MAM
MetLife supports national athletic meet
BANGALORE: MetLife India Insurance Co. Pvt. Ltd has partnered with the Karnataka Athletic Association to sponsor the MetLife National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championship being held in Bangalore.
The Meet to be held at Kanteerva Stadium between the 3 July and 6 July 2005, is expected to attract participation from more than 600 athletes from across the country. The events will be telecast live by Doordarshan (DD) as per Metlife officials.
At a press conference to announce the launch of the event, MetLife marketing director Gaurav Suri said, “The objective of supporting this event is also to encourage people to take up other sports and we believe that this is a significant way of tapping the athletic potential the country is endowed with. Also as an organization we believe that sports should be effectively utilized as a tool for promoting good health.”
By supporting this initiative MetLife would like to not only promote mainline track and field sports but also build awareness towards the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. Suri also informed that MetLife has previously supported ‘differently-abled‘ athletes to showcase their talents in the international arena, stated an official release.
Promotion budgets for the first two years were about 20 per cent of of AFYP (around Rs. 100 million) are progressively being cut to 10 per cent, but this would still increase spends to Rs.121 million. Promotion budgets include sops to distributors and insurance advisors. Distribution on ground takes precedence when money is spent on marketing and advertising informed Suri.
Grey Worldwide handles the company‘s media account while MaCann handles the creative account.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
