MAM
Sanju Menon appointed as COO of Publicis Ambience and Publicis Beehive
MUMBAI: Publicis Worldwide today announced Sanju Menon as the new chief operating officer of Publicis Ambience and Publicis Beehive. He takes over the charge from Paritosh Srivastava, who was elevated to the role of managing director of L&K Saatchi & Saatchi. Menon will be looking into the growth agenda of the company while providing new inputs and idea to a host of brands under the umbrella of Publicis Ambience & Publicis Beehive. Commencing the post from 2 January, Menon will report to Srija Chatterjee, managing director Publicis Worldwide, India.
Talking about the appointment Srija Chatterjee said, “It’s been an emotional ride these past few days as one of our most dependable faces departs to take on a larger role at the Groupe level. But that’s an exciting journey to undertake and Paritosh deserves every bit of the success that has come his way. I’d like to thank Paritosh for setting up steady and solid-looking agencies under Publicis Ambience & Publicis Beehive. At the same time, I’d like to welcome Sanju to the Publicis Worldwide family and can vouch for his credibility as one of the most exciting talents to watch out for.”
Menon joins Publicis Worldwide after working as executive vice president in Leo Burnett India where he was responsible for managing the entire Bajaj portfolio for the agency. He has been associated with Leo Burnett since 2015. Menon started his advertising career with SN Design in 2005 and a year later joined Bates 141 as brand executive.
Commenting on his new role Menon said, “The last five years at Leo Burnett have been very rewarding. I will cherish the association. From the outside, I have seen that Publicis Worldwide has fantastic talents and long-standing relationships with brands that are trusted, loved, and have enormous potential. Equipped with the Publicis Groupe’s ‘Power of One’ philosophy and with the trust of our partners, I look forward to working with Srija and her talented team on building effective and innovative solutions that will make Publicis Worldwide more agile, and a powerhouse within the group."
Menon worked with some of the most iconic Indian brands that went on to win top honours across reputed award festivals including Cannes Lions, Effies, Clio etc.
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.
