MAM
Mindshare MENA appoints Ravi Rao as chief client officer
MUMBAI: Mindshare has appointed Ravi Rao as Mindshare MENA chief client officer. Rao was earlier Mindshare, South Asia leader. He will be taking over his role from 1 May, 2015 and will be based in the Dubai office.
On his move to Mindshare, MENA, Rao said, “I am excited to take this new role within the Mindshare family. The market has exhibited good growth over the past few years and I look forward to strengthening our position in the MENA region.”
GroupM South Asia CEO CVL Srinivas added, “Ravi helped consolidate Mindshare’s position in the market over the past few years. He has led the transformation efforts of the agency in the recent past. This has helped Mindshare create cutting edge products for its clients, grow its digital business and retain its leadership position. He has made a significant contribution to our network and the industry at large. We are confident that Ravi will continue to play a stellar role in building the Mindshare network and we wish him well in his new role.”
Mindshare MENA CEO Samir Ayoub said, “We are thrilled to welcome Ravi back to the MENA purple family. Ravi is well respected with a good reputation in our region. With his vast experience, we are confident that Ravi will play a vital role to have more successful stories for Mindshare MENA”.
Rao is also the chairman of the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and has represented Mindshare and GroupM on several industry platforms.
Rao joined Mindshare, South Asia in 2008 and took over as leader for the market in 2012. Under his guidance, Mindshare remains the largest media and marketing agency in India. Rao was earlier a part of JWT Dubai and the Mindshare MENA team during its inception in 1999. He also worked with OMD in the course of his time in Dubai.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
