MAM
Sankarnarayanan joins Saatchi & Saatchi as VP – integrated brand strategy
MUMBAI: Saatchi & Saatchi India has appointed Vidhya Sankarnarayanan as VP – integrated brand strategy at its Mumbai office.
Sankarnarayanan will be involved in driving brand solutions and creating brand opportunities through multichannel experiences. She will work closely with chief strategy officer Sourabh Mishra. The appointment comes as a part of the agency‘s efforts of a makeover.
he comes in from SapientNitro where she was head of strategy and was integral to establishing the global start up tech-agency‘s business in the country over the last two and a half years. During this time, she has worked with brands like Sprite, Fanta, Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, Chivas Regal and Taco Bell. She also pitched for and went on to partner some of the agency‘s key regional businesses, including Unilever‘s Lifebuoy and Paddle Pop brands.
Saatchi & Saatchi Mumbai GM Nisha Singhania said, “We are in the middle of a huge makeover at Saatchi India. We are about transformational ideas which are media agnostic. Vidhya‘s consolidated experience of unearthing human truths along with her recent digital experience are just what we need at Saatchi because we believe we are in the Age of Now – which is all about Participation, Inspiring, Interaction, Return on Involvement and creating Movements. Vidhya is going to be one of the critical change agents for the new Saatchi.”
Sankarnarayanan said, “I join Saatchi with a mandate to drive brand solutions and create brand opportunities through multichannel experiences that hinge on social, cultural and human truths. Given Saatchi‘s rich creative heritage and current focus on India, it is at the same time the most challenging and most exciting assignment I have had till date. This is a time when people, companies and brands in India are being revolutionised by technology and new media. The greatest imperative for Saatchi as a brand as well as for the brands we will shape in the future is the opportunity to be agents of this revolution, as we will inevitably be products of it.”
Sankarnarayanan has extensive experience in studying, feeding off and creating popular culture. Her career spans across job profiles of a radio jockey, ethnographic scout, brand consultant, communication strategist and new media evangelist. She has spent a decade partnering marketers, NGOs, technologists, entrepreneurs, and professionals from the creative arts.
With a total of 12 years of experience, Sankarnarayanan has been associated with an eclectic mix of categories and businesses like FMCGs, finance, retail, food and beverages, clothing and accessories, health and hygiene, beauty, B2C services, pharmaceuticals, travel, alcohol, technology and gaming.
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.
