MAM
Vidya Balan is brand ambassador for new Aliva variants
MUMBAI: PepsiCo India has named Vidya Balan as the brand ambassador for its six new baked variants of snack brand, Aliva.
The three new products, Multigrain Waves, Milk Minis and Crispy Thinz, are available in two variants each – providing more variety, flavours and ingredient choices.
The new Aliva range, now endorsed by Lay’s, follows the introduction of parent brand Lay’s baked range of potato chips earlier this year. It further strengthens PepsiCo India’s snack portfolio in line with the emerging consumer health needs.
PepsiCo India marketing director – foods Vidur Vyas said, “Endorsed by Lay’s, the new Aliva range is baked and brings forth a unique combination of grains with great taste. An accomplished actress, a woman of substance and an affable personality, Vidya is a great match to highlight the brand’s positioning of a snack jo tasty hai, accha hai.”
The launch will be supported by a 360-degree campaign featuring Vidya that will be unveiled shortly. Apart from her, Aliva continues to be endorsed by actress Chitrangada Singh who has been the face of the brand since 2009.
MAM
Beacon Group appoints Dr Rajesh Patel as Group CEO
36-year healthcare veteran to lead Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek, Biogeny.
MUMBAI: A new chief, a fresh diagnosis and a sharper prescription for growth. Beacon Group has appointed Dr Rajesh Patel as its Group Chief Executive Officer, effective April 1, 2026, signalling a decisive push to scale its presence in the diagnostics and IVD space. Patel steps into the role with 36 years of experience across the healthcare and diagnostics industry, bringing a career shaped by leadership roles spanning sales, marketing, business development and operational strategy. His mandate is both expansive and precise: to steer the group’s overall strategic direction while tightening coordination across its three core entities Beacon Diagnostics, Vector Biotek and Biogeny Diagnostics.
In practical terms, that means driving cross-company synergies, accelerating market expansion and strengthening organisational capability areas increasingly critical as diagnostic players compete for scale in a fragmented yet rapidly evolving healthcare ecosystem. The group is positioning itself to capture unmet demand across chain laboratories, key accounts and standalone labs, segments that remain underserved despite growing diagnostic needs.
The appointment comes at a time when the In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) sector in India is entering a more competitive and innovation-led phase, with companies focusing not just on product pipelines but also on service delivery, integration and customer-centric models. Beacon’s leadership appears to be betting that Patel’s execution-focused approach can help translate ambition into operational momentum.
Welcoming the appointment, Chairman Dr D K Joshi described Patel’s induction as a strategic move aligned with the group’s long-term vision, emphasising the role of leadership depth in navigating the next phase of growth.
For Beacon Group, the message is clear, in a sector where precision matters, leadership is the new differentiator—and this appointment is intended to set the tone for what comes next.
