MAM
India is third largest contributor to Zenith’s 3-year global adex prediction
MUMBAI: Zenith has predicted that the global ad expenditure will grow 4.5 per cent in 2018, reaching $581 billion by the end of the year. For the coming years, the agency expects the advertising expenditure to grow behind the global economy and its forecast has mentioned 4 per cent growth for 2019, followed by 4.2 per cent in 2020 and 4.1 per cent in 2021.
The forecast for 2019 is slightly down from its September prediction of 4.2 per cent growth.
The report has indicated that regions in ‘Fast-track Asia’ (India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam) are expecting the growth to rise to an average of 6.2 per cent a year to 2021.
India has been ranked third (followed by USA and China) in the list of top ten contributors to ad-spend growth 2018-2021 and is expected to see $4,506 million in ad-spends, which is 6 per cent of the expected total global advertising expenditure
North American ad-spend will grow 3 per cent in 2019 and will show an average 3.4 per cent growth each year to 2021 as the “ad market has been growing fairly steadily but unspectacularly since 2010”. Latin America is expected to record an average growth rate of 4.1 per cent a year to 2021. Combining “large scale and rapid growth” China will contribute 19 per cent to the global growth rate and will spend $14,461 million for advertisements.
The forecast has further revealed that six of the ten largest contributors will be rising markets (China, India, Indonesia, Brazil, South Korea and Russia), and they will contribute 37 per cent of new ad-spend over the next three years.
Brands
Magnum Ice Cream Netherlands takes control of Kwality Wall’s India from Unilever
61.9 per cent stake transfer reshapes ownership as Unilever exits promoter role
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited has entered a new chapter, with The Magnum Ice Cream Company HoldCo 1 Netherlands B.V. acquiring a controlling 61.9 per cent stake from a clutch of Unilever PLC-led entities, marking a significant shift in ownership.
The transaction, completed on March 30, 2026, follows a share purchase agreement signed in June 2025. The incoming promoter picked up over 145 crore equity shares, effectively taking control of the company and being formally classified as its new promoter under regulatory norms.
As part of the deal, the outgoing promoter group, including Unilever Group Limited and its affiliated entities, has fully exited its shareholding in the company. They have now been reclassified from promoter to public shareholders, closing a long-standing association with the ice cream business in India.
The board of Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited took note of the ownership change and approved a series of leadership updates alongside it. Ritesh Tiwari stepped down as director, while Abhijit Bhattacharya was appointed as chairperson and additional non-executive director. Tahir Toloy Tanridagli also joined the board as an additional non-executive director.
The reshuffle signals a broader strategic reset as the Magnum-led entity looks to steer the brand’s next phase of growth in India. The transition has been carried out in line with regulatory requirements, including disclosures tied to the open offer and reclassification norms under market regulations.
With Unilever stepping back and Magnum stepping in, Kwality Wall’s India is effectively getting a fresh scoop of leadership and direction. The coming months will reveal how the new promoter plans to scale the brand in one of the world’s most competitive ice cream markets.
