#MeToo: After Tatas, Coke, Mahindra & Adani too don’t want to be associated with Suhel Seth

The brand marketing consultant and veteran of the advertising world has been the first to be officially ousted from many of his associations in the corporate world. Although Union minister MJ Akbar too resigned following the charges of sexual misconduct, celebrity management firm Kwan’s co-founder Anirban Blah, filmmaker Sajid Khan, and comedy group AIB founders Tanmay Bhat and Gursimran Khamba too were outed due to the accusations of sexual misconduct as part of the #MeToo campaign in India, but Suhel Seth is the first professional who has been outed in the corporate world due to the allegations

Beverage company Coca-Cola, which has worked closely with brand marketing consultant Suhel Seth, said on Tuesday, October 30, that he is not a consultant with the company now, following allegations against him as part of the ongoing #MeToo movement, The Economic Times reported.

Coca Cola had a long association with the brand marketing consultant.

The Tata Group on Monday, October 29, made it clear that it has terminated its contract with the consultant.In earlier reports, Mahindra Group and Adani Group too had said that Suhel Seth is not associated with them now. It has emerged that Suhel Seth was working for the French company Dassault too which is now linked with the infamous Rafale deal.

An Adani Group official said, “Mr. Seth was hired by Adani Group last year as a brand consultant and his contract with Adani ended in September 2018 and it was not renewed so he is no more associated with Adani Group.”

A Mahindra Group spokesperson, told The Hindu, “As on date, Mr. Suhel Seth is not an advisor to the Mahindra Group.”

Seth, Managing Partner of consultancy major Counselage India, was paid a monthly fee of ₹ 12 lakh by Dassault Aviation. Confirming his association with Dassault Aviation, he told Indian Express that it had continued between 2011 and 2015. But he denied that his assignment in Dassault was in no way linked with the price negotiations with the Ministry of Defence for the sale of Rafale jets.

Seth has been accused of sexual misconduct by six women including model Diandra Soares, filmmaker Natashja Rathore, journalist Mandakini Gahlot and writer Ira Trivedi. According to a report in the Indian Express, a 33-year-old journalist Mandakini Gahlot has also described an incident involving Seth at the 12th Regulators’ and Policymakers’ Retreat held at the Taj Fort Aguada Beach Resort and Taj Holiday Village in Goa from July 13-17, 2011.

The first account to come out against Seth was by a 26-year-old woman in Mumbai, and shared on Twitter by a friend. She said Seth had sent her inappropriate messages in August 2010 “when I was a 17-year-old girl”.