MAM
Shifali Singh named Forever New India head
Retail star threads fresh energy into premium brand’s Indian chapter.
MUMBAI: In a move that’s been tailor-made for the times, Forever New has just zipped Shifali Singh into the top spot as country director for India because when your brand is all about timeless style, you want someone who can stitch the future together without missing a beat.
With more than 20 years of retail royalty under her belt, Singh is no stranger to turning fashion dreams into serious business. She’s the same force who repositioned Ritu Kumar into a luxury powerhouse at Reliance Brands, supercharged BIBA’s omni-channel game, and co-founded over 70 international brand tie-ups at Myntra-Jabong, giving the platform its global swagger. Throw in her earlier stints scaling Marks & Spencer and United Colors of Benetton India, and you’ve got a leader who knows how to make stores sing, clicks convert, and customers come back for more.
Her mission now? To supercharge Forever New’s omni-channel world, crank up the consumer love, weave digital even deeper into the fabric, and keep that signature premium polish shining brighter than ever in a market that never sits still.
The handover comes with a classy twist, Dhruv Bogra, who’s steered the ship since 2019, is stepping back from day-to-day duties but staying firmly in the picture as Advisor to the Board. His seven years of building the brand from strength to strength will keep guiding the team from the wings.
Bogra put it best, “I am delighted to pass the baton of Forever New India to the experienced and proven hands of Shifali Singh. She has had an illustrious and outstanding track record of great leadership in the fashion space and is well poised to take Forever New to newer heights. I will miss my incredible and highly gifted colleagues who have charted the admirable course of the brand over the last seven years.”
Singh, who first fell for the label as a customer, couldn’t hide her excitement, “My association with Forever New began as a customer, where I developed a deep appreciation for its refined aesthetic and elevated design philosophy. As I step into this leadership role, that connection deepens my commitment to the brand. Forever New holds a distinctive premium positioning in India, and my focus will be on building a future-ready, consumer-centric omni-channel business that seamlessly bridges retail and digital, while driving strategic, long-term growth.”
So next time you’re browsing that perfect dress or crisp shirt, remember behind the elegance is a brand that just got itself a seriously stylish new leader. Forever New? Looks like it’s about to feel even more forever fresh.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
