MAM
Rekha Murthy joins Rediff.com board as Independent Director
MUMBAI: Rediff.com India has drafted in heavyweight technology veteran Rekha Murthy as an independent director, bolstering its board as the AI-focused platform firm pushes into payments and enterprise software and keeps its IPO options open.
The appointment signals sharper intent at Rediff.com, which is repositioning itself from a legacy internet brand into a data and AI-led business with ambitions beyond content and advertising.
Murthy brings close to 35 years of global leadership experience across technology, enterprise software and consulting. She has held senior roles at IBM, PeopleSoft, digital equipment corporation, Wyse Technology, Korn Ferry International and Harvard business publishing, spanning markets in India, Asia Pacific and the US.
She sits on the boards of multiple international companies. She is also the founder of far vision consulting and works closely with global start-ups as an investor, advisor and mentor.
At Rediff.com, Murthy is expected to play a central role in shaping AI-led strategy, tightening governance and preparing the company for life in the public markets, should it pull the trigger on a listing.
An alumna of Harvard business school and IIM Bangalore, with an engineering degree from Bangalore university and a diploma from NYU, Murthy has built and scaled businesses across sales, product, strategy and P&L leadership. She has also helped launch three start-ups, adding entrepreneurial bite to boardroom gravitas.
As Rediff.com plots its next chapter, the message is unmistakable. This is not a nostalgia play. With murthy on the board, the company is signalling it wants to think bigger, move faster and finally act its age in the AI era.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
