Brands
Marketing maven climbs the Kotak ladder with promotional panache
MUMBAI: Kanchi Parekh has ascended to vice president marketing at Kotak Mahindra Bank, capping a three-year climb through the private banking heavyweight’s ranks. The April 2025 promotion marks another conquest in her decade-plus march through India’s most competitive financial services sector.
Parekh’s CV reads like a masterclass in brand warfare. Her journey began at Peacock Media (2008-2010), cutting teeth on client management and retail campaigns. A stint at The Indian Express honed her event orchestration skills before the real breakthrough at DHFL, where she managed portfolios worth Rs 89-107 crores whilst delivering a jaw-dropping 458 per cent lift in enquiries and 1,377 per cent increase through direct CRM.
At ItzCash Card, India’s pioneering prepaid card entity, she commanded Rs 6 crores across 65,000 franchisees. Her insurance sector mastery crystallised at Future Generali and HDFC ERGO, where she crafted “always-on” marketing strategies spanning retail, bancassurance, and digital channels. SBI General Insurance elevated her to team lead, polishing her multi-channel expertise.
Kotak clearly spotted a thoroughbred when it hired Parekh as deputy vice president in February 2022. Her swift promotion suggests the investment paid handsome dividends. In an era of soaring customer acquisition costs, having a marketing strategist who navigates B2C and B2B2C channels with equal aplomb is worth its weight in rupees.
Her skill set resembles a marketing Swiss Army knife: campaign management, digital strategy, public relations, employer branding, and analytics—all backed by proven agency management abilities. As India’s financial services sector digitises rapidly, Kotak appears to have secured a marketing general capable of commanding campaigns across every conceivable channel.
For Parekh, vice president represents not just career progression, but validation of a strategy that’s seen her master every major financial vertical whilst building Mumbai’s most versatile marketing reputation.
Brands
ITC Sunfeast Farmlite launches Sugar Free Cookies range
New variants offer guilt-free indulgence for health-conscious snackers.
MUMBAI: ITC Sunfeast Farmlite is sweetening the deal for biscuit lovers who want to have their cookie and eat it too without the sugar. The better-for-you biscuits range from ITC Foods has expanded its portfolio with the launch of an all-new Sugar Free Cookies line, aligning with the company’s vision of ‘Help India Eat Better’. The range is designed for consumers who are rethinking sugar in their daily snacking but refuse to compromise on taste and indulgence.
The collection debuts with two tempting variants: Choco Nut Cookies and Hazelnut & Oats Cookies. Both are a source of protein and contain no trans-fat, while the Hazelnut & Oats variant is also lactose-free.
ITC Ltd. vice president (marketing), biscuits, foods division, Suraj Kathuria said, “At Sunfeast Farmlite, we believe mindful snacking should never come at the cost of indulgence. With this launch, we are catering to the growing need for guilt-free snacking while delivering a rich, satisfying cookie experience.”
ITC Ltd. vice president & head of food sciences for foods division Dr Shantanu Das added, “We have applied robust food science to develop cookies that are sugar-free while preserving the taste and texture consumers love.”
Each cookie comes in convenient single-serve packs to maintain texture and freshness. Both variants are available in 100g packs priced at ₹100 and can be found on quick-commerce platforms including Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, and Zepto.
In a market increasingly leaning towards healthier choices, ITC Sunfeast Farmlite’s new Sugar Free Cookies prove that cutting sugar doesn’t mean cutting joy. For the health-conscious yet indulgent snacker, this could be the perfect bite-sized solution.
