MAM
MullenLowe Group elevates S Subramanyeswar as APAC chief strategy officer
MUMBAI: MullenLowe Group announced the elevation of S Subramanyeswar to chief strategy officer for the Asia-Pacific region. He will continue to lead strategy for brands at MullenLowe Lintas Group (India) as its group chief strategy officer.
Subramanyeswar, better known as Subbu, joined Lowe Lintas in 2011 as national planning director, and has since led strategic initiatives for multiple brands across the clients that the group works on in India. He has spent two decades plus in advertising and marketing, having worked at Wipro, Publicis, Rediffusion Y&R, and Saatchi & Saatchi in the markets of India, US and UK. He joined Lowe Lintas in 2011.
Subbu has been awarded ‘South Asia Planner of the Year’ for two consecutive years – 2014 and 2015 by the world-renowned Campaign magazine. He has authored and won 130+ Effectiveness awards at India Effies, APAC Effies, Tambuli, Asian Marketing Effectiveness, WARC and the globally distinguished Jay Chiat by 4A’s. He has also been on the jury of Jay Chiat, APAC Effies, AME, WARC, Tambuli and India Effies.
Subbu is a passionate believer and practitioner of purpose-inspired brand building. His breakthrough ‘Brands to Stands’ thinking, methodology and frameworks have been adopted by many of the brands that MullenLowe Lintas Group steers in India.
Subbu will be based in Mumbai, India, as he takes up the Asia-Pacific charge with immediate effect.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
