MAM
VMLY&R India elevates Pooja Jauhari to group CEO
Mumbai: Global brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R on Wednesday announced the appointment of Pooja Jauhari as chief executive officer, VMLY&R India across its group of companies. Based out of the agency’s Mumbai office, she will report to VMLY&R Asia co-CEO Tripti Lochan, who is based in Singapore.
Jauhari takes over from Anil Nair, who is moving on to pursue new opportunities. Nair joined VMLY&R in 2019 from Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi India, where he was CEO (digital) and managing partner. VMLY&R first welcomed Jauhari in 2020, as the CEO of The Glitch. The independent creative agency was acquired by WPP in 2017 and integrated into the VMLY&R network in November 2020.
In this new role, she will oversee the agency’s combined operations, including VMLY&R, The Glitch, VMLY&R Commerce and GTB, across its three offices in India – Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai – plus its service of clients across the Indian subcontinent, said the statement.
She is also tasked with further integration of the network’s creative excellence in India, with its very strong customer experience, commerce and data capabilities, into an integrated powerhouse focused on human centricity, diversity, inclusion & high performance, it added.
“Since welcoming The Glitch into the VMLY&R network in 2020, we are seeing that together with VMLY&R India, the whole is far greater than the sum of the parts,” said Tripti Lochan. “Pooja’s proven track record of having driven a gender-blind and positive influence approach, aligns perfectly with our ongoing vision towards ever-improving our own inclusivity and progressiveness. Combined with her track record in growing The Glitch to be one of India’s best-known agencies, producing work for clients both nationally and globally, we believe her elevation makes us even better at creating connected brands, driving business for our clients, and positively impacting the communities they live in.”
“We thank Anil for being a part of our continued growth in India, and wish him the very best in the next stage of his journey,” she further said.
Having started her marketing career at JWT two decades ago, Jauhari moved to Unilever and then Worldwide Media before joining The Glitch in 2013. There, she was instrumental to the agency’s success, leading its strategic planning, plus setting its goals and approach to both business and culture.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: 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.
