Company, has on-boarded popular Indian women cricketing star and current vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, as its new brand ambassador.
With this, Gulf Oil becomes the first company in the lubricant space to appoint a woman cricketer as an ambassador to represent the organization and its ethos. Smriti Mandhana will join the pantheon of famous cricketers and current brand ambassadors Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Hardik Pandya.
Gulf Oil recognises that the dynamics of the automotive segment have evolved with more women playing a pivotal role in the decision-making process of vehicular purchase and its further maintenance.
With the addition of Smriti Mandhana to its group of inspiring ambassadors, the organization has taken cognizance of the changing consumer demographics, determined to appeal and cater to the new developing customer landscape in the segment.
The new woman youth icon, Smriti, is the ideal brand ambassador as she embodies Gulf Oil’s strong sporting heritage, and her commitment to outperform is in line with the organisation’s values. Through this association, Gulf Oil aims to celebrate women’s power and inspire female audiences in the country while also honouring the achievements of Indian women cricketers.
Commenting on the decision to rope in a female brand ambassador, Gulf Oil Lubricants’ managing director & CEO Ravi Chawla said, “In the recent past, we have witnessed a surging demand for our products from a new audience segment. As an organisation that is determined to lead with the evolving times, we seek to strengthen our brand recall among women vehicle owners in India. The remarkable Smriti Mandhana was a natural choice for us as she shares a lot of synergy in values with Gulf Oil. We have a long history of associating with top athletes in the country. Smriti undoubtedly enjoys a high level of popularity & credibility in the cricketing world at large. We believe this association will help us connect with consumers across the spectrum, male and female audiences alike, reinforcing our brand philosophy and enhancing our engagement with the sport of cricket.”
Gulf Oil Lubricants head of marketing Amit Gheji added, “Smriti is a natural choice to represent the brand considering her achievements and wide appeal with the cricketing audience of our nation. The popularity and viewership of women’s cricket in India are expanding and we can only see it growing from here. Together, we look forward to creating exciting campaigns that will help the brand get even closer to its consumers. We already have MS Dhoni and Hardik endorsing our brand and now with the addition of Smriti, we look forward to living our brand promise of ‘Together, we’re Unstoppable’.”
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.
