Category Archives: Business

Haworth Strengthens Distribution and Market Presence to Capitalise on Rising Demand for Workspaces in India

Haworth, a leading provider of design-led workplace solutions, is strengthening its growth strategy with a focus on expanding its distribution network and strengthening local supply chain capabilities, as demand for high-performance workplaces continues to rise across India.

 The company has built a strong presence through its experience and design centres in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi/NCR, Chennai and Hyderabad, supported by a robust manufacturing facility in Chennai. This setup enables faster delivery, greater customization, and improved responsiveness to client requirements. India’s importance in Haworth’s global strategy is reinforced by the expansion of Global Capability Centres and multinational operations, which are driving demand for sophisticated, experience-led work environments aligned with global standards.

“India is no longer an emerging market for us; it is a strategic growth engine. The scale of opportunity, combined with evolving workplace expectations, is reshaping how organisations design and use office spaces. Our focus is on building local capabilities, expanding our reach, and partnering with clients to deliver integrated workplace solutions that enhance productivity, collaboration, and employee well-being. For Haworth, India also plays a dual role by driving Asia Pacific growth while supporting global accounts with consistency, scale, and innovation. It is a market where we are not just participating, but actively shaping the future of work,” said Manish Khandelwal, Managing Director, Haworth India.

As part of its next phase of growth, Haworth is expanding into emerging cities through a stronger dealership network, improving access to emerging business hubs. At the same time, Haworth continues to strengthen its local operating model, improving agility, delivery timelines, and the ability to deliver customised solutions across markets. Government initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and ongoing infrastructure expansion are further strengthening the manufacturing ecosystem, improving ease of doing business and enabling greater localisation. This is helping companies like Haworth align more closely with customer expectations for faster delivery and local sourcing, while also supporting expansion into new and emerging business hubs.

This expansion comes at a time when the office furniture market in India is witnessing steady growth, driven by sectors such as IT and ITES, BFSI, consulting, multinational corporations, and the expanding Global Capability Centre (GCC) ecosystem, with education and large Indian enterprises emerging as longer-term opportunities.

Hybrid work is accelerating the shift toward collaborative, flexible, and ergonomic workplaces, increasing demand for integrated, design-led solutions. At the same time, organisations are placing greater emphasis on sustainability, material innovation, and long-term space efficiency, prompting solution providers to rethink design, sourcing, and lifecycle management across workplace environments.

Haworth is responding to this shift through a solution-led approach that combines global design expertise with insights into workplace behaviour. This reflects Haworth’s solution led approach, where design, research, and behavioural insights come together to create meaningful workplace experiences. Its portfolio spans seating, collaborative spaces, workstations & systems and acoustic solutions, enabling organisations to create adaptable, future-ready environments. The company is also sharpening its focus on key solution areas, including ergonomic seating to support employee well-being and performance, collaborative pods and flexible spaces to enable team-based work, and advanced acoustic solutions tailored for hybrid environments. Backed by global design collaborations and research driven insights, Haworth’s integrated ecosystem integrates furniture, design, and workplace intelligence, positioning the company as a solution led workplace partner.

Looking ahead, Haworth will expand its presence in emerging markets, deepen its leadership in the GCC segment, and strengthen engagement with enterprise clients and the design community. The company is also accelerating its shift toward solution-led engagement, working more closely with clients to deliver integrated, high-performance workplaces while shaping conversations around workplace transformation, sustainability, and employee experience in India.

Middle East disruption could cut global oil demand 20 percent and gas 10 percent by 2050 as energy security drives shift to independence

LONDON/HOUSTON/SINGAPORE, April 8, 2026 – Prolonged disruption to Middle East energy supplies could accelerate a structural shift in global energy systems, halving oil and gas import dependence by 2050 and reducing oil demand by 20% and gas demand by 10% relative to the base case. As countries prioritise energy security, demand is increasingly met through electrification, renewables, coal and nuclear, while reliance on globally traded fuels declines, according to Wood Mackenzie.

However, this shift comes with trade-offs. Energy systems become more domestic and diversified, but also more costly, while near-term emissions rise due to increased coal use before converging with the base case over the longer term. These findings are based on a new conflict scenario from Wood Mackenzie, part of its Lens Energy Transition Scenarios, which explores how sustained geopolitical instability could reshape global energy demand, supply and investment through 2050.

Crisis-driven disruption, long-term transformation

The scenario assumes a major geopolitical escalation beginning in early 2026, disrupting 15–20% of global oil and LNG supply. In the near term, oil demand falls by around 9% due to supply outages before recovering to pre-crisis levels by 2030, Wood Mackenzie noted.

Beyond 2030, structural shifts take hold as countries accelerate efforts to reduce reliance on imported fuels. Oil and gas demand declines more rapidly than in the base case, as governments prioritise domestic and diversified energy systems.

“Geopolitical crises can act as powerful catalysts for long-term system change,” said Prakash Sharma, Vice President, Scenarios & Technologies at Wood Mackenzie. “In this scenario, the world moves decisively towards energy independence, with lasting implications for global fuel demand and trade.”

Source: Wood Mackenzie Lens ETS

Electrification and efficiency at the core

Electrification and efficiency emerge as the primary pathways to energy independence. Overall power demand remains broadly in line with the base case, as lower demand from electrolytic hydrogen production is offset by wider electrification across transport, buildings and industry.

This shift reduces reliance on imported fuels while maintaining overall energy service demand.

A rebalanced energy mix

By 2050, the global energy mix shifts significantly under the conflict scenario:

• Oil demand falls 20% and gas 10%, while coal rises 20% as countries diversify supply and prioritise domestic resources
• Nuclear generation increases 40% above the base case, with both conventional and next-generation technologies scaling from the 2030s
• Renewables continue rapid expansion, forming the backbone of domestic power systems
• Hydrogen and carbon capture adoption declines, as policymakers favour more efficient and secure energy pathways

“Energy systems become more local, more diversified and less reliant on complex international trade,” said Jom Madan, Principal Analyst, Scenarios & Technologies. “Electrification and nuclear take priority, while hydrogen and carbon capture are deprioritised due to cost, efficiency and security considerations.”

Near-term coal, long-term nuclear

Coal plays a larger role in the near term as countries respond to supply shocks by maximising domestic energy sources and delaying plant retirements. Over the longer term, nuclear expands significantly, providing stable, fuel-secure baseload power as new capacity comes online from the 2030s.

Gas-fired power and hydrogen-based abatement pathways are scaled back as energy systems favour more secure and proven alternatives.

Security comes at a cost

The shift towards energy independence comes with higher system costs, as countries move away from globally optimised supply chains towards domestic production and diversified sourcing.

“Energy independence reduces exposure to external shocks, but it comes at a structural cost premium,” said Lindsey Entwistle, Principal Analyst, Scenarios & Technologies. “This creates new competitiveness challenges for energy-intensive industries, while advantaging more self-sufficient regions.”

Climate outcomes converge

Despite diverging pathways, cumulative emissions under the conflict scenario remain broadly aligned with Wood Mackenzie’s base case, tracking a 2.6°C warming trajectory. While emissions rise in the near term due to increased coal use, these are offset over time by stronger electrification and nuclear deployment.

“The scenario reaches a similar emissions outcome through a different route,” Sharma concluded. “It reflects a trade-off between near-term energy security and long-term decarbonisation, with countries ultimately relying on proven, domestically controlled technologies.”

Global Citizen Solutions launches Global Atlas of Risk and Readiness 2026

London — 8 April 2026 — Global Citizen Solutions (“GCS”), a leading residency and citizenship planning advisory firm, through its Global Intelligence Unit, has released the Global Atlas of Risk and Readiness 2026 (GARR), a new benchmarking framework assessing how effectively countries combine structural stability with long-term growth capacity across 85 jurisdictions.

The report evaluates countries through a dual lens — structural risk and forward-looking readiness — to provide investors, globally mobile individuals, and policymakers with a clearer picture of where capital is most likely to remain protected while compounding over the long term. In an environment shaped by geopolitical fragmentation, regulatory shifts, and technological disruption, the findings point to a decisive shift: resilience, not size, is what defines investment attractiveness in 2026.

Top 5: Institutional strength defines global leadership

• Switzerland
• Germany
• Singapore
• Ireland
• Finland

Europe leads — but not all European economies equally

Seven of the top ten countries in the GARR rankings are European, with Switzerland (1st), Germany (2nd), Ireland (4th), Finland (5th), Denmark (6th), the Netherlands (7th), and Austria (8th) all placing within the global elite. Europe’s dominance reflects the structural premium now placed on regulatory predictability, institutional depth, and regional integration — characteristics deeply embedded across the continent and reinforced through coordinated policy frameworks.

Switzerland leads the overall ranking with a score of 93.73, combining financial sophistication, innovation capacity, and near-universal strength across governance and human capital indicators. Germany ranks 2nd overall but leads the entire dataset on readiness at 91.87 — the highest readiness score of any country assessed — reflecting industrial depth, economic diversification, and a human capital base unmatched in the region.

The UK at 21st: strong foundations, a widening readiness gap

The United Kingdom ranks 21st globally with an overall score of 88.68, classified by the GARR as ‘Advanced and Stable’. The UK retains genuine structural strengths: deep and liquid capital markets and institutional foundations that continue to attract long-term investment. Its low risk score reflects a country where the fundamentals remain sound.

The GARR measures countries across two equally weighted pillars: structural risk and forward-looking readiness. The UK’s risk score of 63.61 places it among the lower-risk economies globally — a genuine strength. But its readiness score of 80.96 ranks it only 28th, well below its overall position of 21st. It is the strength of the UK’s risk profile that lifts its overall ranking; on readiness alone, the picture is more complex.

Ireland makes the point with force. Ranking 4th overall with a score of 92.45 — seventeen places and nearly four points above the UK — Ireland places 9th globally on readiness, demonstrating what deep regional integration, regulatory alignment, and governance consistency can deliver at scale. For a country of 5.4 million people to outperform the UK by this margin across both pillars is analytically significant. The GARR framework attributes Ireland’s strength to precisely the structural advantages the UK has moved further from since 2016: frictionless access to European capital, talent, and regulatory frameworks, and the institutional confidence that comes with full membership of a coordinated economic bloc.

“In today’s global economy, capital flows to resilience, and the data shows that institutional strength, not size, is the defining factor behind sustainable investment performance. Europe’s dominance in this year’s rankings is no accident — it reflects decades of investment in the institutional foundations that capital increasingly demands. And the performance of economies like Switzerland or Singapore, prove that in a fragmented world, agility and governance depth matter far more than scale,” said Patricia Casaburi, CEO of Global Citizen Solutions.

Singapore: further proof that biggest isn’t best

Singapore ranks 3rd overall with a score of 92.60 — above the United States, and the only Asian economy to break into the global top tier. It records the lowest risk score of any country in the dataset while ranking 11th globally on readiness, with exceptional digital infrastructure, AI capability, and human capital. The report classifies Singapore as a global node of capital, innovation, and connectivity, demonstrating how strategic positioning and institutional coherence can more than compensate for limited geographic or demographic scale.

A world pulling apart – Mind the gap

Across the 85 jurisdictions assessed, the GARR finds a global system that is fragmenting rather than converging. A compact group of highly resilient economies — concentrated in Europe and anchored by strategic hubs in Asia and the Gulf — is pulling further ahead. Below them, a broader set of countries, including several major economies, faces the challenge of converting existing strengths into the kind of structural readiness that long-term capital increasingly demands.

For investors, the implication is clear: the question is no longer where risks are lowest, but where they are most effectively managed.

The full GARR report is available at globalcitizensolutions.com.

Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy and Minexx to Deploy AI-Enabled Mineral Processing in DRC

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 08 April 2026: Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy (ADMA), the region’s leading academic institution for maritime training, and an integral part of AD Ports Group (ADX: ADPORTS), has signed a research, development, and operational deployment agreement with Minexx, a technology-enabled mining and mineral processing company operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The agreement covers the design and deployment of an advanced, AI-enabled ore sorting machine, engineered to upgrade low-grade mineral material into export-ready products.

Under the terms of the agreement, ADMA will develop and commission the AI-driven mineral pre-processing unit, featuring proprietary machine-learning models and specialised hardware. Once deployed at Minexx’s operations, the solution will be integrated into live mineral processing workflows to improve recovery rates, enhance operational efficiency, and unlock value from previously uneconomic raw mineral material. This collaboration synergises ADMA’s applied research and artificial intelligence capabilities with Minexx’s established operational footprint in the DRC.

Dr. Yasser Al Wahedi, President of Abu Dhabi Maritime Academy, said: “Deploying applied research and artificial intelligence into live operating environments enables innovation to deliver measurable industrial impact. This collaboration demonstrates how advanced engineering and AI can enhance efficiency, performance, and sustainability in mineral processing, reflecting AD Ports Group’s commitment to technological leadership and value creation.” 

Mansoor Hamayun, Co-Founder and Chairman of Minexx, said: “Across the DRC, one of the key challenges in tin, tungsten, and tantalum supply chains is the ability to economically upgrade low-grade material to export standards. This partnership brings together applied AI, long-term capital commitment, and operational execution to address that challenge at scale.”

This initiative aligns with AD Ports Group’s broader strategic engagement in the DRC, following the recent signing of Heads of Terms (HoT) for the development and operation of a multipurpose terminal at Matadi Port. The synergy between port infrastructure and upstream, AI-enabled value addition reinforces the Group’s role as an integrated trade and industrial enabler. In addition, this collaboration highlights AD Ports Group’s growing contribution to African markets, extending its impact beyond port infrastructure and logistics to leverage advanced digital technologies that unlock value across industrial sectors.

Strategically located in Central Africa, the DRC serves as a vital regional trade gateway. These initiatives reflect a shared commitment to strengthening the country’s global connectivity and supporting long-term economic development.

Indian Steel Industry Posts Strong 10.7Pc Growth in 2025–26

India’s steel sector achieved a remarkable 10.7% growth in the financial year 2025–26, reinforcing its role as a key driver of the nation’s industrial and infrastructure development. The growth was fueled by strong domestic demand, ongoing infrastructure projects, and a rise in steel exports.

Both public and private steel producers ramped up production, helping meet rising market needs. Exports surged to new markets, while imports declined, strengthening India’s position in the global steel trade. Leading companies reported record or near-record production, reflecting increased capacity and efficiency improvements across the sector.

Industry experts say this robust performance demonstrates the resilience of India’s manufacturing base. Continued investments in technology, diversification of export markets, and better logistics will be critical to sustaining growth in the years ahead.

PMMY Fuels Micro Enterprise Growth, Empowers Women Entrepreneurs Across India

New Delhi, April 8: The Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) continues to play a transformative role in India’s economic landscape, driving the growth of micro enterprises and significantly empowering women entrepreneurs across the country.

Launched in 2015, the scheme was designed with a simple yet powerful vision—to fund the unfunded. Over the years, it has opened doors for millions of small business owners who previously struggled to access formal credit. By offering collateral-free loans, PMMY has enabled individuals to start and expand small businesses, creating livelihoods and strengthening local economies.

One of the most remarkable outcomes of the scheme has been its impact on women. Today, a substantial share of Mudra loans are availed by women entrepreneurs, helping them achieve financial independence and build sustainable businesses. From running small retail shops and tailoring units to launching service-based enterprises, women across urban and rural India are using these loans to turn their ideas into reality.

The scheme operates through different categories—Shishu, Kishor, and Tarun—catering to businesses at various stages of growth. This flexible structure allows first-time entrepreneurs to take their first step while also supporting existing businesses in scaling up operations.

Beyond financial support, PMMY has contributed to a broader cultural shift by encouraging self-employment and entrepreneurship. It has particularly benefited youth and individuals from underserved communities, giving them the confidence to participate in the formal economy.

Economists note that micro enterprises form the backbone of India’s economy, and initiatives like PMMY are crucial for sustaining inclusive growth. By improving access to credit and promoting entrepreneurship at the grassroots level, the scheme is helping generate employment and reduce dependence on traditional job markets.

As India moves toward its long-term development goals, PMMY is expected to remain a key driver of economic empowerment—supporting small businesses, strengthening communities, and ensuring that growth reaches every corner of the country.

RBI Repo Rate 2026: Stability Signals Confidence for Real Estate

The RBI’s decision to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% with a neutral stance has drawn measured optimism from the real estate sector. Industry leaders believe this move ensures stability in borrowing costs, supports buyer sentiment, and enables developers to plan with greater certainty. While global uncertainties and inflationary pressures persist, a steady rate environment provides much-needed confidence for both end-users and investors. From affordable housing to luxury segments and commercial real estate, stakeholders view this policy pause as an opportunity to sustain demand, strengthen fundamentals, and focus on long-term growth strategies across emerging and established markets.

Rajani Kant Mishra, Founder and Chairman, Amrawati Group

The RBI’s decision to keep the repo rate unchanged is a positive signal for the real estate sector, as it ensures stability in borrowing costs and sustains buyer confidence. For a growing market where infrastructure and planned developments are gaining momentum, steady interest rates play a crucial role in maintaining demand. Homebuyers continue to benefit from predictable EMIs, while developers can focus on timely delivery and expansion plans. Although a rate cut could have accelerated growth further, the current stance supports a stable and healthy market environment driven by long-term fundamentals and rising end-user interest.

Mohit Mittal, CEO – MORES

The rate pause reflects the RBI’s caution, but for the real estate sector, monetary policy is only one piece of the puzzle. The bigger issue is affordability across mid and affordable housing segments, which remain squeezed between stagnant wage growth and rising construction costs. The industry should use this period of policy stability to push for streamlined approvals, RERA enforcement, and better infrastructure investment in Tier 2 cities — that’s where India’s next real estate growth story is being written. Interest rates will eventually move; what the sector builds in the interim will determine who leads the next cycle.

Vishal Datt Wadhwa, Founder & CEO- CoWorkZen

Holding rates was the right call. The environment doesn’t allow anything else — oil above a hundred dollars, the rupee under pressure, inflation building in the pipeline from sources monetary policy simply cannot address. For enterprises evaluating workspace decisions — GCC buildouts, regional expansion, flex footprint across IT-ITES corridors — what matters is not the rate itself but the signal. A disciplined central bank that refuses to overreact to a supply shock is one that corporates can plan around. Lease decisions in structured commercial spaces are made on 3–5-year conviction, not monthly rate movements. Today’s policy does nothing to disrupt the conviction.

Prakhar Agrawal, Director, Rama Group

RBI’s decision to maintain the repo rate at 5.25% reflects a balanced and prudent approach amid evolving global uncertainties. This stability in interest rates is a positive for the real estate sector, as it sustains buyer sentiment and keeps home loan EMIs predictable for end-users. In an environment where inflation risks persist and global headwinds remain; a steady rate regime provides developers and homebuyers the confidence to plan long-term investments. We believe this move will continue to support housing demand, particularly in the mid-income and premium segments, while reinforcing overall market stability.

E. Lakshminarayana Reddy, Founder and CEO EARA Group

The RBI’s decision to keep the repo rate unchanged at 5.25% with a neutral stance is a positive signal for the luxury real estate segment. Stable interest rates reinforce confidence among HNIs and NRIs, enabling strategic investment decisions in premium and high-value assets. While this segment is less rate-sensitive, policy stability enhances sentiment and encourages portfolio diversification into luxury residences that offer exclusivity, long-term value appreciation, and an elevated lifestyle across prime micro-markets.

Ravi Kant, CEO & Co-founder, Elegance Enterprises

An unchanged repo rate provides much-needed stability to the real estate industry. It allows developers to plan projects with greater certainty while keeping home loan rates steady for buyers. This balanced approach by the RBI will help maintain momentum in housing sales and overall sector growth

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HNGIL Appoints Bharathi Mangaiahgari as CHRO to Drive HR Transformation and Growth

  India’s leading container glass manufacturer Hindusthan National Glass & Industries Limited (HNGIL) has brought on Bharathi Mangaiahgari as its Chief Human Resources Officer.

Bharathi, who has spent close to three decades in HR roles, will be working alongside the leadership team on the company’s people strategy and workforce planning. The appointment comes at a point where HNGIL is pushing hard on transformation and operational priorities following a change in ownership last year.

Bharathi’s background cuts across a wide spread of industries. She has done stints in tech, manufacturing, renewables, infrastructure, biotech, pharma, and EPC. She has also worked outside India, in the US, the UK, Israel, and Malaysia. Much of her career has revolved around tying together HR operations across borders, rolling out digital systems, and getting leadership pipelines in order.

She was most recently at Mahathi Infra Services as VP of Human Resources. Before that, she held the CHRO role at Patil Rail Infrastructure, a company with over 8,000 employees and several manufacturing sites. That job had her handling everything from compliance and governance to digitising HR processes from the ground up.

Kumar Krishnan, MD, HNGIL, commenting on the move, said:

“We are delighted to welcome Bharathi to HNGIL at a pivotal time in our journey. Her deep expertise in building high-performance organizations and leading HR transformation across diverse industries will be instrumental as we strengthen our people strategy and accelerate our next phase of growth.”

Bharthi’s hiring is one among a string of marquee appointments since HNGIL’s acquisition by Independent Sugar Corporation Ltd (INSCO), part of the Uganda-based Madhvani–Turner Group. The deal went through the IBC process and closed in September 2025. Kamlesh Madhvani and Shrai Madhvani led the acquisition, backed by funding from Cerberus Capital Management and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Under the new owners, HNGIL is seeing a ground-up overhaul. The Madhvani Group has put money into modernising plants, tightening operations, and building out sustainability initiatives. There is also a clear push to grow volumes — both within India and in export markets. Six plants are currently up and running: Rishra, Bahadurgarh, Rishikesh, Neemrana, Naidupeta, and Puducherry.

Founded in 1946, HNGIL was behind India’s first fully automated glass manufacturing plant. Today it has a presence across seven locations in India and serves customers in more than 23 countries.