MAM
Kaizzen ropes in Suresh Rangarajan to sharpen its southern storytelling
MUMBAI: In the game of PR, you either make the story or miss the moment. Kaizzen clearly knows which side it’s playing for. In a strategic masterstroke, the firm has appointed veteran communications guru Suresh Rangarajan as senior vice president – south, effective 2 April 2025. And if resumes could talk, his would drop the mic.
With 25+ years under his belt, Rangarajan isn’t just walking into the role—he’s marching in with a narrative arsenal. Having crafted stories for marquee names like Tata Motors, Vodafone India, Nissan Motor India, and Concept PR, he’s no stranger to campaigns that don’t just trend but transform brands.
Rangarajan’s appointment is part of Kaizzen’s laser-sharp strategy to double down on south India—home to tech titans, startups and some of the country’s fastest-growing innovation hubs. His task? Expand operations, drive client growth, and basically make Kaizzen the communications king of the south.
“We are thrilled to welcome Suresh to team Kaizzen as senior vice president for south,” said Kaizzen CEO Vineet Handa. “Kaizzen today has a well-established footprint in Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. I feel he will be one of the strong flagbearers of our services and culture as we continue to grow our service offerings, geographic presence and people strength.”
Rangarajan brings a special flair for the technology, telecom and automotive sectors. Add his crisis calm, stakeholder savvy, and a knack for turning jargon into genius, and you’ve got a leadership hire that means business.
“Suresh’s expertise will not only help expand our client portfolio but also play a crucial role in scaling our specialised verticals. With his addition to our leadership team, we are confident in achieving new milestones in south India,” added Kaizzen COO Nikhil Pavithran.
Rangarajan, never one to mince words, said, “Joining Kaizzen at such an exciting phase of its growth is truly inspiring. Today, communication is not just about storytelling—it’s about building purpose-driven narratives that foster trust, shape perceptions, and drive real business impact. South India is a thriving centre for innovation and entrepreneurship, and I look forward to collaborating with our talented teams and valued clients to craft strategies that make a meaningful difference. Kaizzen’s commitment to excellence and its expanding global footprint make this an exciting opportunity to set new benchmarks in integrated communications.”
The man’s résumé includes pan-India brand command, globe-spanning collaborations, and a creative compass that always points to impact. With Kaizzen placing its bets on the South, Rangarajan might just be the secret sauce in their next growth spurt.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
