Author: Neel Achary

New academic appointments reinforce Glion’s research ambitions post-Swiss accreditation

India, 24 September 2025: Glion Institute of Higher Education is pleased to announce a series of strategic appointments that support its academic development and international positioning. Two new faculty members have joined the institution in Switzerland : Dr. Evrim de Groot and Dr. Alessio Delpero, while Vaibhav Rustagi has been appointed as the new Campus Director of Glion London.

These additions reflect Glion’s strengthened commitment to academic excellence, global engagement, and industry-relevant education, following its recent recognition as a Swiss University of Applied Sciences Institute.

Bringing new depth to luxury and innovation research

Dr. Evrim de Groot joins Glion as Assistant Professor, bringing expertise in luxury business management. She holds a PhD from HEC Lausanne, where she researched evolving forms of luxury and lectured at Master’s level. At Glion, she teaches in the Luxury Brand Strategy specialisation and contributes to the school’s research in luxury and lifestyle studies.

Dr. Alessio Delpero, Associate Professor of Strategic Management and Innovation in Hospitality, combines entrepreneurial experience with an academic career. He previously taught at Bocconi and WU, focusing on strategy, entrepreneurship, and AI in business. His research examines how digital technologies shape innovation, while at Glion he leads courses in research methods and advances the institution’s work on strategy and innovation.

Strengthening global leadership at Glion London

In London, Glion welcomes Vaibhav Rustagi as Campus Director. Vaibhav brings over 18 years of international experience in luxury hospitality and higher education, with a strong background in strategic planning, partnerships, sales, and experiential learning. Most recently at Northeastern University London, he led employer and alumni engagement initiatives, creating startup ecosystems and forging meaningful links between students and industry.

Prior to this, Vaibhav held several senior leadership positions at Hult International Business School, where he oversaw global employer and alumni relations, led the Hult Founder Lab, and served as Campus Director for the Hult Prize. His earlier career in luxury hospitality includes management roles with prestigious brands such as Jumeirah and Le Meridien in London.

An alumnus of Glion, Vaibhav holds an MBA from Hult and degrees in hospitality management from both TVU and Glion, along with an executive strategy certificate from Ashridge Business School. In his new role, he will focus on enhancing the student experience, strengthening industry connections, and supporting Glion London’s growth and reputation.

Commenting on his appointment, Vaibhav Rustagi said :“Returning to Glion in this leadership role is both a professional milestone and a personal honour. As someone who has experienced the transformative power of a Glion education first-hand, I am committed to building a vibrant, connected, and industry-driven community in London that reflects Glion’s values and global outlook.”

Advancing Glion’s academic journey

These appointments coincide with a major institutional milestone. In July 2025, Glion was awarded official recognition as a University of Applied Sciences Institute by the Swiss Accreditation Council. This accreditation follows a rigorous two-year process and marks Glion’s compliance with the Swiss Higher Education Act (HEdA) and European Standards and Guidelines (ESG). It positions Glion to expand its academic mobility, research capacity, and international collaborations.

The addition of Dr. de Groot, Dr. Delpero, and Mr. Rustagi not only broadens Glion’s academic and leadership capabilities but also supports its enhanced focus on research, innovation, and global reach.

Philippe Vignon, Managing Director of Glion, commented: ” As we enter a new chapter following our Swiss accreditation, attracting exceptional academic and leadership talent is central to our mission. Dr. de Groot and Dr. Delpero bring unique perspectives and strong research expertise that will enrich our academic offering, while Vaibhav Rustagi’s international experience and deep industry connections will strengthen our London campus. Together, their contributions will ensure Glion continues to deliver an education that combines academic excellence, innovation, and a truly global outlook.”

With these strategic appointments, Glion continues to solidify its reputation as a global leader in hospitality and luxury education, underpinned by research excellence and academic innovation.

Shri BT Nagaraj Reddy, MD of M5 Mahendra Group, Honoured as Visionary Leader of the Year in Real Estate

Bangalore, September 24, 2025: Shri BT Nagaraj Reddy, Managing Director of M5 Mahendra Group was conferred with the prestigious Visionary Leader of the Year in Real Estate Award at the Nation Builders Excellence Awards 2025, held in Mumbai on September 18, 2025. The awards, organized by Outlook Business, celebrate excellence and innovation in various sectors by honoring individuals and organizations making a lasting impact.

The recognition celebrates his visionary leadership, and steadfast dedication to expanding quality housing and real estate accessible to many. His transformative initiatives and strategic direction have not only strengthened M5 Mahendra Group’s presence across Bengaluru but also created a lasting impact on the broader real estate landscape, setting new benchmarks for innovation, quality, and social responsibility.

On receiving the award, Shri BT Nagaraj Reddy, Managing Director, M5 Mahendra Group, said, “This recognition is not only a personal honour but a collective achievement of the entire M5 Mahendra Group family. It reaffirms our commitment to shaping India’s infrastructure and real estate landscape with integrity, innovation, and responsibility. For us, building homes and communities is much more than business – it is about creating lasting value, improving quality of life, and contributing to nation-building. This award inspires us to continue striving for excellence while upholding the trust and expectations of the communities we serve.”

Shri B. T. Nagaraj Reddy brings over four decades of expertise in building a robust, backward-integrated organization across construction, commercial and residential real estate, finance, agriculture, and social welfare. Under his visionary leadership, the M5 Mahendra Group has expanded across multiple verticals, establishing a strong presence in housing, infrastructure, cement, aggregates, agri-business, retail, precast technology, financial services, and philanthropy. Through these ventures and initiatives, he has positioned the Group as one of Bengaluru’s most dynamic and trusted conglomerates forward-looking, innovative, and built for tomorrow.

M5 Mahendra Group :

M5 Mahendra Group is a diversified business conglomerate with over three decades of legacy in shaping South India’s growth story. With businesses spanning infrastructure, real estate, retail, finance, agriculture, and social impact, the Group is recognized for its innovation, quality, and community-first values. Its infrastructure arm – Bharath Cement Products and Bharath Blue Metals – delivers high-quality RMC, aggregates, and precast solutions that power construction excellence. Through Mahendra Homes and Mahendra Arto, the Group has redefined urban living with sustainable residential communities, while M5 Ecity, South Bangalore’s largest lifestyle destination, is transforming retail and entertainment. Extending its vision beyond business, the Group fosters eco-conscious farming, financial inclusion, and social impact, building sustainable futures for communities, customers, and partners.

SOTC Travel Opens First Store in Kozhikode, Expands Kerala Presence to 4 Outlets

Mumbai, September 24, 2025: SOTC Travel, a leading omnichannel Travel and Tourism Company, has inaugurated its franchise outlet in Kozhikode, Kerala, expanding its network to 4th strategically located outlets. This expansion underscores SOTC’s strong commitment to South India, highlighting Kerala’s position as a key growth market and the company’s focus on catering to the evolving needs of travellers from the region.

Strategically located at Centrio on Ram Mohan Road, Kozhikode, the new SOTC outlet serves both leisure and business travellers, strengthening the company’s presence in North Kerala’s key urban hub. The outlet offers a comprehensive range of travel solutions, including domestic and international holidays such as Group Tours, Personalised Holidays and Cruises, along with value-added services like travel insurance, ensuring convenient, end-to-end experiences for today’s diverse travellers.

Kerala Travel Trends:

• Top destinations

• Domestic & Indian Subcontinent: Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andaman, Bhutan & Sri Lanka
• International: Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Bali, Japan, South Africa, Egypt

• Unique preferences: high demand for experiential travel such as luxury cruises, Northern Lights in Scandinavia, self-drive holidays, island stays (Maldives, Mauritius), and adventure travel to Ladakh and the North-East
• Top customer segments: multi-generational families, honeymooners, working professionals, millennials and GenZ travellers
• Average holiday duration: 4–6 days for domestic/short haul; 10–12 days for long haul

Rakesh Bawa, Senior Vice President & Head – Holidays, SOTC Travel Limited, said, “Kerala is an important source market for us, with travellers seeking diverse and evolving experiences. The launch of our Kozhikode outlet enables us to strategically deepen our presence in North Kerala, catering to both business and leisure segments while delivering both group and customized holiday solutions. This expansion reflects our commitment to leveraging high-potential markets in South India for sustainable growth and enhanced traveller satisfaction.My team and I look forward to welcoming our customers at this new location and delighting them with exceptional travel offerings.”

Excelerate and Pepagora Form Strategic Alliance to Boost Global Talent Development and SME Upskilling

India, September 23, 2025: Excelerate, a global experiential learning platform, and Pepagora, the AI-powered B2B growth engine, have announced a strategic alliance to build a future-ready talent and SME growth ecosystem. This partnership combines Excelerate’s expertise in experiential learning with Pepagora’s strong SME network to empower students and strengthen global business opportunities.

Excelerate bridges students, institutions, and employers via immersive virtual internships, courses, competitions, and micro-scholarships. Through this strategic collaboration, Excelerate and Pepagora will jointly create a robust learning and talent ecosystem. 

It will recognize and nurture global-ready talent by offering students curated experiential pathways from the very beginning of their career journey.

In addition, it will deliver tailored upskilling opportunities to SMEs, equipping them with essential skills and talent to drive growth, innovation, and competitiveness. The alliance will also build seamless talent pipelines, where learners become “future-ready” hires for employers, supported by hands-on experience and verified credentials.

‘’This collaboration allows us to extend our mission by connecting students with contemporary business challenges and opportunities. With 360-degree skill development support, we are not just preparing students for employment but also driving positive societal transformation,’’ said Mr. Sundar Kumarasamy, CEO Excelerate.

“Pepagora is equally excited to co-create this future-ready ecosystem. By combining our strong SME network with Excelerate’s experiential learning, we are enabling businesses to grow while also giving students unparalleled access to real-world challenges and career pathways,” said Mr. Murugesan Dhanapal, CEO Pepagora.

The key features of the program include:

Early-stage talent preparation

Students, referred to as “Excellers” will embark on virtual internships, power-skills modules, and competitions tailored to real-world business challenges sourced from SMEs on Pepagora’s platform. This early exposure primes them for global career paths and accelerates meaningful learning outcomes.

 SME upskilling & capacity building

 SMEs participating through Pepagora can engage in curated learning opportunities, from micro-credentials to project-based internships, to upskill their teams affordably and flexibly.

 Employer-integrated hiring pipeline

SMEs will garner access to a pool of talent validated by Excelerate credentials, with the ability to convert high-performing Excellers into hires, creating a train-and-hire model that enhances retention and fit.

Students will benefit significantly by gaining real-world experience, developing professional skills early, earning credentials, and understanding global business dynamics through SME-led projects.

Acerpure India Launches Nitro Series Starting at 18,999, Exclusive on Flipkart

Bangalore, India – 23rd September 2025 – Acerpure India, a division of the global Acer Group, today announced the launch of the Nitro Series Gaming TVs, its latest range of high-performance Smart TVs designed specifically for gamers and entertainment lovers. Available exclusively on Flipkart, the new series starts at an affordable INR 18,999, making cutting-edge technology accessible to every household.

The Nitro Series – available in 43″, 55″, 65″, and 75″ screen sizes – is packed with features built to deliver smooth, immersive, and cinema-grade entertainment experiences:

• Google TV 5.0 powered by Android 14 with a personalized interface, thousands of apps, and seamless voice control using Google Assistant.
• Experience up to 50W sound output (varies by model), enhanced with Dolby Atmos and an integrated subwoofer, delivering deep, immersive, room-filling sound.
• In-built Karaoke mode, whether it’s a family gathering, a game night with friends, or a solo performance, users can unleash their inner star, creating larger-than-life entertainment experiences right at home.
• 120 Hz (HSR) refresh rate, ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and MEMC (Motion Estimation Motion Compensation) for lag-free gaming and smooth action-packed visuals.
• AIPQ (AI Picture Quality) for brightness, sharpness, and contrast optimization, along with support for 1.07 billion colors for life-like visuals.
• 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM, providing multitasking efficiency and faster performance.

Nitro TVs are built for entertainment without limits – Game Pad support enables effortless plug – and – play gaming, while Dolby Vision and Filmmaker Mode deliver movies just as the director intended, with authentic colors and no motion smoothing.

Speaking on the launch, Mr. Vasudeva G, Director of Acerpure India, said: “We are excited to introduce the Nitro Series to India, a product line that brings together the trusted innovation of Acer’s Nitro brand with advanced entertainment technologies. Whether you’re a gamer or a film lover, these TVs are built to elevate every viewing experience. With premium features like Dolby Atmos, VRR, ALLM, and Google TV 5.0, we are making next-level entertainment accessible and affordable. This launch reinforces our commitment to delivering technology solutions that resonate with modern lifestyles while staying true to the quality and trust that Acer is known for globally.”

The Nitro Series is now available exclusively on Flipkart, with festive launch offers aligned with the upcoming Big Billion Days, offering customers premium entertainment without waiting for additional discounts.

Allcargo Gati gears up for festive season surge with expanded capacity and workforce

Mumbai, September 23, 2025: Allcargo Gati Limited, one of India’s premier Express Distribution and Supply Chain Management company, have strengthened its operational and technological backbone to meet the potential festive season surge in shipments. The company projects a 20–40% rise in demand, driven by the boom in e-commerce, quick-commerce, and overall consumption during the festive period.

To manage sharp rise in volumes, Allcargo Gati has expanded warehousing capacity with an additional 40,000 sq. ft. in Bengaluru, 17,000 sq. ft. in Kolkata, and 70,000–1,00,000 sq. ft. in Chennai with further plans to add 1,20,000 sq. ft. in Kolkata. These strategically located facilities are designed to support the festive demand and ensure faster order processing and dispatches.

On the manpower front, Allcargo Gati is expanding its workforce by 30%, deploying over 9,000 employees across operations, including 4,500 dedicated to the e-commerce sector. Seasonal hires undergo intensive 7-day training programs in simulated environments, covering systems, processes, and advanced material-handling equipment, to achieve peak efficiency swiftly. Allcargo Gati has also introduced attendance and performance-linked incentives, recognition schemes, and well-being measures to build motivation and ensure retention during the festive rush.

Commenting on the festive preparedness, Mr. Ketan Kulkarni, MD and CEO, Allcargo Gati Limited and GESCPL said: “We are fully geared up to meet the festive season demand with reinforced capacity, expanded workforce, strategic technology deployment, and comprehensive training modules. By combining our new-age technology-driven operations with proven expertise, we have created the required bandwidth to cater to the festive demand spike. The recent GST revision is proving to be beneficial for express logistics players by bringing greater cost efficiency and smoother operations, which in turn translates into more competitive pricing and faster deliveries for customers. On the back of this announcement, consumption is set to get a further boost. With efficient resource deployment, capacity utilization, and process optimisation, we will continue to deliver seamless logistics solutions across metro as well as tier 2, 3, and 4 markets during this crucial period with speed, precision, and agility. With our rigorous preparedness and past experience in managing festive peaks, we will ensure timely, reliable, and efficient deliveries across our extensive nationwide network.”

To strengthen the digital backbone, Allcargo Gati has invested in additional handheld scanners, IT systems, and dedicated technology specialists across sites to facilitate uninterrupted operations. The centralized monitoring systems and agile resource deployment mechanisms enable quick response to sudden demand spikes across geographies.

Further strengthening its digital edge, Allcargo Gati has recently joined the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), a Government of India-backed initiative to democratize and expand digital commerce. By leveraging its vast logistics infrastructure, advanced warehousing solutions, and AI-driven route optimization, the company delivers end-to-end logistics solutions covering 100% of India’s GDP in 735 districts, ensuring faster and more efficient deliveries nationwide.