Brands
Parimal Kumar Shivendu steps up as executive director at Easebuzz
PUNE: Easebuzz has added fresh ballast to its leadership team, elevating Parimal Kumar Shivendu as executive director and welcoming him to its board of directors. The move sharpens the company’s focus on governance, regulatory rigour and long-term growth as India’s digital payments story gathers pace.
Shivendu brings more than 15 years of experience across financial regulation, public policy and fintech. A significant part of his career was spent at the Reserve Bank of India, where he worked on regulatory frameworks for fintech and digital financial services. At Easebuzz, he has already played a key role in shaping finance, risk and compliance functions while supporting the firm’s expanding platform and merchant base.
As a board member, Shivendu will help guide regulatory strategy, strengthen risk management practices and ensure Easebuzz scales in a steady and sustainable manner. His appointment underlines the company’s intent to build a payments business that is not just fast-growing, but also future-ready.
Commenting on his elevation, Shivendu said that as India’s digital finance ecosystem matures, the spotlight must move firmly towards strong governance and regulatory alignment. He added that Easebuzz sits at the right crossroads of innovation and responsibility, and he looks forward to contributing at the board level.
Easebuzz managing director and CEO Rohit Prasad, said Shivendu’s blend of regulatory insight and industry experience makes him a valuable addition to the board. He noted that Shivendu’s perspective will be vital as the company deepens its presence in the digital payments ecosystem while keeping governance front and centre.
Brands
Kingfisher signs three-year IPL partnership
Packaged water brand signs on as ‘good times partner’ for 2026–28 cycle
MUMBAI: Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water is betting big on cricket’s biggest stage, sealing a three-year partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India to sharpen fan engagement at the TATA Indian Premier League.
The brand, owned by United Breweries, will serve as the official “good times partner” for the men’s IPL from 2026 to 2028, extending a relationship that began with the Women’s Premier League. The move signals a broader push to embed itself deeper into live sport, with a focus on immersive, consumer-led experiences rather than conventional sponsorship visibility.
At the heart of the tie-up is a suite of fan-first activations spanning broadcast, stadiums and digital channels. These include the “Kingfisher Bird Cam”, offering a branded spider-cam perspective during live matches, and the “Good Times Zone”, an in-stadium entertainment hub during play-offs aimed at amplifying match-day buzz. The brand will also back IPL fan parks, elevate public screening experiences and run digital contests tied to key moments through the season.
Vikram Bahl, chief marketing officer, United Breweries, said cricket in India “is more than a sport, it is a shared cultural moment”, adding that the IPL brings that energy alive at scale. “For Kingfisher Premium Packaged Drinking Water, being present at the heart of these moments, in partnership with the BCCI, is a natural extension of what we stand for. Through this association, we aim to enrich how fans experience the game… making every match more immersive, social and memorable,” Bahl said.
Devajit Saikia, honorary secretary, BCCI, said the IPL “has always been at the forefront of redefining sports entertainment and fan engagement”. He added that the collaboration would fuse cricket fandom with “innovative fan experiences that extend beyond the stadium”, helping create memorable moments for audiences nationwide.
For United Breweries, part of the HEINEKEN group, the play is clear: move from passive branding to active participation in the fan journey—on screens, in stands and across social spaces. With millions tuning in and turning up each season, the IPL remains the country’s most potent marketing theatre. The question now is whether “good times” can translate into lasting brand recall in a market where visibility is easy, but engagement is hard-won.
