Brands
Love all again Lotto reunites with Sania Mirza in full circle return
MUMBAI: Some partnerships don’t retire, they simply come back stronger. Italian sportswear brand Lotto has announced a renewed collaboration with tennis trailblazer Sania Mirza, who joins the brand as Brand Ambassador and Chief Advisor for Women’s Sports, marking a full-circle moment in both their journeys.
For Mirza, the association is less a comeback and more a homecoming. The relationship dates back to when she was just 19, long before Grand Slams, global stardom and her status as one of India’s most influential sporting icons. At the time, Lotto backed her not merely for her results, but for her confidence, individuality and unmistakable presence on and off the court qualities that would later define her career.
The renewed partnership now shifts focus from performance alone to purpose. As chief advisor for women’s sports, Mirza will work closely with Lotto on shaping its women’s athleisure and sportswear portfolio across footwear and apparel, drawing from her lived experience as an elite athlete navigating sport, culture and identity.
Agilitas Group CEO Abhishek Ganguly, which operates Lotto in India, said the association reflects shared values. “Sania represents what Lotto stands for authenticity, confidence and engaging with sport beyond results. She has shaped how a generation understands self-belief and individuality, and this partnership brings that philosophy to life,” he said.
Mirza described the reunion as a natural progression. “Lotto believed in me when I was still finding my voice as an athlete. Returning now, in a role where I can help shape how women experience sport and movement, feels deeply meaningful. This is about contributing beyond the court,” she said.
Beyond product development, her role will centre on building community and relevance, ensuring women’s sportswear evolves with women rather than merely for them. For Lotto, the collaboration signals a renewed commitment to women’s sport as a cultural force not just a category.
In tennis terms, it’s not a rematch. It’s a rally picked up right where it began love all, again.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
