MAM
Kalpana Rao to be president Ad Club Mumbai
MUMBAI: Times of change for the Advertising Club Mumbai. The largest advertising club in the world is reshuffling its top brass. With the current management committee’s two-year tenure ending 1 July, the Ad Club, Mumbai will have a new chief and management committee.
Elections which were held in May for the same, saw O&M’s talent director – India, Kalpana Rao elected to the post of president, with Bennett Coleman and Company’s response director Bhaskar Das as vice-president.
The annual general meeting (AGM) is scheduled for 30 June, wherein Ad Club members will ratify the nominated team. The validatory vote has already been received for the various individual’s candidatures.
Rao is currently vice-president and Das the secretary of the Ad Club. Percept H CEO Ajay Chandwani, currently joint secretary, will become secretary while Apurva Purohit (the newly appointed Radio City CEO), currently a managing committee member, will take on the responsibility of joint secretary. S K Palekar (Eureka Forbes senior vice president – marketing and knowledge management), currently a management committee member will take on the treasurer’s role. Thus completing the five incoming office bearers of the Ad Club.
It is worth noting here that Rao will be only the second women president the Ad Club Mumbai has had (after Business India’s Firoza Billimoria), that too after a gap of over 15 years.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Ad Club president MG Parameswaran (FCB Ulka executive director & member of the management board) says, “In the past year the Ad Club celebrated its completion of 50 years. We also opened up the Abby’s for South Asian countries. The endeavour very clearly being – The Ad Club to stand as an entity for the people of the advertising fraternity in the entire South Asian region.”
Parameswaran also added that as the South Asian region inches closer to becoming more integrated finally to become one economic identity with natural boundaries and free movement of brands and people, the Advertising Club would play a more active role in elevating the advertising standards of the region.
Commenting on the incoming team, Parameswaran points out, “A lady president after 15 years! Kalpana will bring in her own touch of elegance and professionalism. Also, due to her long association with the Ad Club, she’s will take on the position with a complete understanding and background of the Club. Bhaskar Das on the other hand, has piloted the Solus magazine. From 2-3 issues a year, he has managed to increase it to 6-7 a year. As V-P, Das will bring in a lot of media weight to the activities of the club.”
The incoming managing committee comprises –
Nagesh Alai (FCB Ulka ED finance & CS)
Subhash Kamat (Bates India CEO)
Pranesh Misra (Lowe president & COO)
Prabha Prabhu ( Madison Creative executive director )
Tarun Rai (JWT senior vice president & general manager)
Rajeev Sabnis (Contract Mumbai head)
Sandip Tarkas (Media Direction CEO)
MG Parameswaran (immediate past president)
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
