Brands
Oben powers ahead with 50th showroom, eyes 150 outlets by year-end
MUMBAI: From zero to fifty, Oben Electric is revving up India’s EV race at full throttle. The homegrown R&D-driven motorcycle brand has just cut the ribbon on its 50th showroom and service centre in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh marking a pit stop on its road to 150 outlets by the close of this financial year.
The milestone comes on the back of rapid expansion. In recent months, Oben has entered Visakhapatnam and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, Ranchi in Jharkhand, Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, Aligarh and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, and Palakkad in Kerala. With this, its network now spans 15 states and 37 cities, a footprint fuelled by soaring demand for its flagship Rorr EZ and the newly launched Rorr EZ Sigma.
The Rorr EZ Sigma pitched as the commuter’s next-gen ride builds on the success of the original Rorr EZ with better performance, smarter tech, and everyday practicality. Together, the duo has become the brand’s biggest growth engine, drawing in first-time EV buyers as well as seasoned riders looking for clean mobility alternatives.
“Inaugurating our 50th dealership is a powerful milestone,” said Oben Electric founder & CEO Madhumita Agrawal. “Andhra Pradesh is a key clean mobility market for us, and with in-house manufacturing and customer-focused service, we’re set on raising benchmarks for electric motorcycle ownership across India.”
Oben Electric also stands out in the crowded EV space for its vertical integration: it designs and manufactures critical EV components in-house from high-performance LFP batteries to motors, chargers and vehicle control units. This, the company claims, ensures durability and consistency tailored to India’s diverse riding conditions.
With the Visakhapatnam showroom now open, Oben has 100 more outlets in its sights before March 2026. Each will come equipped with a service centre, promising customers not just a flashy ride but robust after-sales support too.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
