MAM
Sanjay Thapar bids adieu to O&M; joins Bates as CEO
MUMBAI: Ending a 14-year stint at Ogilvy, Sanjay Thapar is joining Bates India as chief executive officer.
Thapar was North head at Ogilvy. In his new role, he will be relocating to Mumbai in July to assume the new assignment.
In January this year, Bates lost two of its senior executives – Sonal Dabral (regional ECD and chairman) and Sandeep Pathak (CEO). Consequently WPP India country head Ranjan Kapur was named the chairman of Bates India.
Confirming the news to indiantelevision.com, Thapar said, “The assignment with Bates seemed challenging and I thought it would be a good move. Moreover I am moving within the network itself.”
Both Ogilvy and Bates have the same leadership in the region headed by Tim Isaac who serves a dual role of Bates Asia chairman and Ogilvy Asia Pacific chairman.
Thapar joined O&M in 1998 as manager at the Kolkata branch and was relocated to the Delhi branch in 2002 as branch head for the advertising function. In 2004 when he was promoted as president of the Delhi branch, where he was given the responsibility of looking after all the functions of O&M Delhi, broadening his sphere from advertising to other functions as well. He was in charge of Ogilvy Landscapes (outdoor media), Ogilvy Outreach (rural communication), OgilvyLive (ground level brand communication), Ogilvy Signscapes (retail brand identity) and OgilvyAction in Delhi.
Brands
Jubilant Foodworks to end Dunkin’ franchise in India
Pizza chain operator will not renew agreement when it expires at end of 2026.
MUMBAI: When the doughnuts stop turning and the coffee goes cold, even a global giant like Dunkin’ can find the Indian market a tough brew to crack. Jubilant Foodworks has decided not to renew its franchise agreement with Dunkin’ when the pact expires on 31 December 2026, according to a Reuters report. The operator, best known for running Domino’s outlets in India, said it would evaluate options for its existing Dunkin’ stores, including a potential sale or transfer of franchise rights, in consultation with the US-based brand.
The decision follows years of underperformance in a market where local tastes and intense competition have made it difficult for international coffee-and-doughnut formats to gain traction. Jubilant, which has increasingly focused on its core pizza business and newer bets like Popeyes, indicated that the exit would not materially affect its financial or operational position.
Dunkin’ accounted for just 0.61 per cent of Jubilant’s revenue in the fiscal year ending 2025 and recorded a loss of approximately Rs 191 million, according to a regulatory filing. The company operated 27 outlets as of December 2025, having shuttered seven stores over the preceding year.
The retreat comes even as Jubilant’s broader business shows signs of momentum. The company reported a 65 per cent rise in quarterly profit for the October to December period, reaching Rs 70.9 crore, up from Rs 42.91 crore a year earlier.
For Jubilant, the exit reflects a sharpening strategic focus. For Dunkin’, it marks another setback in a market that has proven resistant to imported café concepts without significant localisation.
In the cut-throat world of Indian quick-service restaurants, sometimes the sweetest deals are the ones you quietly walk away from leaving more room for the brands that truly rise to the occasion.
