MAM
KKR in licensing deal with e-com venture Freecultr
MUMBAI: Shah Rukh Khan co-owned IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders has inked a licensing deal with apparel e-com venture, Freecultr, which will see the latter developing co-branded apparel lines ranging from polos, tees, denims, shoes, and accessories.
The partnership was brokered by The Wild East Group.
Besides launching branded apparels, the company will also develop KKR‘s travel polos and create the range of apparel that will be available globally from the beginning of the 2012 IPL season.
“We are excited to announce our casual wear license agreement with Freecultr. The Kolkata Knight Riders prides itself in innovation and differentiation, and has decided to partner with Freecultr, an exciting and upcoming fashion brand that is making waves across the country, as opposed to working with a supplier,” said KKR MD & CEO Venky Mysore.
“Our main objective has always been to continually keep our fans engaged, excited, and delighted and we believe this partnership will give our fans an added sense of pride as they become the brand ambassadors of the Kolkata Knight Riders.”
The initial product assortment will be introduced simultaneously among eCommerce (freecultr.com, kkr.in), traditional retail, and Eden Garden concession formats, as well as away games.
“We look forward to expanding our lifestyle brand presence within the exciting category of cricket and sports, with such a forward thinking and dominant brand as the Kolkata Knight Riders. We are confident our unrelenting focus on design, quality, and style will be a huge hit in the space and believe that the association between Kolkata Knight Riders and Freecultr is a winning partnership,” said Freecultr CEO Sujal Shah.
Brands
Accor names Amit Malik VP people and culture for South Asia
Hospitality major taps HR veteran to drive talent and culture agenda
MUMBAI: Accor has appointed Amit Malik as vice president for people and culture in South Asia, strengthening its leadership bench as it scales operations across the region.
Malik will be part of the South Asia leadership team, overseeing the people, talent and culture agenda across India and neighbouring markets. His mandate includes building organisational capabilities, strengthening leadership pipelines and enhancing employee experience across Accor’s growing portfolio.
With more than two decades of experience, Malik brings a blend of human resources expertise and business leadership. His career spans multiple sectors and geographies, equipping him to support Accor’s evolving workforce needs in a dynamic hospitality market.
“We are pleased to welcome Amit to Accor,” said Accor chief executive officer, South Asia Ranju Alex. “His understanding of people strategy and strong business orientation will be instrumental in building a high-performance, purpose-led culture.”
Before joining Accor, Malik served as president for Japan, Asia Pacific and Australia at WadzPay. He also spent several years at Aviva Life Insurance India, where he held senior roles including chief people officer and later chief executive and managing director.
His earlier stints include leadership roles at Bank of America, Royal Bank of Scotland, American Express and GSK Consumer Healthcare, giving him a wide lens on organisational transformation and governance.
Accor’s latest leadership move reflects its focus on building a future-ready workforce as competition intensifies in the hospitality sector. With Malik at the helm of its people strategy, the company is betting on culture as a key driver of growth.
