MAM
Vidyabhanu shifts gears to Porsche after steering Skoda’s pre-owned venture
MUMBAI: Abhishek Vidyabhanu has swapped his role building Skoda’s certified pre-owned business for a fresh challenge at Porsche India, where he will lead the marque’s approved car sales, corporate accounts and financial services from September 2025.
The 22-year industry veteran joins Porsche as national manager for approved and corporate sales after nearly four years at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, where he established the carmaker’s entire corporate and pre-owned verticals from scratch. His stint there saw him turn a loss-making mobility division into a profit engine worth more than Rs 350 million, while also overseeing HR services, facilities and even office-space design.
Vidyabhanu’s curriculum vitae reads like a tour through India’s automotive ecosystem. He cut his teeth flogging commercial vehicles at Force Motors and Tata Motors, graduated to sales strategy at Mahindra & Mahindra, managed Toyota dealerships in Mumbai, then spent nearly seven years at Audi, first as area manager, then running the western region, before heading the German brand’s approved plus programme.
At Skoda, he coined the “certified pre-owned” nomenclature that Volkswagen and Kia have since adopted. During the pandemic, he also dreamt up contactless virtual demonstrations and steered the accessories business.
The IIM Kozhikode alumnus describes his philosophy as simple: comfort signals the end of learning. Now he gets to test that theory at one of the world’s most storied sports car brands, where the learning curve promises to be steep and the road ahead thrillingly uncertain.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
