Brands
Marketing maestro Varun Thakar lands top brand gig at Razorpay
MUMBAI: High-flying marketing strategist Varun Thakar has nabbed a plum position as director of brand marketing at fintech powerhouse Razorpay, after catapulting travel major Cleartrip into the second spot in India’s cutthroat online travel market.
The Cannes Lion winner, who took up his new role this month, brings a blistering track record of brand transformations and marketing wizardry to the payment processing giant.
During his three-year stint at Cleartrip, Thakar worked marketing miracles, masterminding a spectacular brand relaunch that sent top-of-mind awareness rocketing.
The marketing maverick, who wielded a hefty budget at Cleartrip, orchestrated the company’s first-ever big billion day campaign, roping in celebrities for a multi-channel blitz that delivered the brand’s highest-ever share of voice.
“Thakar’s magic touch was evident in the wildly successful #ORTRAVELONCLEARTRIP campaign, which saw brand mentions surge by an eye-watering 2000 per cent,” said an industry observer.
Before making waves in the travel sector, Thakar cut his teeth at beverage behemoth AB InBev, where he drove Budweiser’s brand power growth to record levels and spearheaded four 360-degree campaigns with a wallet-busting budget.
The Goa Institute of Management alumnus also spent five years at adhesives giant Pidilite, managing its pipe joining portfolio and delivering impressive top-line revenue growth.
As Razorpay looks to cement its position in India’s digital payments landscape it will be banking on Thakar’s proven knack for sticking his brand messages where they count and brewing up advertising campaigns that leave competitors feeling distinctly flat.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â 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.
