Brands
McDonald’s serves up a smash with Padel tie-up
MUMBAI: McDonald’s India (West & South), operated by Westlife Foodworld, is swapping fries for forehands with a new partnership that aims to fuel India’s next sporting wave, Padel.
In collaboration with the Indian Padel Academy (IPA), McDonald’s is stepping off the menu and onto the court to boost infrastructure, coaching, and tournaments for one of the world’s fastest-growing sports.
Known for its mix of teamwork, agility, and accessibility, padel is fast finding its footing in India. This initiative marks McDonald’s next big serve in community development, extending its global tradition of supporting sports, from the Olympics to local playgrounds, into India’s grassroots scene.
“At McDonald’s India, we’ve always believed in bringing people together through shared experiences. Sport is a natural extension of that belief,” said Westlife Foodworld CEO Akshay Jatia. “Through this partnership with the Indian Padel Academy, we hope to inspire young people to dream bigger, play stronger, and grow together.”
The collaboration aims to make padel facilities more accessible to children, pairing them with top coaches and nurturing values like teamwork and discipline. “India is ready for the next chapter in padel,” added Padel Park India co-founder Nikhil Sachdev. “Together with McDonald’s, we’re building a strong and inclusive community that gives young players the chance to go global.”
Serving more than just meals, McDonald’s India continues to deliver on its promise of community and connection, this time, one rally at a time.
Brands
Vodafone Idea elevates Vineeth Jayendranath as VP, marketing head Mumbai
Telecom marketer takes charge of Mumbai circle with growth and brand focus
MUMBAI: Vodafone Idea Limited has promoted Vineeth Jayendranath to vice president, marketing head for the Mumbai circle, marking a key milestone in his career as the telecom operator sharpens its regional strategy.
In his new role, Jayendranath will lead marketing efforts across prepaid and postpaid segments in one of the country’s most competitive telecom markets. His mandate includes driving revenue growth, strengthening brand positioning, and deepening customer engagement, while also managing profit and loss responsibilities for the circle.
Sharing the update, Vineeth Jayendranath said, “Excited to share, I am starting my new stint as Vice President, Marketing Head for Mumbai circle at Vodafone Idea Ltd. Would like to thank everyone who has supported me in this journey.”
Jayendranath brings over 12 years of experience spanning telecom and IT, with a strong focus on customer value management and data-led marketing. Since joining Vodafone Idea, he has held multiple leadership roles, most recently serving as general manager leading customer value management and prepaid business across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa.
During this period, he handled large subscriber bases and multi-billion rupee revenue portfolios, while rolling out hyper-personalised campaigns and a “segment of one” strategy to improve customer retention and upgrades. He also championed a digital-first approach, pushing adoption of data services and unlimited plans through targeted, insight-driven initiatives.
Earlier, he worked with Idea Cellular Ltd in strategy and business intelligence roles, and began his career at Infosys as a systems engineer. A brief stint at Hyundai Motor India Ltd during his internship added early exposure to marketing strategy.
An alumnus of SVKM’s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Jayendranath has steadily built a reputation for combining analytics with marketing execution.
His elevation comes as telecom players double down on circle-level strategies to stay competitive, and Vodafone Idea appears to be betting on data-backed marketing to keep Mumbai firmly in its corner.
