MAM
Sriparna Tikekar joins 4AM Worldwide as chief creative officer
Mumbai: 4AM Worldwide, a digital-first, integrated brand solutions agency has announced the appointment of Sriparna Tikekar as its chief creative officer. The new appointment comes at a time when the agency is keen on strengthening its creative offerings to clients powered by innovation and technology to drive relevance and scale. In her new role, Sriparna will be responsible for leading the creative vision for 4AM and will work closely with teams on revamping the agency’s creative offering and structure, bolstering its content marketing and creative strategy, curating content services, and building brands of scale.
In a career spanning over 15 years in the media industry, Sriparna’s last stint was as chief content officer (CCO) and co-founder of ScoopWhoop, a leading lifestyle & entertainment content platform that created engaging content that sparked conversations and interactions with audiences in the age group of 13-35. Her innovative approach to creating compelling content made ScoopWhoop the Indian youth’s much-loved content platform.
4AM Worldwide chief business officer Jonathan Sreekumaran said, “We are on an accelerated path of creative transformation, and we couldn’t have had a better time to bring Sriparna on board. Her grip on pop culture, content consumption patterns, platform-centric content dissemination, and reader psychology is unparalleled. She brings a unique perspective and creative flair that will undoubtedly elevate our creative output. With Sriparna’s deep understanding of content creation for brands and customer engagement, she is uniquely positioned to drive creative excellence. We are excited to welcome her to the team.”
On taking up her new role, Sriparna Tikekar commented, “In any industry, the first-mover advantage, the right time to pivot, and the exact moment of a shift are what keep companies ahead of the curve. At this transformational time in 4AM’s journey, I fit in like the missing piece of the puzzle. I am excited to be a part of this agency’s growth trajectory and look forward to working closely with teams on leveraging the agency’s capabilities of creative, technology, data-driven experience, and design.”
Sriparna will be working closely with chief business officer Jonathan Sreekumaran and 4AM Worldwide chief client, and strategy officer Siddhartha Sahni.
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.
