Brands
Viacom18 cracks down on counterfeit merchandise
MUMBAI: In its bid to counter the growing menace of counterfeit merchandise, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. had undertaken an investigation that led to a raid in Mumbai’s market Abdul Rehman Street.
Viacom18 Media is one of India's fastest growing entertainment networks and a house of iconic brands that offers multi-platform and multicultural brand experiences. A JV of Viacom Inc. and the Network18 Group, Viacom18 defines entertainment in India by touching the lives of people through its properties.
Viacom raided two stores — Shubham Return Gifts and Eliperi Stationery, which were found to be selling counterfeit Dora the Explorer products.
The stores were raided by a team comprising court receivers of the Bombay High Court and representatives of Viacom18. The owners of the stores will be summoned to court to identify the source and locations of the manufacturers of these seized goods.
"We see this as an essential step towards ensuring that our characters are not represented on inferior, unlicensed products – which may pose health and safety risks. We are extremely grateful for the cooperation of the judiciary and the police who have executed the appropriate legal action to protect our intellectual property and to prevent inferior, and potentially dangerous products from being sold to unsuspecting consumers. " said a spokesperson on behalf of Viacom18.
Viacom18 owns iconic brands such as Colors, Roadies and Supersonic and characters such as Keymon Ache, Shiva, characters of Pakdam Pakdai and is also the exclusive licensee for iconic characters and brands such as Peppa Pig, Motu Patlu, Spongebob Square Pants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ninja Hattori, Peanuts and Shaun the Sheep amongst many more.
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Brands
Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail reshuffles top deck; Nikhil Modha to take over as CFO
Phased transition sees Marco Agnolin head OWND!, Nikhil Modha lined up as CFO as company readies next growth leg
MUMBAI: Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail is redrawing its leadership map, lining up a new generation of executives across key roles as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The company has named Suraj Bahirwani as chief executive (designate) of Pantaloons, effective April 1, 2026, with a full transition to the top role slated for October 1, 2026. He will also be designated as senior managerial personnel.
A two-decade veteran of the Aditya Birla Group, Bahirwani joined as a group management trainee in 2002 and has since held a string of leadership roles across retail and manufacturing. His resume spans stints at Aditya Birla Retail, a tenure as chief operating officer of Pantaloons, and most recently, head of global sales at the group’s cellulosic fibres business, where he drove international expansion and strengthened value-added portfolios.
Academically, he holds a PhD from the University of Mumbai, a postgraduate management diploma from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, and is a chartered accountant. Over the years, he has picked up multiple chairman’s awards, including distinguished achiever, exceptional contributor and accomplished leader.
The transition at Pantaloons will be staged. Incumbent chief executive Sangeeta Tanwani will continue until September 30, 2026, steering the handover before moving into an advisory role to the managing director from October 1, 2026. She is set to retire on January 31, 2027, at which point she will step down as whole-time director and key managerial personnel.
Alongside, the company has brought in Marco Agnolin as chief executive of OWND! and senior managerial personnel, effective April 6, 2026. Agnolin arrives with over three decades of global experience, having held senior roles at Inditex, where he helped expand Zara in Italy, and later served as chief executive of Bershka and Diesel. His track record spans fast fashion, brand turnarounds and youth-focused retail.
On the finance side, Nikhil Modha has been appointed chief financial officer (designate) and senior managerial personnel from April 1, 2026. He will assume full charge as chief financial officer and key managerial personnel from January 1, 2027.
Current chief financial officer Jagdish Bajaj will oversee a phased transition until December 31, 2026, before retiring and stepping down from his roles.
The reshuffle signals a calibrated succession plan rather than a sudden overhaul, with the company staggering exits and appointments to ensure continuity even as it refreshes leadership across verticals.
As Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail juggles legacy brands and new-age formats, the message is clear: steady hands for the present, sharper ones for the future—and no pause in the push for scale.
