Brands
Polycab names Gyan Pandey executive president and chief digital & information office
Veteran tech leader joins to steer next phase of data-led growth
MUMBAI: Polycab India has named Gyan Pandey as executive president and chief digital and information officer, effective 16 February 2026, as the cables and wires major sharpens its focus on digital transformation.
Pandey joins the company after leading large-scale technology and data initiatives across manufacturing, pharma and engineering sectors. At Voltas, a Tata enterprise, he served as chief digital officer and head digital, where he drove enterprise-wide transformation programmes, promoted a “digital first” culture and built roadmaps for AI adoption across business processes.
Before that, he spent more than seven years as global and group CIO at Aurobindo Pharma, overseeing IT teams across 16 countries and supporting operations in over 150 markets. There, he led the shift from traditional processes to digital platforms, set up global shared services, and steered integration for acquisitions while managing core infrastructure and governance.
His earlier roles include leadership positions at Enrich, Qatar Petrochemical Company, Oracle, Genpact and Panasonic, where he worked across ERP, enterprise applications and global IT operations. Over a career spanning more than two decades, Pandey has handled everything from finance systems to large-scale digital transformation projects.
At Polycab, he will be responsible for advancing the company’s digital agenda, strengthening data capabilities and aligning technology with business growth. His appointment signals the company’s intent to wire its next phase of expansion through smarter systems, sharper insights and a stronger digital backbone.
Brands
Devyani International Ltd plans three-subsidiary merger to streamline operations
QSR operator moves to streamline structure and unlock operational synergies
Devyani International is tightening its corporate kitchen. The quick-service restaurant operator has approved a scheme to merge three subsidiaries—Sky Gate Hospitality, Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery—into the parent company in a bid to simplify its structure and sharpen operational efficiency.
The decision was cleared at a board meeting on March 10 and disclosed in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. The merger will take effect from April 1, 2025, subject to statutory approvals.
All three transferor companies are direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries, meaning no fresh shares will be issued and the shareholding pattern of Devyani International will remain unchanged once the scheme is completed.
The subsidiaries together operate more than 100 outlets—including dine-in restaurants and cloud kitchens, spread across over 40 cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Devyani International, the largest franchisee of Yum Brands in India, said the consolidation is aimed at generating operational synergies, optimising resource utilisation and reducing layers within the corporate structure.
Financially, the move brings together businesses of varying scale. As of March 31, 2025, Devyani International reported a net worth of Rs 10,381.02 million and turnover of Rs 33,493.33 million. Sky Gate Hospitality posted a net worth of Rs 761.14 million with turnover of Rs 2,657.57 million, while Blackvelvet Hospitality and Say Chefs Eatery reported smaller operations and negative net worth.
The merger will consolidate these operations under a single corporate umbrella as the company sharpens its focus on scale and efficiency.
Devyani International currently runs more than 2,000 outlets across over 280 cities in India, Nigeria, Nepal and Thailand. Its portfolio includes franchise rights for brands such as Pizza Hut, KFC, Costa Coffee, Tea Live, New York Fries and Sanook Kitchen, alongside its own food brands.
With the paperwork underway and approvals pending, Devyani is essentially clearing the corporate clutter—turning three subsidiaries into one tighter, leaner operation. In the QSR world, even the back office needs a spring clean.
