Corporate Trends
Embracing Industry 4.0: Navigating business transformation trends in the digital age
Post-pandemic, the focus on Industry 4.0, Circular Value Chains, Autonomy via Edge Computing, and Demand-Driven Digital Supply Chains reshaped global business dynamics. India's leadership in AI, cybersecurity, and sustainable manufacturing practices highlights its commitment to digital transformation.
"A larger than life figure": Former Tech Mahindra Vice Chairman Vineet Nayyar passes away at 85
Tech Mahindra's former Executive Vice Chairman, Vineet Nayyar, has passed away at the age of 85. His colleague and friend, CP Gurnani, expressed his grief on X. Nayyar served as the Vice-chairman and MD of Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services from 2018 to 2020. Nasscom, the apex body for the Indian technology industry, expressed condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.
Apurva Sahijwani joins Avendus Wealth as MD and CEO
Avendus Wealth Management has named Apurva Sahijwani as its new managing director and CEO. Sahijwani, with extensive experience in the financial sector, will oversee the wealth team and utilize Avendus's platform to offer comprehensive advice to clients. Previously, he led Burgundy Private at Axis Bank and held various managerial roles at Kotak Wealth, ICICI Bank, HSBC, and Citibank.
Honeywell Automation India appoints Atul Pai as managing director
Honeywell Automation India Ltd (HAIL) appointed Atul Pai as its new managing director, effective May 16. Pai, who has over two decades of experience at Honeywell, succeeds Ashish Gaikwad, who will lead industrial automation for Honeywell International in India. HAIL’s Chairman Ganesh Natarajan and Ashish Modi, Honeywell India’s president, expressed confidence in Pai’s leadership and business acumen. Established in 1984, HAIL provides automation and control engineering services and has a significant presence across India.
ChatGPT gets smarter: New features, Indian languages, translation, pricing and more
OpenAI on Monday released a higher performing and more efficient version of the artificial intelligence technology that underpins its popular generative tool ChatGPT. "We're very, very excited to bring GPT-4o to all of our free users out there," Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati said at the highly anticipated launch event in San Francisco.
Anant Ambani's Vantara aids timely rescue of an ailing elephant and her calf - Team travels 3,500kms from Jamnagar to Tripura
Anant Ambani's Vantara aided an ailing elephant, Pratima, and her calf, Maniklal, in Tripura's Unakoti district. The initiative is supported by Reliance Industries and Reliance Foundation, located in the Jamnagar Refinery Complex.
40 Under Forty: Ethics, innovation tilt scales for winners
It was a lucky 13 last week — the group of elite jurors, who evaluated, debated, and finally selected this year’s cohort of ET’s 40 Under Forty. The focus was on long-term impact — whether on business or society.
CSR activity transcends compliance boundaries, companies embrace impact investing: Deloitte
Indian companies are expanding their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives beyond compliance, with a focus on strategic impact investing such as social bonds and pay-for-success models, according to a Deloitte India survey. While interest in innovative models is high, navigating complexities remains a challenge. CSR is increasingly seen as a key driver of corporate strategy, with firms re-evaluating their strategies in response to changing regulations and ESG norms.
ChrysCapital to invest Rs 830 cr in Centre For Sight, to pick Mahindra Holdings' entire stake
ChrysCapital, a domestic PE fund, is set to invest up to Rs 830 crore in New Delhi's Centre for Sight (CFS), a leading eye care chain, partly acquiring Mahindra Holdings Limited's stake. The investment aims to bolster CFS's expansion across India's Tier 1 and 2 cities. CFS, founded in 1996, operates 83 centers across 15 states/UTs and 39 cities, expecting revenue of Rs 515 crore in FY24.
Indian companies show interest in impact investing but face challenges: Deloitte CSR survey
Deloitte India's CSR preparedness survey reveals that only 28% of Indian organizations feel very prepared for impact investing, despite high interest. The study shows a shift towards CSR as a strategic driver of corporate strategy, with increased investment in technology solutions and focus on accountability.
Must Watch
Deal activity declines 60 pc in April to USD 5.19 bn despite more transactions
The highest decline by value was in the merger and acquisitions transactions, which came down 75 per cent to USD 2.526 billion when compared with USD 10.212 billion in March, while the private equity transactions by value were marginally down at USD 2.666 billion, the report by Grant Thornton Bharat said.
General Atlantic, TPG Capital, two other PEs in race for Altimetrik
Altimetrik has offices in over 20 locations, six of them in India, with more than 80% of its workforce based in the country. The company has a team of over 6,000 digital practitioners. It has a global client base engaged in the BFSI, fintech, automotive, manufacturing, retail, pharmaceutical and life science sectors. They include Citi, Morgan Stanley, Novartis, Sony, Schindler and Samsung. In India, the company has offices in Pune, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Gurgaon.
India Inc hunts for new cyber warriors
Corporate India is actively seeking cybersecurity professionals amidst rising concerns over data breaches, evolving regulatory requirements, and the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence platforms. To address vulnerabilities in security controls and processes, companies are bolstering their cybersecurity teams across various domains.
RBI appoints R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as new Executive Director
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has appointed R. Lakshmi Kanth Rao as its new Executive Director, effective May 10. Rao will oversee the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation, Right to Information Act (FAA), and Department of Communication. Rao has over three decades of experience in various domains, including Banks and NBFCs regulation, supervision, and consumer protection.
Tata Sons raises royalty fee 2x to Rs 200 crore
The owner of the Tata brand name kept the royalty fee at Rs 100 crore for a period of five years, before finally raising it by two times. TCS, TaMo and others will now have to pay Rs 200 crore as royalty fee to Tata Sons.
