Brands
Pernod Ricard, Chivas Regal parent, in talks for possible India IPO: Bloomberg
Deliberations in early stage, with no decision taken so far
PARIS: Pernod Ricard is evaluating a potential stock market listing of its Indian business, according to a Bloomberg News report citing people familiar with the matter.
The French drinks group has begun discussions with prospective advisers to assess the feasibility and merits of a separate public listing for Pernod Ricard India. The deliberations are at an early stage and no final decision has been made.
India is one of Pernod Ricard’s most important growth markets. The company is among the country’s largest alcoholic beverage players, selling premium global brands such as Chivas Regal and Absolut Vodka, and competing closely with Diageo across premium and mass-market segments.
The reported move comes as Pernod Ricard navigates heightened regulatory scrutiny in India. The group is facing antitrust proceedings and is also contesting allegations by authorities in New Delhi over potential violations of local liquor regulations. Pernod Ricard has denied any wrongdoing.
In the market, Pernod Ricard’s Paris-listed shares are up nearly 12 per cent so far this year, valuing the group at about $24.4 billion. That recovery follows a bruising 2025, when the stock lost close to a third of its value.
A separate India listing, if it materialises, could help unlock value from a fast-growing business, even as the group works through legal and regulatory challenges in one of its most strategically important markets.
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
