Brands
Timex marketing head Varun Malik says time’s up
MUMBAI: Time waits for no man, and neither does Varun Malik. The head of marketing at Timex group India has wound up his tenure at the watchmaker after a mere seven months, clocking out on 11 December following a swift ten-day notice period.
Malik, who joined the company only in June to oversee a glittering stable of luxury and premium brands—Timex, Guess, Versace, Salvatore Ferragamo and Daniel Wellington—cited personal reasons and a desire to explore fresh professional horizons. His departure leaves a portfolio spanning over 3,000 retail touchpoints and the company’s direct-to-consumer business without its brand steward.
The exit is particularly striking given Malik’s pedigree. Before his brief Timex stint, he spent three years as head of marketing at Shalimar Paints, where he orchestrated campaigns garnering 95 million-plus views and a testimonial series watched 10 million times. Prior to that, a six-year run at Reebok India saw him build running communities and sponsor marathons, plus stints at the Times Group, DLF, Samsung and Red FM.
The company disclosed the departure to the Bombay Stock Exchange in a regulatory filing, with Dhiraj Kumar Maggo, vice president for legal, human resources and company secretary, signing off on the notification. No replacement has been announced.
One wonders whether Malik’s next venture will prove more timely—or if his seven-month watch at Timex was simply a case of being fashionably early to the exit. Either way, the clock keeps ticking.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
