MAM
Toyota Innova ropes in Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador
MUMBAI: Toyota Kirloskar Motor has managed to rope in India’s most innovative film celebrity Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador to promote Toyota Innova in India.
The association is a strategic move to create awareness about brand Innova and reach larger audiences across India.
Innova’s petrol version is priced between Rs. 6,76,000/- and Rs. 9,37,000/- (ex-showroom Thane) and the diesel is priced between Rs. 7,36,000/- and Rs. 9,97,000/- (ex-showroom Thane). The on-road prices will vary depending on the prevailing local taxes.
Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) launched Innova in February 2005 and is built in 10 countries, including India across 3 continents: Asia, Africa and South America. Innova is the first generation vehicle on the IMV platform. In India, Toyota has introduced 5 different variants of Innova in 2.0ltr petrol and 2.5ltr diesel in seven colours Silver, Dark Red Mica, Beige Mica, Light Green Mica, Dark Blue Mica, Super white and White.
Speaking on the occasion TKM managing director Atsushi Toyoshima says, “As an actor Aamir stands for all core values of Innova brand. He is a perfectionist, who innovates while enacting roles, exhibits versatility and is a wonderful performer. He is an actor who tries to break stereotypical moulds and creates new roles for himself – just like the Innova, which has brought in both MPV and passenger car customers into its fold.”
Globally, Toyota has rarely used celebrities as brand ambassadors. Aamir Khan is one of the few celebrities to be associated with brand Toyota. Aamir will soon promote Toyota Innova through media campaigns and ground promotion activities.
Aamir will be an integral part of the second phase of the Toyota Innova’s penetration across India to increase market leadership and will be at the forefront of key marketing activities, personifying values of Toyota Innova such as perfection, innovation, versatility and performance.
The company claims that Innova re-defined the Indian automobile market by becoming the largest selling model in the mid-size sedan and above category. Since its launch, Innova has achieved sales of 18000 units establishing leadership across MPV, mid-size sedan and sedan categories during the same period.
Toyoshima adds,”Innova is truly a model of the 21st century. The success of Innova is a confirmation of the belief that the Indian auto industry has matured and customers want global products. This new-generation vehicle provides performance, versatility, innovative comfort and perfect luxury, which are at par with customer requirements internationally.”
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.
