MAM
Honasa ropes in Yatish Bhargava as chief business officer to boost growth playbook
MUMBAI: Not every day does a personal care unicorn rope in an FMCG heavyweight to sharpen its business game—but when it does, the move smells as sweet as a bottle of onion hair oil going viral on Instagram.
Honasa Consumer Limited, the parent company behind Mamaearth, The Derma Co., and Aqualogica, announced on 17 June 2025 the appointment of Yatish Bhargava as its new chief business officer (CBO). The decision signals a strategic gear shift for the fast-growing brand, as it seeks to scale both breadth and depth across general trade, modern trade, and online marketplaces.
Bhargava steps into the role as a seasoned operator with over 17 years of experience. He brings P&L expertise and leadership acumen honed at some of India’s most influential consumer companies, including Flipkart and Hindustan Unilever. At Flipkart, he played a central role in category transformation and go-to-market strategies. At HUL, he led high-performing sales and growth teams across multiple verticals.
His appointment takes effect immediately, with a full-time term. Honasa stated that Bhargava will be a designated senior management personnel (SMP) under SEBI compliance.
In its regulatory filing with the NSE and BSE, Honasa underscored its intent to reinforce business scale, growth strategies, and sustainable momentum through Bhargava’s expertise. “Yatish has led category transformation, built scalable go-to-market strategies and driven sustained growth across diverse consumer businesses”, the company noted in its official statement.
An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Bhargava will be tasked with building on Honasa’s already expansive omnichannel approach while navigating the highly competitive D2C landscape.
The announcement comes at a time when Honasa is increasingly eyeing market leadership across beauty and wellness categories, both online and offline. With Bhargava’s appointment, the company appears ready to play offence with stronger execution muscle and retail agility.
The disclosure has been made available on Honasa’s official website.
MAM
Mumbai Tech Week 2026 to focus on real-world AI adoption at scale
From pilots to production, event spotlights AI’s growing business impact
MUMBAI: Mumbai Tech Week 2026 will return for its third edition on 29 and 30 May at the Jio World Convention Centre, with a clear shift in focus from AI experimentation to real-world deployment.
Organised by the Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai and the Government of Maharashtra, and co-powered by Meta, the event is expected to bring together startups, investors, developers and policymakers to explore how AI is actively reshaping business operations.
This year’s edition places execution front and centre, with curated showcases from Indian unicorns and global technology firms demonstrating practical AI applications across sectors. The emphasis is less on what AI can do and more on what it is already doing.
“The competitive advantage in AI has shifted. It’s no longer about understanding it, it’s about implementing it,” said Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai co-chair, governing council Harsh Jain. “The companies pulling ahead are the ones moving from pilots to production and embedding AI into how their business runs.”
The backdrop to this shift is significant. AI is projected to contribute up to $500 billion to India’s GDP, while Mumbai’s startup ecosystem could see more than 100 unicorns by 2035. The city is also emerging as a key hub for data centre expansion, fuelled by rising AI workloads and enterprise demand.
The event will feature formats such as AI Excellence Awards, an early-stage startup showcase, and an AI-powered job fair in collaboration with Babblebots.ai. Masterclasses led by Meta, Replit and NPCI are expected to offer hands-on insights into AI adoption.
Speakers from organisations including Anthropic, Google Cloud India and Neysa will share perspectives on scaling AI in production environments, reflecting the event’s blend of global expertise and local innovation.
In the lead-up to the main event, satellite sessions between 25 and 28 May will take place across Mumbai, featuring workshops, hackathons and founder-led meetups designed to deepen ecosystem engagement.
“Mumbai has the ingredients to shape how AI is built and applied,” said Tech Entrepreneurs Association of Mumbai governing council member Naiyya Saggi. “Its strength lies in proximity, where capital, enterprises and consumers are closely connected, allowing ideas to move quickly from concept to adoption.”
As India reaches a defining moment in its AI journey, Mumbai Tech Week 2026 aims to turn momentum into measurable impact, positioning the city as a key driver in the global AI ecosystem.
