Brands
Veedol signs Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador
Mumbai: Veedol, a lubricant brand from Tide Water Oil Co. (India) Ltd, has signed up cricket legend Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador. This partnership signifies a pivotal move for Veedol as it seeks to enhance its brand presence and solidify its market position across India.
Brand Veedol has a rich, near-century old legacy with markets in over 70 countries. Positioned internationally as the ‘Professional’s choice’, Veedol enjoys considerable saliency amongst the workshop fraternity worldwide. Respected and trusted in the industry, Veedol provides a comprehensive range of lubricants for both the Automotive Aftermarket (Retail) and Institutional (B2B) segments. With a pan India footprint, Veedol is one of India’s most prominent lubricant brands, with a consolidated revenue from operations of Rs 1931 crore as of 31 March 2024.
Veedol is a trusted brand encompassing a repertoire of excellent quality products delivered far and wide through its network of channel partners, many of whom have been engaged with the company for two generations. Honesty, transparency and enduring relationships are defining features of the Veedol way, as encapsulated in its advertising tagline ‘Rakhe Saaf, Dil Se.’
Expressing enthusiasm, Tide Water Oil Co (India) Ltd MD Arijit Basu said, “We are delighted to have a cricketing great like Sourav Ganguly join us as our brand ambassador. His leadership, grit and determination are the stuff of legend, shaping the winning attitude of Team India as we know it today. Founded on honesty and self-belief, brand Sourav continues to inspire all to raise the bar of performance and achievement, values that resonate strongly with Veedol. We are confident that this association will give us a strong impetus as we drive forward into the future.”
Commenting on the association, Sourav Ganguly said, “My association with Veedol represents a commitment to excellence, innovation and reliability. Just as Veedol stands for high-quality and performance in the automotive industry, I am dedicated to embodying these values in every aspect of my work. Together, we will strive to inspire and connect with our audience, showcasing the best of what we both have to offer.”
Comprehensive product portfolio and market presence
Veedol has a strong presence across all automotive segments, including two-wheelers, passenger cars, agri and commercial vehicles (both heavy and small). There are products across various performance specifications and price points. Traditionally strong in the two-wheeler segment with its flagship brand “Take-Off” and in agriculture with “Prima,” Veedol is increasingly expanding its presence in the passenger car (PCMO) and commercial vehicle (CV) segments.
The company has been particularly strong in upcountry and rural areas and is now intensifying its focus on urban markets. With significant equity in trade the brand enjoys a robust distribution network with 500 direct distributors and dealers servicing over 50,000 retail outlets and workshops.
Strategic initiatives and future directions
Veedol is currently undergoing a portfolio upgrade and packaging makeover to introduce a new-age look and feel while offering technically superior products. A major revamp of supply chain and digitization processes is also underway to enhance operational efficiencies and meet future customer needs.
Investing significantly in brand building, Veedol is leveraging its association with cricket, including its partnership with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and the appointment of Sourav Ganguly as brand ambassador. These strategic directions underscore Veedol’s commitment to achieving high brand saliency and recall, factors that would help fuel its ambitious growth plans.
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.
