Brands
NeoNiche names Sheraz Hasan to leadership board for Apac growth
MUMBAI: NeoNiche Integrated Solutions is sharpening its Asia-Pacific ambitions with the appointment of Sheraz Hasan to its leadership board. The move signals a clear intent from the experiential marketing specialist to scale faster across one of the world’s most dynamic regions.
Hasan brings heavyweight credentials to the table. As former head of marketing for Amazon Web Services across Asia Pacific and Japan, he spent nearly a decade building the engines that fuelled AWS’s growth across APJ and India. From go-to-market strategy to cracking high-growth markets, his playbook is well tested.
For NeoNiche, the timing could not be better. The company, known for blending technology with immersive brand experiences, sees Singapore and the wider Asean region as a springboard for global expansion. Digitally savvy audiences, cultural diversity and fast-moving markets make the region fertile ground for bold brand storytelling.
“Sheraz brings a rare mix of large-scale platform thinking and deep regional insight,” said NeoNiche founder and CEO Prateek N. Kumar. “His perspective on account-based marketing, ecosystem building and expansion into new markets will be critical as we enter our next phase.”
Hasan, for his part, sees a company ready to stretch its wings. “NeoNiche has the ingredients to redefine its category,” he said. “Scaling today is about balancing global ambition with local intelligence, especially in high-potential markets like ASEAN. I am excited to help build that momentum.”
The appointment underlines NeoNiche’s growth-first mindset as it doubles down on creative engagement, technology-led solutions and a truly global outlook. In a crowded marketing landscape, the agency is betting that the right leadership can turn regional opportunity into worldwide impact.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: 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.
