Mumbai: Stepathlon proudly announces the appointment of Prapti Anand to its global advisory board, reinforcing its dedication to ‘Commerce with Compassion’. Prapti brings extensive international expertise in strategic philanthropy across both public and private sectors, most recently leading CSR investments and partnerships for Fondation CHANEL in APAC.
Stepathlon CEO, Ravi Krishnan expressed enthusiasm about the new addition: “Stepathlon’s mission is to be both a ‘thought and thoughtful leader’. Prapti has the capability and conviction to carry and ensure we fulfil our purpose.Prapti’s active involvement and experience will strengthen our commitment to ‘Commerce with Compassion’ and ‘Endeavour with Empathy’”
Anand’s reputation for building impactful, multi-sector partnerships aligns seamlessly with Stepathlon’s goal of promoting well-being. Her leadership is set to enhance the company’s initiatives that foster social impact through strategic alliances.
Anand shared her excitement: “I am excited to join a company that prioritises well-being and social impact blending purpose with commerce. I look forward to contributing to Stepathlon’s ambition to create a healthier, happier population and planet!”
Stepathlon’s commitment to improving global well-being is set to deepen with this strategic appointment, advancing its vision for a compassionate approach to business and community growth.
Mumbai: Stepathlon has announced its first major US partnership with Major League Rugby (MLR). Stepathlon is a fan acquisition and engagement platform, to promote fitness and well-being among rugby players and fans starting in the off-season and leading up to the 2025 season.
MLR aims to foster a culture of fitness and community through this collaboration, encouraging fans across the United States to participate during the off-season with their favorite team and athletes across the league. This initiative will not only enhance physical fitness but also build camaraderie among fans, fostering a stronger connection with the sport.
“We are thrilled to partner with Stepathlon to promote health and wellness within the rugby community,” said US Major League Rugby CEO Nic Benson. “Staying fit and active is crucial for our players, and we are excited to work with Stepathlon to inspire our fans to live a healthier lifestyle.”
The partnership between US Major League Rugby and Stepathlon represents a new era of collaboration between sports marketing and wellness companies, aiming to make a positive impact on the health and well-being of athletes and fans alike.
The partnership between Major League Rugby, the premier professional rugby league in the U.S., and Stepathlon aims to engage athletes and fans year-round by blending the reach and influence of sports marketing with the positive impact health and wellness initiatives can have.
Stepathlon founder and CEO, Ravi Krishnan, said, ” Having attended MLR matches this season, I was struck by the passion of the fans. We want to ensure that this passion continues to thrive during the off-season. We also know that healthier fans are happier fans, so we aim to give something back to those who support their teams so keenly throughout the season. Stepathlon’s goal is to help fans stay connected with their favorite teams and players, as well as with each other, whether or not games are being played.”
Mumbai: Global fan engagement and data platform Stepathlon welcomes four new esteemed advisors to its already impressive advisory board:
. Jim Glover is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in global partnerships and client relationships. He previously served as deputy chairman at CSM Sport and Entertainment, where he played a key role in driving growth and success
. Ashutosh Srivastava, a renowned media and entertainment expert with extensive experience as former CEO of GroupM in APAC, who brings deep understanding of fan engagement, content creation, and brand building
. Nextdoor co-founder and CTO Prakash Janakiraman, who brings his expertise in leveraging data to drive business growth and unlock the power of user insights and personalize experiences.
. Advait Pandit, a seasoned technology leader with over 20 years of experience building high-growth companies, comes in with his experience as Chief Architect at JioMart. His experience in product development, market strategies, and scaling operations will be crucial as Stepathlon expands its reach.
Stepathlon founder and CEO Ravi Krishnan said: “We are privileged to welcome Jim, Ashutosh, Prakash and Advait to the Stepathlon Advisory Board. Their diverse expertise aligns perfectly with our vision for business growth. Their insights and guidance will be instrumental in creating innovative experiences that connect with audiences on a deeper level and to drive qualitative and quantitative benefits for our business, our clients and their stakeholders.”
Excited to collaborate with Stepathlon, the advisors shared their perspectives.
Jim Glover stated: “Throughout my career, I have witnessed the power of sports to unite communities and inspire individuals. Stepathlon’s innovative approach to fan engagement leverages this power to create meaningful experiences that go beyond the game. I’m thrilled to join the team and contribute my experience to help them unlock the full potential of their platform and connect with fans in even more impactful ways.”
Ashutosh Srivastava added “I’m passionate about the power of storytelling and community engagement, and Stepathlon’s platform has the potential to create truly transformative experiences for fans. I’m excited to contribute my expertise to deepen their audience connections and enhance engagement.”
Prakash Janakiraman added “I see Stepathlon as a platform brimming with data potential. Its commitment to ethical collection and personalized experiences resonates deeply with my values. Leveraging my expertise in uncovering user insights and driving data-driven growth, I’m excited to join the team and help Stepathlon realise its full potential to create positive change for fans, rightsholders, and brands alike.”
Advait Pandit added: “The ability to scale and adapt to a growing audience is crucial for any successful platform. Stepathlon’s unique proposition lies in its flexibility and inclusivity, and I’m excited to bring my experience in building scalable technology solutions to support their expansion plans. I believe that by optimizing both the user experience and operational efficiency, we can further harness the immense potential of Stepathlon to engage and connect with even wider communities.”
Mumbai: Global fan engagement platform Stepathlon has appointed Alison Lee and Rowena Samarasinhe to its advisory board.
ATP Tour executive vice president of interaction region Alison Lee and GenSport managing director Rowena Samarasinhe, who is also a partner at sports, media, and entertainment law firm LEVEL, will join Stepathlon’s advisory board, which will comprise diverse and prominent thought leaders from sports, media, entertainment, technology and wellness.
On the appointment, Stepathlon founder and chairman Ravi Krishnan said, “Our mission is to create a healthier, happier planet by leveraging popular culture to deliver value for all stakeholders. The point of view of women is critical to building a platform that serves the entire global community. Our incredible investor group is made up principally of middle-aged men – all very accomplished and supportive. We have only two female investors. I hope to change that in the next round. Having said that, I intend to ensure that our advisory board has diverse representation, and the appointment of Lee and Samarasinhe is just the beginning. We are thrilled to have such accomplished and enthusiastic women join the Stepathlon movement.”
Krishnan added, “I’ve known Lee for over 25 years and have seen her rise through the ranks on the ATP Tour. She has a sterling reputation both as a professional and as a person. Samarasinhe has immediately become a valued and trusted sounding board. She has a very broad and deep perspective on women and women’s sport and is both open-minded and single-minded—a compelling combination.”
On the appointment, Lee enthused, “I’ve known Krishnan for many years and have witnessed how driven the Stepathlon mission is to deliver continuous fan engagement, actionable first-party data, and create a healthier planet. I’m honoured to be invited to support him and his growing team, as well as enthusiastic to share my learnings across the sports industry to help ensure that fans receive much deeper value from their unwavering loyalty.”
Samarasinhe added, “I’m delighted to be helping Krishnan and his passionate Stepathlon team at this exciting time for the industry and the business. I know from experience that rights holders are constantly looking at innovative ways to build fan loyalty, and Stepathlon’s digital and data capabilities will enable us to offer something special and, importantly, target diverse audiences at the same time. So many of my own values are reflected in Stepathlon, and to be part of a project to make the world a healthier place is really very exciting.”
MUMBAI: From a rambunctious maverick to becoming India’s most celebrated player, Virat Kohli is the man that brands pay crores to get on board.
Kohli has emerged as the star celebrity of Indian advertising and brands are willing to spend crores to get him. The Indian cricket captain’s brand equity was valued higher than football star Lionel Messi in the Forbes top 10 list of global athletes of 2017 at an estimated value of $14.5 million. According to a recent report by corporate advisers Duff & Phelps, Kohli is India’s most valuable brand surpassing even Bollywood’s king Shah Rukh Khan who held the title since 2014.
Known for his innings, temper and wise choices on field, cricket fans have seen Kohli turn from a brash young boy into a decisive and strong-willed leader. As he matured in his life and cricket, so did his decisions on the brands he associates himself with.
While the early glamour may have pushed him to advocate Pepsi and Fair & Lovely Men, he eventually decided to move away from these brands. He was signed up as the brand ambassador for Pepsi in 2011 but refused to renew the contract which ended in April 2017, saying at the time that he would not ask people to consume something that he himself does not. Kohli said, “Things that I’ve endorsed in the past – I won’t take names – but something that I feel that I don’t connect to anymore. If I myself won’t consume such things, I won’t urge others to consume it just because I’m getting money out of it.”
Many saw his move as a sign of a man who believes in himself and someone who has invested his mind, heart and body in his role as a leader in society. “I want to give something to people that I use myself. One of the reasons I decided not to sign Pepsi is that I have undergone a lifestyle change. It might have been big money for me and a very lucrative deal but I opted out as we need to have some thought behind the products we promote and we must understand that people trust us,” he added.
Kohli also no longer endorses fairness creams or products of that genre since equating success with skin fairness goes against his values.
Other brands he decided to stop endorsing include 3C Company, Celkon Mobiles, Cinthol Soap, Clear Shampoo, Fair & Lovely, Fastrack Watches, Flying Machine, Mattel, Munch chocolate, Oakley Sunglasses, Red Chief Shoes, Sangam Suitings and Toyota Motors.
It was reported in 2013 that Kohli’s brand endorsements were worth over Rs 100 crore with his bat deal with MRF to be the costliest deal in Indian cricket history.
In 2017, he signed an eight-year endorsement deal with Puma for Rs 110 crore, becoming the first Indian sportsperson to hit the ton with a brand. The Manyavar face today endorses over 20 brands. Some of his iconic brand associations are with Gionee Mobile, Colgate, Vicks Vapo Rub, Boost, American Tourister, and Punjab National Bank among others.
Several eyes rolled when he signed with Royal Challenge but he has always maintained that he does not endorse or promote alcohol in any way but is rather promoting the brand’s energy drink. He recently signed deals with Uber India and snack company TOO YUM.
But what makes Virat Kohli such a huge hit where he now seems to have surpassed Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan to become every Indian brand’s first choice?
Brand expert Saurabh Uboweja believes Virat Kohli’s consistency in performance on the field and he being an icon who stands for the values the youth of India resonates with, has made him a hot pick. He adds, “Kohli exudes the charm and attitude of a celebrity and loves the media, limelight and is a natural performer both on and off the field.”
Kohli has an undying love for sports and with football being his second favourite sport, Kohli became a co-owner of Indian Super League club FC Goa in 2014. He is also the co-owner of International Premier Tennis League franchise UAE Royals and JSW-owned Bengaluru Yodhas franchise in Pro Wrestling League.
Kohli is one of the few cricketers who have an equal taste for cricket and fashion (media). In 2014, Kohli along with Universal Sportsbiz (USPL) launched a youth fashion brand for men WROGN. He has also invested Rs 90 crore to start his own chain of gyms and fitness centres across the country, under the name Chisel. In 2016, Kohli started Stepathlon Kids, a children fitness venture, in partnership with Stepathlon Lifestyle.
The young cricketer still has a long road and career ahead and his star value is unlikely to dim anytime in the future. It will be exciting to see how his brand associations shape going forward as he is the only cricketer in India today that brands are dying to align themselves with.
