MAM
Jaya Kumar is PepsiCo president Quaker Foods & Snacks
MUMBAI:PepsiCo has appointed Jaya Kumar as president Quaker Foods & Snacks. Kumar will be based out of Chicago and will report to PepsiCo Americas Foods CEO John Compton. In his new role, Kumar will head the $2 billion operating unit with a portfolio of brands including Quaker hot cereals and Chewy granola bars, Cap‘n Crunch, Life and Quaker Oatmeal Squares ready-to-eat cereals, Aunt Jemima mixes and syrups, Rice-A-Roni and Near East side dishes and Quaker‘s lite snack. “Kumar brings a powerful combination of innovation, marketing and retail capabilities to his new role at Quaker. His expertise in consumer and shopping insights will take Quaker through its next chapter of growth,” says Compton. He replaces Mark Schiller who moves to PepsiCo Frito-Lay North America Unit where he has been appointed as Frito-Lay warehouse brands SVP. Additionally, Frito Lay group VP marketing Ann Mukherjee has been promoted to chief marketing officer and senior vice president, a post most recently held by Kumar. She will supervise Frito Lay’s North American snacks business and will report to Frito Lay North America president and COO Al Carey.
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
