MAM
Makani Creatives wins integrated creative mandate for brands Stimulus and Eeken from Paragon Group
Mumbai: Footwear brands Stimulus and Eeken, subsidiaries of one of the oldest footwear names in India- the Paragon group, have appointed Makani Creatives as their AOR to handle the Brand Creative and Social Media mandates for both brands. The agency brings their full scale Integrated Brand Communications capabilities to this partnership and will shape the narrative of both Stimulus and Eeken across traditional and new media.
Both Stimulus and Eeken are brands that are targeted to the youth and will benefit from Makani Creative’s strong pulse on this target segment. While Eeken is for the easy-going college kid, living life like #WeekendEveryday, Stimulus is meant for the young, early-jobbers full of dreams and go-getter energy. Their footwear range is crafted for comfort so that their target audience can focus on their ventures. Coming from the house of Paragon, the products are designed to display their expertise in quality and longevity.
Speaking on the vision for the brands, Paragon Footwear CMO Shawn Chandy said, “Our products are not just made for our consumers, they are inspired by them. With this partnership, we look forward to tapping into Makani’s pulse on the younger generations and connecting meaningfully and deeply with our consumers.”
Makani Creatives chief integration officer Pavan Punjani said, “It is very exciting to work on brands whose purpose is clearly defined and promises to deliver more than just stylish products. Both brands have a shared DNA but distinct purpose. Stimulus is the true representation of India. It is a catalyst that will help Indians push beyond their limit and achieve what they set their eyes on. Eeken is a celebration of the lightness and joy of being young. Our role is primarily to help both the brands communicate across diverse mediums- be it mainline, digital or on-ground, without losing out its core essence.
Speaking of the association, Paragon Footwear executive VP Sachin Joseph added, “Both Stimulus and Eeken are on an accelerating growth trajectory and we are excited to have Makani Creatives partner with us bringing their expertise in the footwear category and creative thinking that balances fashion and storytelling.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
