Brands
upGrad partners with The Womb to transform learning landscape in India
MUMBAI: upGrad, India’s largest online higher education company in a most recent development, ropes ‘The Womb’ – a leading brand & creative agency/consultancy to chart out an impactful communication drive for the brand. The agency will be responsible for driving the brand communication strategy for upGrad, thereby propelling a long-term brand building by the power of creative and experimental storytelling.
upGrad CEO India Arjun Mohan said, “Given the COVID2019 sentiment, it is imperative for us to understand the evolving consumer preferences and derive actionable insights which in turn, will help us deliver appropriate results. We are excited to onboard 'The Womb' to spearhead our upcoming branding and communication drive. The agency, with its right balance of strategic and creative capabilities, will help us create a compelling business and brand proposition, thereby transforming the online learning landscape in India and overseas.”
The Womb founding Partner Kawal Shoor said, “From the era of doctors, engineers, and CAs, India’s come a long way, and is now firmly part of the global new age economy. The service sector is the fastest growing sector in the country. New careers in the areas of technology, data and finance are now the way to grow faster in life. India’s traditional education system has struggled to keep pace with the needs of modern industry, and this is where new age education brands like upGrad have unique opportunities. As any young brand and business, getting it right early is crucial for transformative growth. And this is where we come in. There are no proven ways to communicate online education brands, and blank pages are what we like the most.”
The Womb founding partner Navin Talreja adds, “The team at upGrad believes in doing things that have never been done before. So it was a great culture fit with what we believe and the work we create. Having said that their faith and trust in us to award us the business without a pitch creates a huge sense of responsibility to ensure that the brand wins in the market. We are up for the challenge and excited. Look forward to this journey.”
Brands
Lululemon picks former Nike executive to be its next chief
Heidi O’Neill, who helped grow Nike into a $45 billion giant, will take the top job in September
CANADA: Lululemon has found its next chief executive, and she comes with serious credentials. The athleisure giant named Heidi O’Neill as its new CEO on Wednesday, ending a search that has left the company running on interim leadership since earlier this year. O’Neill will take charge on September 8, 2026, based out of Vancouver, and will join the board on the same day.
O’Neill brings more than three decades of experience across performance apparel, footwear and sport. The bulk of that time was spent at Nike, where she was a central figure in one of corporate sport’s great growth stories, helping take the company from a $9 billion business to a $45 billion global powerhouse. She oversaw product pipelines, brand strategy and consumer connections, and played a significant role in shaping how Nike spoke to athletes around the world. Earlier in her career, she worked in marketing for the Dockers brand at Levi Strauss. She also brings boardroom experience from Spotify Technology, Hyatt Hotels and Lithia and Driveway.
The board was unequivocal in its enthusiasm. “We selected Heidi because of the breadth of her experience, her demonstrated success delivering breakthrough ideas and initiatives at scale, and her ability to be a knowledgeable change and growth agent,” said Marti Morfitt, executive chair of Lululemon’s board.
O’Neill, for her part, was bullish. “Lululemon is an iconic brand with something rare: genuine guest love, a product ethos rooted in innovation, and a global platform still in the early stages of its potential,” she said. “My job will be to accelerate product breakthroughs, deepen the brand’s cultural relevance, and unlock growth in markets around the world.”
Until she arrives, Meghan Frank and André Maestrini will continue as interim co-CEOs, before returning to their previous senior leadership roles once O’Neill steps in.
Lululemon is betting that a Nike veteran who helped build one of the world’s most powerful sports brands can do something similar for an athleisure label that has genuine love from its customers but is still chasing its full global potential. O’Neill has done it before at scale. The question now is whether she can do it again.
