MAM
Shashidhar Sharma exits WPP Media after five-year run
MUMBAI: Shashidhar Sharma has moved on from WPP Media, closing the chapter on a five-year stint that helped sharpen the group’s programmatic muscle in India and beyond.
In a reflective note marking his final day on January 2, Sharma described his time at WPP Media as more than a list of projects. It was, he said, a community that pushed him to grow, experiment and build lasting relationships. Together with his teams, he navigated industry highs and lows while keeping reinvention at the centre of the agenda.
Sharma joined the company in January 2021 as head of programmatic and ad operations, taking charge of the practice across all GroupM agencies and sub-agencies. During his tenure, he played a central role in standardising best practices, streamlining operations and scaling innovation across a diverse client portfolio.
One of the standout milestones was leading GroupM to achieve Google Marketing Platform certification, the first holding company in India to do so. Under his watch, programmatic buying became sharper and more transparent, with initiatives such as supply path optimisation, clean supply frameworks and benchmarking dashboards bringing greater clarity to the often complex media supply chain.
Operationally, Sharma focused on making systems work smarter, not harder. Through automation, clear SOPs and defined RACI structures, his teams delivered efficiency gains of over 30 percent while maintaining accuracy and performance. At the same time, he invested heavily in people, rolling out training programmes, certification pathways and growth roadmaps that helped reduce attrition and build a stronger talent pipeline.
Beyond the business, Sharma emerged as a visible industry voice, authoring more than 20 articles on programmatic advertising and speaking at multiple forums. His teams picked up over 15 awards in 2023 and 2024, including honours for innovative use of AI in campaigns.
Before WPP Media, Sharma held senior programmatic roles at FCB Global and Omnicom Media Group in New Zealand and India, and spent over seven years at Google in operations leadership roles.
As for what comes next, Sharma says he is pressing pause before hitting play again. He plans to take a short break to recharge before announcing his next move, carrying forward, as he puts it, a heart full of lessons and a clear view of the road ahead.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: 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.
