MAM
Mindshare veteran Sonal Jadhav moves to lead Havas Media’s western operations
MUMBAI: Sonal Jadhav has traded her corner office at Mindshare for the top job at Havas Media Network India, where she will serve as managing partner and west lead. The appointment marks a significant coup for Havas, which has poached one of the industry’s most seasoned media hands.
Jadhav spent three years and seven months as principal partner at Mindshare, the GroupM-owned agency, before making the switch this month. Her departure represents a notable loss for Mindshare, where she had deep roots stretching back over a decade.
The Mumbai-based executive brings formidable credentials to her new role. She cut her teeth during a marathon 10-year stint at Mindshare, rising through the ranks from client lead to senior cluster lead. In her most recent role there, she managed a portfolio of blue-chip accounts including Kellogg’s, ICICI, Rio Tinto and Onida, with full profit-and-loss responsibility.
Her earlier Mindshare tenure was particularly notable for her stewardship of the Hindustan Unilever skincare portfolio, where she crafted media strategies for the conglomerate’s beauty brands from 2006 to 2013. The assignment cemented her reputation as a strategic thinker with a knack for marrying brand-building with performance metrics.
Between her two Mindshare chapters, adhav spent four years as general manager at Wavemaker, another GroupM stable-mate, focusing on FMCG clients and honing her expertise across traditional and digital media channels.
Her career began in print advertising, with early roles at Hindustan Times and Indian Express, where she learned the fundamentals of media sales and revenue optimisation.
The appointment signals Havas Media’s ambitions to strengthen its presence in India’s fiercely competitive media landscape, where agencies are battling for a larger share of the country’s advertising spend. Ms Jadhav’s deep FMCG experience and client relationships make her a natural fit for a market where consumer goods companies remain among the biggest advertisers.
At 15-plus years in the business, she represents the kind of seasoned leadership that agencies increasingly prize as they navigate the complexities of digital transformation and attribution-based media buying.
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.
