Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd., the parent of The Times of India, has appointed Badri Beriwal as Director, Brands, Products and Portfolio Strategy, according to his LinkedIn profile. The move brings a consumer goods and retail leader into one of India’s largest media and publishing houses.
Beriwal joins from Bata India, where he was Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer from May 2023 to July 2026. In that role, he was responsible for the strategic direction of retail operations and marketing for Bata and Hush Puppies in India, and he oversaw the expansion of the store network to more than 2,000 locations.
From packaged food to media brands
Before Bata, Beriwal spent more than five years at Britannia Industries. He joined as Category Head in April 2018, became National Sales Development Manager in July 2019, and was later appointed Vice President, New Business and CEO of BritChip, the Britannia-Chipita joint venture, in March 2021. He was elevated to Chief Business Officer, New Business and CEO, BritChip in January 2022 and held that role until May 2023.
Earlier in his career, Beriwal served as Marketing Head at Stanley Black & Decker and Chief Marketing Officer at Veeba. The mix spans FMCG, retail, durables and food services—experience that now moves into a legacy media environment.
Why this matters for marketing leaders
Beriwal’s appointment signals a continued blurring of lines between consumer goods thinking and media business strategy. A role focused on brands, products and portfolio strategy at a legacy media group points to sharper attention on brand architecture, product monetisation and portfolio choices across print, digital, events and other revenue lines.
For marketing professionals, the move is a reminder that portfolio logic applies well beyond FMCG. The same discipline used to manage multiple biscuit brands or retail formats can be applied to media brands with overlapping audiences and different business models.
- Cross-sector talent flow: FMCG and retail executives are moving into media companies to manage brand portfolios and new revenue products.
- Portfolio discipline: The focus shifts from standalone campaigns to how each media brand earns its place in the portfolio.
- Retail expansion lessons: Experience in scaling physical stores can inform distribution, subscriptions and event-led growth strategies.
A practical lens for brand teams
If your organisation is reviewing brand roles, map each brand or product by audience strength and revenue potential, then decide whether to cut, fix or invest. Beriwal’s track record across Bata, Britannia and Veeba suggests that his new mandate may involve similar prioritisation at Bennett Coleman—deciding which brands, formats and audience segments deserve deeper investment.
The appointment also arrives at a time when legacy media brands are competing with digital platforms, short-form video and direct-to-consumer news products. A dedicated portfolio strategy leader can help align brand identity with revenue streams such as subscriptions, branded content, events and licensing, without diluting editorial trust.
For marketing students and early-career professionals, the larger lesson is clear: senior brand roles are increasingly judged on portfolio outcomes, not just campaign outcomes. Exposure to pricing, distribution, product lifecycle and business development can make you a stronger candidate for roles that sit at the intersection of brand and strategy.
Source: MediaNews4U
