Ms. Smeeta Bhatkal, Mr. Santosh Desai and Mr. Akshay Kumar join as Independent Directors; Ms. Shaina NC as Non-Executive Director
Mumbai: Cupid Limited, India’s premier manufacturer and brand of male and female condoms, water based personal lubricants, IVD kits, deodorants, perfumes, almond hair oil, body oils, petroleum jelly and other FMCG Products has strengthened its Board with the appointment of four new directors today.
Ms. Smeeta Bhatkal, Mr. Santosh Desai and Mr. Akshay Kumar have joined as Independent Directors and Ms. Shaina NC has joined as a Non-Executive Director to support Cupid’s commitment to maximising shareholder value by focusing on growing its existing international and domestic business, entering into new international markets and successfully scaling Cupid’s recent foray into India’s B2C FMCG space.
Cupid has synergized its industry expertise, manufacturing prowess and innovative spirit as it seeks to establish itself in the ever growing Indian consumer goods landscape by diversifying its product portfolio to capitalise on opportunities beyond the sexual wellness market with the recent launch of its Eau De Parfums (EDPs) range, almond hair oil, massage oils, skin protecting jelly and Cupi Safe toilet seat sanitizers.
Aditya Halwasiya, Managing Director, Cupid Limited said, “These four new appointments come at a pivotal time as Cupid is expanding its market presence and bringing in innovation to its product offerings. As we embark on the next phase of growth, we are confident that the collective wisdom of our distinguished directors and their diverse perspectives will play a pivotal role in steering the company towards new and greater milestones.”
Ms. Smeeta Bhatkal is Dean, BFSI at Welingkar Institute of Management. Currently she is also pursuing a Ph. D. at Mumbai University and has 16 years of corporate experience in the investment banking and financial services space and has spent 22 years as an educator and mentor to her students.
Mr. Santosh Desai is one of India’s best-known social commentators and advertising and marketing professional. He is the Managing Director and CEO of Future Brands Ltd and the Founder of Think9 Consumer Technologies Pvt Ltd. He was also President of McCann-Erickson, one of India’s premier advertising agencies, having been strategically involved in building key brands for a range of local and multinational clients in his 21 year advertising career. An avid columnist, author and public speaker he enjoys sharing complex ideas through simple everyday references.
Mr. Akshay Kumar has had a successful corporate career in India and abroad working for global companies such as Unilever, Citibank, Standard Chartered, Bharti Airtel, Millicom across multiple industries like FMCG, Retail Banking, Telecom and Transportation. A MBA graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, he is a process oriented leader with a high market and customer sensitivity having taught International Marketing at IIM Shillong and IIM Bodh Gaya.
Ms. Shaina NC is a renowned fashion designer, social worker and politician. She has been a frequent participant in debates on television news channels, where she discusses current events, political and social issues. Ms. Shaina is also involved in social work through her charity fashion shows and two NGOs, ‘I Love Mumbai’ and ‘Giants Welfare Foundation’. She holds a degree in political science from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai and a diploma in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.
