Brands
Rohit Markan named executive vice president for APAC at ContiTech
MUMBAI: Continental has tapped veteran executive Rohit Markan as its new executive vice president for Industrial Solutions in Asia Pacific, marking a pivotal leadership shift as the company prepares to spin off its ContiTech group sector in 2026.
Markan assumed charge on 17 November 2025 and will report directly to Philip Nelles, head of Continental group sector ContiTech. Operating out of Singapore, he will oversee the company’s sprawling industrial operations across India, China, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.
With nearly three decades of experience across sales, marketing, finance, manufacturing and transformation leadership, Markan arrives with a résumé that stretches across global majors including Roquette and Dow Chemicals. He most recently served as CEO of Roquette Asia Pacific, following earlier stints heading sales for the region and managing global portfolios.
A key part of his new mandate will involve sharpening organisational structures across ContiTech’s diverse product groups, from hoses and conveyor belts to air springs and drive belts, while also helping chart the future of the group sector as a member of its newly formed executive management committee.
Nelles called Markan “the right person to further develop our industrial activities in this vital region,” praising his ability to lead change while energising teams. He also extended his thanks to Hannes Friederichsen, whom Markan succeeds upon his retirement.
Markan, for his part, said he was excited to join a company “with such a long tradition and so much potential,” adding that he hoped to help unlock opportunities in one of Continental’s most dynamic growth markets.
Founded in 1871, Continental today stands as a global tyre and industrial solutions leader, posting €39.7 billion in sales in 2024. ContiTech, its industrial arm, employs nearly 42,000 people worldwide and generated €6.4 billion in sales last year.
Brands
Reliance Retail acquires Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s haircare brand Anomaly
India’s biggest retailer bets on clean, vegan haircare as it muscles into the country’s fast-growing beauty market
MUMBAI: Reliance Retail has acquired Anomaly, the global haircare brand founded by actor and entrepreneur Priyanka Chopra Jonas, in a move that hands India’s largest retailer full ownership of one of the more internationally recognised homegrown beauty labels. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The deal covers Anomaly’s trademarks, brand assets and digital properties, giving Reliance Retail complete ownership of the brand’s intellectual property and digital ecosystem. Chopra Jonas, who launched Anomaly in 2021, will stay on as creative director, overseeing innovation, product development and brand vision.
Built on a clean, vegan and high-performance positioning at accessible price points, Anomaly has established an international presence across multiple global markets since its launch. Reliance Retail now plans to scale the brand aggressively through its expansive offline retail network and omnichannel platforms, including Tira, its beauty retail arm. India will be a priority market, with a focus on developing products tailored to Indian hair and scalp needs. The company also has its eye on North America, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Isha Ambani, who oversees Reliance Retail’s consumer businesses, was forthright about the strategic logic. “Bringing Anomaly into our portfolio marks a strategic step in expanding our basket of new-age, high-growth beauty brands,” she said. “Anomaly’s strong global positioning, clean formulation philosophy, and accessible pricing make it a compelling addition to our ecosystem.” She added that Reliance saw “immense potential in collaborating with Priyanka to scale the brand in India by leveraging our omnichannel capabilities and deep consumer insights, while continuing to grow its international presence.”
Chopra Jonas framed the acquisition as a milestone rather than an exit. “This is a defining moment for Anomaly,” she said. “What began as a deeply personal journey has grown into a brand with real purpose and global ambition, and Reliance Retail’s acquisition marks an exciting new chapter.” She added that Reliance’s “scale, retail expertise, and commitment to innovation will allow us to bring Anomaly to far more consumers in India and around the world.”
The acquisition slots neatly into Reliance Retail’s broader push into premium and digital-first consumer brands across fashion, beauty and personal care. In a beauty market growing at pace and increasingly receptive to clean, ingredient-conscious formulations, Anomaly gives Reliance a brand with genuine international credibility and a founder whose global profile does the marketing almost by itself. For Chopra Jonas, it means her haircare label gets the retail muscle of India’s most powerful consumer conglomerate behind it. Not a bad chapter two.
