Brands
Naveen Durgaraju elevated as head of gen AI at Dneg
MUMBAI: Dneg has elevated Naveen Durgaraju to head of generative AI, a move that reflects both the company’s growing focus on AI-led creativity and Durgaraju’s unusually wide-ranging professional journey.
The appointment marks a fresh chapter for Durgaraju, whose career has comfortably straddled technology, business strategy and creative expression. At Dneg, he will be tasked with shaping the studio’s Generative AI vision, helping blend advanced AI systems with cinematic storytelling and production workflows.
Before stepping into this role, Durgaraju built his foundation across global organisations such as Infosys and Belgium-based Proximus Group. There, he worked on business analysis, product ownership and telecom core systems, gaining hands-on experience in large-scale, complex technology environments.
What sets him apart, however, is his parallel creative track. He has been closely associated with platforms such as Pepperscript and Leadstart, also known as One Point Six Technologies, where he honed his skills as an author and creative professional. This rare mix of analytical depth and narrative instinct has shaped his multidisciplinary profile.
Colleagues describe his career as one that refuses to stay in a single lane. From enterprise technology to publishing, and now to generative AI in visual effects, Durgaraju has consistently moved at the intersection of logic and imagination.
His elevation comes at a time when generative AI is rapidly redefining how stories are conceived and produced in the entertainment industry. With Dneg leaning into that shift, Durgaraju’s blend of technical expertise and creative sensibility positions him to help turn algorithms into artistry.
In an industry often split between left brain and right brain, his journey suggests there is plenty of room for both.
Brands
Magnum Ice Cream Netherlands takes control of Kwality Wall’s India from Unilever
61.9 per cent stake transfer reshapes ownership as Unilever exits promoter role
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited has entered a new chapter, with The Magnum Ice Cream Company HoldCo 1 Netherlands B.V. acquiring a controlling 61.9 per cent stake from a clutch of Unilever PLC-led entities, marking a significant shift in ownership.
The transaction, completed on March 30, 2026, follows a share purchase agreement signed in June 2025. The incoming promoter picked up over 145 crore equity shares, effectively taking control of the company and being formally classified as its new promoter under regulatory norms.
As part of the deal, the outgoing promoter group, including Unilever Group Limited and its affiliated entities, has fully exited its shareholding in the company. They have now been reclassified from promoter to public shareholders, closing a long-standing association with the ice cream business in India.
The board of Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited took note of the ownership change and approved a series of leadership updates alongside it. Ritesh Tiwari stepped down as director, while Abhijit Bhattacharya was appointed as chairperson and additional non-executive director. Tahir Toloy Tanridagli also joined the board as an additional non-executive director.
The reshuffle signals a broader strategic reset as the Magnum-led entity looks to steer the brand’s next phase of growth in India. The transition has been carried out in line with regulatory requirements, including disclosures tied to the open offer and reclassification norms under market regulations.
With Unilever stepping back and Magnum stepping in, Kwality Wall’s India is effectively getting a fresh scoop of leadership and direction. The coming months will reveal how the new promoter plans to scale the brand in one of the world’s most competitive ice cream markets.
