Brands
Salil Murthy steps into global vice-president role at Mars
Former Mars Petcare India chief to lead enterprise change from London
LONDON: Mars has elevated Salil Murthy to global vice president, enterprise transformation – Mars Pet Nutrition, expanding his remit to enterprise-wide change initiatives across international markets.
Based in London, Murthy will lead strategic transformation programmes focused on operational excellence, capability building and long-term competitiveness across Mars’s global pet nutrition business.
He was previously managing director of Mars Petcare India, where he oversaw business growth and market expansion in one of the company’s fastest-growing regions.
Before joining Mars, Murthy spent more than seven years at General Mills, serving as managing director for India and south-east Asia, country head for India and marketing director. His roles spanned profit-and-loss oversight, manufacturing operations and leadership of large cross-functional teams across emerging markets.
Earlier in his career, Murthy held multiple regional leadership positions at Procter & Gamble across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, where he worked on brand strategy, category expansion and large-scale innovation initiatives.
The elevation underscores Mars’s push to strengthen enterprise transformation capabilities as global consumer companies adapt to shifting markets and operational complexity.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
