10th February 2023, Pune, India:
India’s leading homegrown pet care brand, Wiggles, stays committed to building a pet and animal-inclusive ecosystem. The company today announces key leadership changes, elevating Prashant Kohli to the position of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and Pushkaraj Vartak to Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Prashant Kohli joined Wiggles as Vice President, Brand Strategy in 2022. In his new role as CMO, he will lead the company’s overall marketing initiatives and drive consumer engagement. Under his guidance, Wiggles underwent a rebranding and took on its ‘Lovemark’ identity. Prashant brings over 13 years of experience to Wiggles and has a sharp skill set spanning brand and customer experience, community building, integrated media communications, and design thinking. Before Wiggles, Prashant served at Glitch, where he was a part of the leadership team. He has also helped brands like Apple Inc., LinkedIn, HUL, Facebook, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, and Uber, amongst others, solve various business challenges.
Pushkaraj Vartak joined Wiggles as Vice President, Accounts & Finance in 2022 and has been instrumental in driving financial performance. Pushkaraj will lead the financial strategy and oversee the company’s financial operations. He has over 2 decades of experience in finance across sectors including Mumbai-based Infra, FMCG, and Media Industries, with expertise and specializations including FP&A, Treasury Management, Taxation, etc. Before Wiggles, Pushkaraj was with Glitch media.
Speaking on the development, Anushka Iyer, Founder and CEO of Wiggles said, “We founded Wiggles with love, empathy, and deep understanding. The last few years have been a testament to our commitment to pets and animals. At this stage, we are looking at progressive, compassionate & result-oriented leaders to drive growth for the organization. Prashant & Pushkaraj have been key pillars over the last year for us, and I am confident that they will help chart the best course for the next growth phase for Wiggles. Their experience, passion, and dedication towards both animals & people make them excellent leaders for our brand.”
Speaking on the promotion, Prashant Kohli, Chief Marketing Officer, Wiggles said, “As a challenger brand in the pet care industry, Wiggles has achieved significant milestones and has successfully created a space for itself in a market that legacy players dominated. Over the last one year, we have expanded our product portfolio, entered strategic categories, and set the foundations for solving some of the most wicked problems in pet care. I look forward to driving meaningful innovations and industry-defining strategies to cement the brand position and, more importantly, to create an ecosystem that genuinely impacts the lives of pets & community animals positively.”
“Our top priority is to ensure the company’s long-term financial growth by maintaining high levels of transparency and integrity. Our journey so far has been full of learnings, and we’ve defined ways of operations geared towards sustainable growth & value creation for our shareholders. I look forward to driving the company’s financial operations with fine experience and take pride in the core values.” said Pushkaraj Vartak, Chief Financial Officer, of Wiggles.
Prashant and Pushkaraj will continue to report to the founder’s office. Their promotions are with immediate effect.
About Wiggles
Loved and trusted by over 600,000 pets and pet parents, Wiggles was launched with a vision of creating a 360° petcare ecosystem that caters to a pet’s needs from birth, integrating physical, emotional, and social care. Founded in 2018 by pet parents Anushka Iyer, Rajh Iyer, and Venkat Mahadevan, Wiggles is rooted in veterinary science and is home to a growing range of category-creating services and products spanning across food and treats, grooming essentials, health supplements, and medicines, etc. Wiggles has set up India’s first state-of-the-art boarding, training, and veterinary facility at Petsville in Pune, and its community Wiggles Tribe is India’s largest online and offline pet parent community with access to experts like vets, behaviorists, nutritionists, and trainers.
Certified and recognised by institutions like IBPASA, the Ministry of Ayush, and the World Pet Association, Wiggles offers indigenous and vet-approved solutions for Indian pets and their parents. Continuing to cement its position as a committed #PartnerInPethood, Wiggles’ products are available on e-commerce platforms, in pet shops, and in retail stores. Pet parents can also avail of products and services via www.wiggles.in
