MAM
Kevin Pietersen is the new brand ambassador for Citizen in India
MUMBAI: Cricketer Kevin Pietersen has been appointed as the brand ambassador of Citizen watches in India.
Pietersen had been the brand ambassador for the brand in the United States and Europe, and therefore it was a natural extension, according to Citizen Watches (India) marketing manager Aditya Sengupta.
The budget for marketing, promoting the renowned ‘Citizen‘ watch brand in India will be 10-15 per cent of its revenue, up from between 8 – 10 per cent last year.
However, Sengupta told Indiantelevision.com that the emphasis of advertising will be on out of home, banners, and social media, apart from the print media and media meetings.
He said there was no plan at present to go in for television commercials, though he did not rule that out at a later stage.
Sengupta said it was generally known that the target for Citizen was the urban male and female, and therefore Pietersen fitted that image. The watch has a global heritage, and Kevin has a global image.
Earlier in the press meet, it was announced that Pietersen‘s sophistication and style superbly personifies the brand.
Citizen Watches (India) MD Katsusuke Tokura said, “We are delighted to have Kevin Pietersen here. Citizen has always been associated with sports, personifying the spirit of sportsmanship, confidence and independence of the Eco drive collection.”
He further added, “Citizen has always considered India as an important market. Our target-consumer in India is the ‘new rich young generation‘ who is financially independent, style-conscious, as well as seeks real value and appreciates new technologies. Citizen has plans to bring out several contemporary designs year on year.”
Pietersen said, “I am delighted to join as the new face of Citizen in India. Citizen has always had a strong association with sports in the past and I am greatly honoured to be a part of this great global brand”. He added, “Cricket is all about timing and only with timing does a cricketer fulfill his full potential. Citizen has also grown with time; I see my association with them noteworthy, as I see Citizen in me”.
Brands
FSS names Anand Krishnamurthi head of global digital delivery
Tech veteran to drive AI-first, cloud-led transformation in payments globally
CHENNAI: Financial Software and Systems (FSS), an AI-first payment infrastructure company, has appointed Anand Krishnamurthi as head of global digital delivery.
In his new role, Anand Krishnamurthi will lead FSS’s global digital delivery capabilities, focusing on AI-first and cloud-led transformation while ensuring predictable, high-quality outcomes for customers worldwide. He will be based in Chennai and report to V. Balasubramanian, CEO of FSS.
Bringing 28 years of experience in technology and digital transformation across banking, capital markets, financial services, and insurance, Anand has held senior leadership positions at Cognizant and NuSummit. He is recognised for scaling multi-geography delivery teams, leading mission-critical platforms, and embedding AI-driven automation in complex, regulated environments.
“What drew me to FSS is its deep payments expertise, strong product DNA, and the scale at which its platforms power real-world financial ecosystems,” said Anand Krishnamurthi. “I aim to strengthen delivery predictability, execution rigor, and engineering quality, building empowered teams that deliver measurable customer outcomes. FSS has a unique opportunity to create real-time, AI-infused payments infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and globally scalable.”
V. Balasubramanian added, “Anand’s track record in leading multi-geography delivery programs and AI-first operating models makes him the ideal leader for FSS as we accelerate our AI-driven digital payments business. His leadership will help us raise the bar for outcomes globally.”
This appointment is part of FSS’s broader push to build an AI-powered, cloud-native delivery organisation capable of meeting the evolving needs of banks, fintechs, and financial institutions worldwide.
