Brands
Pansari Group lights up Diwali for local retailers
MUMBAI: Pansari Group is bringing the festive sparkle back to India’s neighbourhood markets with its heartwarming campaign, This Diwali, Let’s Bring Back the Raunak. The initiative celebrates retailers as part of the extended Pansari family, ensuring every shop shines with joy and togetherness this festive season.
Under the programme, over 20,000 retailers across the country are receiving Vandanwar and Aarti books, Ganesh-Laxmi statues, sweets, and chai, turning each store into a little corner of festivity. Beyond decorations, Pansari is also providing marketing, logistical, and promotional support, giving shopkeepers the confidence to greet customers with renewed energy and festive spirit.
“Diwali is about happiness and togetherness,” said Pansari Group director Shammi Agarwal. “While diyas are lit by families at home, we’re lighting up our retailers’ stores. We want each shop to shine bright with positivity and prosperity this Diwali. Ye Diwali, Pansari Vaali.”
Launched in October, the campaign will continue until Diwali, spreading cheer across India’s bustling bazaars. By restoring the festive glow to local markets, Pansari Group aims to reinforce social ties and remind everyone of Diwali’s true essence: celebration, unity, and shared joy.
With over six decades of FMCG experience, Pansari Group continues to blend tradition with innovation, supporting home-cooked meals and healthy living while embracing the evolving needs of consumers and communities.
Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
