MAM
Leo Burnett Mumbai announces new appointments to its senior leadership team
Mumbai – Leo Burnett Mumbai, part of the Publicis Groupe India, has announced new appointments to its senior leadership team. The agency is poised to leverage its momentum and success, and the new leadership team will power the leap forward to the next phase of growth.
The enhanced leadership structure is designed for a culture of greater empowerment, agility in decision making, and the capability to drive more of the new age solutions for clients that Leo Burnett has been making a name for itself for. The Leo Burnett Mumbai senior leadership team now comprises Abhimanyu Khedkar elevated as managing partner, Neetika Aggarwal appointed as managing partner, and Saurabh Dahiya as head of strategy.
Khedkar (Abhi) started his journey with Leo Burnett 8.5 years ago and has now been promoted to managing partner. Abhi has worked on some of the biggest brands in the Burnett portfolio and his work has been recognised at many international and national platforms. His dedication and accomplishments over the years have been instrumental to Leo Burnett’s success and he continues to be an important force in driving the future of the agency.
As managing partner, Aggarwal joins the Leo Burnett Mumbai team to bolster its partnerships, expertise, and capabilities. In a career spanning over two decades, Neetika has accrued enviable experience working with some of the biggest Indian and global brands including Nestle for its confectionary portfolio, PepsiCo foods, Airtel, TOI, Microsoft, Nokia, LG, IndusInd Bank. She also led some of the biggest digital interventions for Facebook including the successful Facebook Thumbstopper and Instagram Love Runs Deep properties. Her last stint before joining Leo Burnett was with VMLY&R. Prior to that she spent a few years with WPP@CP where she was the business and integration lead for Colgate Palmolive, bringing in expertise across ecommerce, CRM and FPD.
Dahiya joined us a few months ago as executive director & head of strategy. In just a short span of time he has been indispensable to the agency in sharpening its strategic creativity capability to drive growth & transformation for clients. Saurabh brings over 18 years of experience, with a career spanning the Middle-East, South East Asia & India in brand, digital and customer experience strategy. Saurabh’s knack for harnessing truth & talent to help brands matter in culture, changing contexts and commercial landscapes will add depth and perspective for Leo Burnett’s client partners.
Together Abhimanyu and Neetika will lead Leo Burnett Mumbai on the business front while Saurabh Dahiya will lead and drive the strategic function.
Commenting on the leadership changes, Leo Burnett, South Asia CEO Amitesh Rao shared, “Leo Burnett Mumbai is one of the top creative agencies in the country today, having seen an incredible run of success in paving the way for new age solutions for its clients. It is also an agency with insatiable ambition and hunger, and the enhanced leadership team is at the vanguard of our future growth and glory. I am delighted to have Abhimanyu, Neetika and Saurabh – with their diverse strategic, corporate and client backgrounds – bring brilliant new perspective to our journey going forward.”
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: 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.
