MAM
LIC still king, but private players gaining momentum
MUMBAI: With the insurance sector witnessing a boom, owing to private insurance players going all out with their to big-bang advertising to build awareness and recall, LIC although continues to dominate the insurance market in terms of ‘recall’ and market share the private insurance players continue their perusal in making inroads into the consumer mindspace – according to the Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) Insurance Tracker.
Insurance companies at large are resorting to different creative strategies with ICICI Prudential using a mix of Corporate (Suraksha Zindagi Ke Har Kadam Par’) and Product (Chintamani – no Chinta only Money) advertising; SBI Life banking on ‘corporate’ (‘Woh Bacchpan Ke Din Lauta Do’) advertising, while some like Dabur Aviva focussing more on ‘product’ advertising.
Says TNS India senior vice president, Shobha Subramanian, “For private insurance players, key task is to build awareness, trust and positive disposition – for behavior to be impacted in the marketplace.”
As a consequence of heightened media activity, private players are gaining in acceptance, and this has meant that LIC is starting to lose ‘share-of-mind’.
The insurance tracker from the market research outfit, TNS India , is the only continuous brand health monitoring study for the insurance sector. Conducted in the seven cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad, the study aims to monitor the impact of marketing initiatives unleashed by marketers in the insurance arena, competitive activity and the evolving needs of investor groups.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
