Brands
Virtusa hands the reins to Nitesh Banga as president & CEO
MUMBAI: Change is in the air at Virtusa Corporation, as the company announces a leadership transition designed to propel it into the future of digital engineering and AI-driven business solutions. Nitesh Banga has been appointed as president & CEO, effective 3 February 2025, succeeding Santosh Thomas, who steps down to explore new opportunities. To ensure a smooth handover, Thomas will remain a strategic advisor during the transition.
Reflecting on his tenure, Thomas expressed pride in Virtusa’s transformation over the past four years. “I am immensely proud of the substantial growth we have accomplished together. It has been exciting to witness firsthand the positive impact on our people, clients, and their customers,” he said. Thomas positioned Virtusa as a global digital leader, spearheading strategic acquisitions, operational excellence, and technology expansion, while achieving record-high client and employee net-promoter scores.
Banga, the new face at Virtusa’s helm, joins from GlobalLogic, where he served as president & CEO. His leadership at GlobalLogic saw transformational growth, including the successful integration of the company with Hitachi. With nearly three decades in the technology services sector, including over 20 years at Infosys, Banga brings a wealth of experience in strategy, business development, service delivery, and mergers & acquisitions.
Banga sees Virtusa uniquely positioned to drive digital and AI-powered transformation for enterprises. “I am deeply honored to step into this role at such a pivotal moment of change in the industry,” he stated. “The future belongs to businesses that hyper-focus on customer needs, leveraging digital and AI technologies with a solid data strategy. Virtusa’s engineering DNA and domain expertise offer the perfect foundation to help brands transform and differentiate their businesses.”
Board of directors chair, Rajeev Mehta extended his appreciation to Thomas for his leadership since joining Virtusa in 2021. “Santosh expanded our global presence, grew our service offerings, and positioned Virtusa as a leader in Digital Engineering and AI. We thank him for his dedication and wish him continued success.” Looking forward, Mehta is confident that Banga’s deep expertise and passion for client success will drive Virtusa’s next wave of innovation. “With an AI-powered world ahead, I look forward to working with Nitesh to optimise our business and deliver transformative results for our clients,” he added.
Virtusa’s leadership transition signals a bold step forward, reinforcing its commitment to technology-led business transformation and AI-driven solutions. With Banga at the helm, the company is ready to tackle the next frontier of digital innovation.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches accessories brand Maejoy
The Bollywood star’s lifestyle brand, built with Myntra and Exceed Entertainment, promises aspirational fashion without the high price tag
MUMBAI: Malaika Arora is not the first Bollywood star to put her name on a brand, and she will not be the last. But Maejoy, the accessories label she has launched in partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL) and talent outfit Exceed Entertainment, at least has a sharper pitch than most. The brand drops with 250-plus styles spanning handbags and lab-grown diamond jewellery, two categories that sit squarely in the sweet spot between aspiration and affordability, and lands on Myntra’s platform from day one, putting it in front of millions of shoppers without breaking a sweat.
The handbag range covers the full gamut: crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, workwear classics, backpacks and clutches, rendered in synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestone and metallic finishes. The jewellery line runs to rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets in silver, gold and rose-gold tones, set in 925 sterling silver with IGI and GCI certified lab-grown diamonds. The brand’s guiding philosophy, “The Joy of Being Me,” stakes its claim on individuality and self-expression; its three brand pillars, Authentic, Empowering, Accessible, are the usual suspects, though the lab-grown diamond bet is savvier than it sounds. Lab-grown stones now sell at a fraction of the price of mined ones, and the category is growing fast in India as younger buyers wise up to the arbitrage.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business, or through my personal style, I’ve championed the idea that fashion should be empowering yet effortless. The brand aims to democratise global fashion trends while offering women something that extends the feeling of luxury every day, be it a lab-grown diamond or a perfectly crafted handbag,” said Malaika Arora, founder of Maejoy
MJIPL, the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra, is putting its design and brand-building muscle behind the venture. Suman Saha, chief experience officer and head of house of brands at MJIPL, was bullish on the tie-up.
“Maejoy brings together Malaika Arora’s distinctive style perspective with a strong proposition in the accessible yet elevated accessories space. We believe the brand’s fashion-forward designs and thoughtful positioning will connect strongly with discerning consumers.”
Suman Saha, chief experience officer, head of house of brands, MJIPL
Afsar Zaidi, chief executive of Exceed Entertainment, the talent management firm that helped broker the deal, has worked with MJIPL before and was characteristically direct about what makes Arora an unusually bankable partner.
“Building celebrity-led brands requires a delicate balance of authenticity and market viability. Malaika is a rare talent who commands equal respect as a fashion icon and a savvy businesswoman. We are proud to facilitate this partnership that brings together her creative clout and Myntra’s brand-building excellence,” said Zaidi
Celebrity fashion brands live or die on one question: does the star actually wear it, or is the cheque the only thing they signed? Arora, who has spent three decades as one of Bollywood’s most-watched style references, has at least built a plausible case. Maejoy is live now on www.myntra.com and the Myntra app. The real test, whether shoppers buy the handbag or just the hype, starts today.
