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
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
