MAM
Paresh Chaudhry joins Madison PR as CEO
MUMBAI: Paresh Chaudhry has joined as Madison PR. The current CEO Veena Gidwani retires after a stint of 12 years on 30 June.
Chaudhry will be based out of Mumbai.
With over 24 years of experience in brand communication and reputation management experience across industries and key global markets, Chaudhry has worked with companies like Reliance Industries, Hindustan Unilever, Ranbaxy and Wockhardt. His last assignment was as group president -corporate communications, Reliance Industries where he reported to Reliance Industries Limited chairman and MD Mukesh Ambani. At RIL he was responsible for putting together systems and processes for effective global (internal and external) communications at RIL.
Through the years, Chaudhry has been involved in building the Ranbaxy‘s corporate brand in North America, Europe and India. He was also associated with the campaign for aligning regional communication country teams to bring alive â€?the transition to one Unilever brand‘ and driving the corporate name change from ‘HLL‘ to â€?HUL‘. He is also the founder President of the Indian Forum of Corporate Communicators (IFCC).
Madison World chairman and managing director Sam Balsara said, “Paresh‘s cross client category and cross country experience should help him add great value to our FMCG clients. Veena has done a wonderful job in building Madison PR into a specialist Brand PR consultancy and meeting the professional needs of our over 40 clients in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune and I wish her a very happy and fulfilling life ahead.”
Chaudhry said, “I am delighted with the opportunity to work with Madison PR that has carved out a distinct and distinguished niche within the industry and is known for its strong values and relationships with some of the best known companies in Corporate India. I look forward to working with Sam & his team of professionals to take Madison PR to the next level.”
Madison PR is a 12-year-old image management company specialising in innovative brand building techniques and campaigns. Its clients includes the likes of Procter & Gamble, Britannia, Godrej, Levis, Caf?© Coffee Day, Titan Fastrack, Parle Agro and many other brands; and has offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune.
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.
