MAM
Snapdeal names Aircel’s Anup Vikal as CFO
MUMBAI: Snapdeal has appointed Anup Vikal as the chief financial officer (CFO).
A seasoned finance professional Vikal brings over 23 years of experience in finance, strategy and corporate governance across multiple industry sectors.
Prior to his appointment at Snapdeal, he served as CFO at Aircel, where he was responsible for building business through revenue growth, implementing massive cost optimisation, restructuring of debt and capital, improving the Credit Rating of the company as well as interfacing with the government, TRAI and other authorities.
Before joining Aircel, Vikal was the group CFO and head of strategy and IT at InterGlobe Enterprises. Earlier, he also served as director and head of finance shared services for Colt Technology for three years and Bharti Airtel where he headed the finance division for close to seven years.
Snapdeal co-founder and CEO Kunal Bahl said, “We are very excited to have Anup on-board. His wealth of experience in building and executing the financial infrastructure in companies across complex large organisations in the country will further strengthen our leadership team.”
Vikal added, “In the last few years, Snapdeal has emerged as a leader within the e-commerce and tech space and I look forward to joining the young and energetic Snapdeal family. E-commerce is a dynamic and interesting space to work with and my focus will be to ensure we are financially well positioned yet nimble so that we can continue to create value for our customers, sellers, investors and employees.”
He will be based out of Snapdeal’s Gurgaon office.
MAM
T20 WC 2026 ad volumes rise 4 per cent despite fewer brands: TAM report
Fewer brands, bigger bets: India matches and top players drive ad surge
MUMBAI: Advertising during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 may have become leaner in participation, but it certainly packed a stronger punch. A new analysis by TAM Media Research shows that ad volumes per match rose by 4 per cent compared to the 2024 edition, signalling sharper spending even as the advertiser base narrowed.
The numbers tell a tale of two trends. On one hand, the overall count of categories, advertisers and brands dropped steeply by 55 per cent, 63 per cent and nearly 68 per cent respectively versus the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. On the other, those who stayed in the game appeared to spend more aggressively, driving higher ad intensity across matches.
India’s pulling power remained unmistakable. Matches featuring the Indian team generated 66 per cent higher ad volumes than non-India games, underlining the country’s outsized influence on cricket’s commercial engine. The tournament final also saw an 18 per cent jump in advertising volumes compared to 2024, pointing to stronger monetisation at the business end of the competition.
The shift towards concentration was equally striking. The top five advertisers accounted for 39 per cent of total ad volumes, unchanged from the previous edition, but the names themselves saw a complete shake-up. OpenAI emerged as the leading advertiser with a 12 per cent share, followed by Coca-Cola India at 9 per cent and Mahindra & Mahindra at 8 per cent. Apollo Tyres and Reliance Consumer Products rounded off the top five.
A similar churn played out at the brand level, with no overlap in the top five brands between 2024 and 2026. At the same time, leading categories tightened their grip, with the top five accounting for 53 per cent of ad volumes, up from 42 per cent earlier. The cars category led the pack with a 15 per cent share, followed closely by e-commerce services at 14 per cent and aerated soft drinks at 11 per cent.
When it came to format, brevity ruled. Ads between 11 and 20 seconds dominated commercial breaks, making up over half of all spots, while shorter sub-10 second creatives followed as the next preferred choice.
The broader takeaway is clear. Even as fewer players entered the arena, those that did were willing to spend bigger and smarter. In a tournament where every over counts, advertisers seem to be playing a more focused, high-impact innings, betting on scale, timing and the enduring magnetism of cricket’s biggest stage.
