Category Archives: Business

Indian Finance Conference 2024 to Convene Leading Minds in Finance at IIM Raipur

Date: 6th August 2024, Place Naya Raipur; Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur will host the prestigious Indian Finance Conference 2024 from December 19 to 21, 2024. This monumental event will bring together finance scholars, researchers, and industry executives from the world to exchange ground-breaking knowledge and explore the latest, most transformative trends in the field of finance. The annual conference is being jointly organized by Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIMB), and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA).The registration deadline is 30th November 2024. The paper submission deadline is 31st August 2024. The conference will launch with an exclusive pre-conference tutorial on December 18, 2024, offering participants unparalleled insights into finance and accounting research.

The keynote speaker for this illustrious event will be Professor Yakov Amihud, the Ira Rennert Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Renowned globally for his pioneering research, Professor Amihud will share his invaluable perspectives on the most pressing challenges and emerging trends in entrepreneurial finance. The conference is distinguished by the presentation of prestigious honors that are designed to encourage the development of research excellence in finance. The BlackRock Research Award, valued at $10,000, will acknowledge exceptional contributions to the discipline. Furthermore, the conference will include the Best Paper Awards, which will be presented with a grant of $1000. These awards are intended to recognize innovative research that advances financial knowledge and practice.

 The Indian Finance Conference 2024 boasts sponsorship from some of the most influential industry leaders, including Motilal Oswal, BlackRock, and the National Stock Exchange (NSE). Their support highlights the conference’s critical role in fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange between academia and industry. Prof. Ram Kumar Kakani, Director of IIM Raipur, expressed his enthusiasm for the Indian Finance Conference 2024. “With Professor Yakov Amihud’s keynote address and generous support from industry giants like Motilal Oswal, BlackRock, and the National Stock Exchange (NSE), this conference promises to be a pivotal event for the finance community in India and beyond”, he said.

NXP Delivers Customization for Payment Cards with JCOP Pay

New Delhi, 6th August: NXP® Semiconductors today announced JCOP Pay operating on JCOP 5 EMV®, designed to deliver a high degree of customer customization of payment cards, while simultaneously enhancing their security. With the most recently obtained EMVCo certification, JCOP Pay operating on JCOP 5 EMV enables customers to achieve a long lifetime for card issuance.

Inventory management represents a challenge for payment card manufacturers, as they need to be able to adapt to constantly changing consumer needs in a highly competitive industry. JCOP Pay operating on JCOP 5 EMV features flexible and secure reconfiguration up to the point of card issuance to the end consumer, allowing changes in payment scheme applications and settings. This enables efficient inventory management for customers, as well as accommodating special multi-application requests, giving customers improved customization options and increasing their overall flexibility.

“Customization and adaptability are crucial for payment card issuers,” said Christian Lackner, Senior Director, Secure Payment & Identification, NXP. “The flexible and secure reconfiguration options enabled by this newest generation of JCOP Pay allow our customers to rapidly shift existing inventory towards a changing set of consumer needs, ultimately giving them the flexibility needed to succeed in a competitive industry.”

AVIVA SIGNATURE GUARANTEED INCOME PLAN Named ‘Product of the Year 2024’ in Life Insurance

New Delhi, 06 August 2024: Aviva Life Insurance, India’s most trusted private life insurance company is happy to announce that its Aviva Signature Guaranteed Income Plan has been awarded the prestigious “Product of the Year 2024” in the Life Insurance – Guaranteed Income Plan category. The accolade, part of the 16th edition of Product of the Year, is a testament to Aviva India’s commitment to product innovation and excellence in meeting consumer needs.

Product of the Year is the world’s leading consumer-voted award for product innovation, recognizing the best and most innovative products across various categories. Product of the Year (POY) is selected through consumer research conducted by Neilson across India to identify innovation through a 100% face to face consumer voting via an in-depth survey. This research is the direct outcome of the pulse of consumers in India and follows a robust methodology.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Asit Rath, CEO & MD, Aviva India said, “We are honored to receive the Product of the Year award for our Aviva Signature Guaranteed Income Plan. This recognition is a testament to our relentless focus on innovation and our commitment to providing our customers with products that truly make a difference in their lives. At Aviva India, we believe in a holistic approach to wellness. Aviva Signature Guaranteed Income Plan not only ensures financial security but also supports overall well-being by providing peace of mind and stability for our customers’ future. We thank our consumers for their trust and support and we remain dedicated to delivering exceptional value and financial security to Indian families. Congratulations to all the winners!”

Commenting on the winner announcement, Raj Arora, CEO, Product of the Year India, said, “We are pleased to acknowledge Aviva India for winning the Product of the Year Award in the Life Insurance – Guaranteed Income Plan category. This recognition highlights Aviva India’s dedication to providing innovative and customer-centric financial solutions. Congratulations to the Aviva India team on this well-deserved accolade.”

The Aviva Signature Guaranteed Income Plan is a premier life insurance product designed to provide policyholders with a secure and predictable income stream. This plan offers guaranteed payouts starting as early as 2nd policy anniversary, ensuring financial stability and peace of mind for the long run. With flexible premium payment options and attractive benefits, it is tailored to meet diverse financial goals of Indian families, including retirement planning, children’s education, and long-term wealth accumulation.

Aviva Signature Guaranteed Income Plan is part of Aviva’s innovative Signature series that includes Aviva Signature Monthly Income Plan for lifelong retirement income, Aviva Signature Investment Plan- Platinum for market linked wealth creation, and Aviva Signature 3D Term Plan, their flagship term insurance plan. With a customer centric and innovative product portfolio, Aviva India is confident in winning more such laurels and serving their customers for the long run.

STAAH’s new ‘Day-use’ room feature enables hotels to diversify revenue stream

Mumbai: August 6th, 2024 – STAAH, a leading New Zealand-based hospitality solutions provider that has transformed the business processes of its partner hotels in India and across the world with its stack of hospi-tech solutions, has launched yet another feature that will benefit both travellers as well as hotels.

STAAH’s ‘Day-use room’ feature enables travellers, especially business travellers, to reserve short-term stays at hotels during long layovers between flights rather than endure extended waits in airport lounges. The feature also empowers hotels to attract this new breed of customers, enhance the overall guest experience and generate an additional revenue stream.

Day use rooms are designed to cater to the needs of travellers who require a comfortable space for a portion of the day, rather than an overnight stay. They are becoming increasingly popular and are much in demand these days, as they allow hotels to capitalise their room inventory during quieter periods.

“The evolving needs of travellers today are driving our partner hotels to adapt and cater to new demands. Our new ‘Day-use’ room feature fits right in as it caters to these shifts in the hospitality sector. Hotels can cash in on a new revenue stream coming in from short-term stays, and travellers can benefit from convenient booking processes and clear communication channels via our platforms like SwiftBook,” said Shoaib Ali, the National Sales Head of India, STAAH.

Travellers jet-setting between cities in India and across the world are reserving day-use rooms to freshen up, catch up on work emails, and even rest while on short business trips or before continuing on their journey. They prefer a few hours’ stay at the hotel to also ensure that their luggage is secure while they go about exploring the city.

Volkswagen India expands its network in Kerala with the inauguration of six new touchpoints

Chandigarh, 6th August 2024: Volkswagen India continues to strengthen its network footprint in the state of Kerala with the inauguration of six new customer touchpoints. Expanding its presence in key markets across the state, the new touchpoints include city stores in Calicut, Trivandrum, and Kochi, as well as a new body shop facility in Kochi.

The addition of these outlets marks a significant expansion for Volkswagen in Kerala, growing its footprint to 21 sales and 16 service facilities in the state. This growth underscores the brand’s commitment to providing premium mobility solutions to the growing customer base in Kerala.

Mr. Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, said, “Kerala has always been a key market for Volkswagen India with its dynamic economy and discerning customer base. The opening of these new touchpoints as well as the introduction of special celebratory Onam Edition of Taigun and Virtus, are a testament to our commitment to the Kerala market and our endeavor to provide premium, German-engineered vehicles to our valued customers here. With the expanded network, we are well-positioned to meet the increasing demand from the upcoming festive season while continuing to offer a seamless, transparent, and value-for-money products & services to our customers in Kerala.”

The new city stores will showcase Volkswagen India’s premium product portfolio of the 5-star GNCAP safety rated Taigun, Virtus as well as the Brand’s globally acclaimed Tiguan SUV. The Calicut city store features a two-car display, while the Trivandrum and Kochi outlets will each house displays of three cars from the Brand’s product portfolio.

The new body shop facility in Kochi, is equipped with 11 service bays and will also offer comprehensive services including Express Service and full-fledged body repair facilities This facility is designed to provide efficient, high-quality service to meet the needs of Volkswagen customers in the region.

Under the leadership of Mr. Ajit Bhaskaran, Managing Director of Pheonix Cars, there has been addition of two more Sales & Service facilities both at Kodungallur & Palakkad in the last six months in addition to the new city stores in Calicut .

Mr. Sabu Johny, Managing Director of EVM Motors will be leading the City Stores in Kochi and Trivandrum alongside the body shop in Kochi. Together, these touchpoints will cumulatively be staffed by a team of more than 110 skilled and trained sales and service executives, ensuring a seamless and customer-centric experience.

Rejoicing the upcoming festive spirit, the Brand has launched a special celebratory Onam Edition on the Virtus and Taigun that will feature Front Parking Sensors, Dual Tone Horn, Puddle Lamps, TSI Fender Badge and more.

The network expansion of Volkswagen in Kerala reflects the Brand’s ongoing dedication to increasing accessibility and enhancing the customer experience across India. With 200+ sales and 140+ service facilities nationwide, Volkswagen continues to set expand its presence amid a growing appetite for premium mobility in India.

IceWarp connects with Top IT Leaders at 25th Annual CIOandLeader Conference

Goa, August 6, 2024: IceWarp, the leading provider of Business Email and Collaboration solutions is proud to announce its participation in the 25th Annual CIOandLeader Conference as Associate Partner at Holiday Inn Resort, Goa.

The 25th CIO&Leader Conference, an exclusive annual event that saw the participation of the top 200+ CIOs and future CIOs of India is a platform to discuss AI’s transformative powers and its application in shaping the future of business. This year’s theme, “The Intelligent Enterprise-AI Edition” directly responds to the evolving business landscape, promising insightful talks, solution-focused workshops, and knowledge-sharing discussions. The conference sessions delved into trends and technologies, such as AI, Cloud, Data, and Security, that are poised to significantly enhance business efficiency, deliver exceptional user experiences, foster innovation, and expand the organization’s global reach.

Talking about their participation in the event, Anita Kukreja, Head -Strategic Alliances & Brand at IceWarp India commented, “We are delighted to be a part of the 25th Annual CIOandLeader Conference, this event has provided IceWarp a platform to engage with their customers and network with top CIO’s from all over the country. This conference has given every participant an opportunity to associate with their prospective partners and a chance to augment their growth possibilities”.

Unified business communications and collaboration are essential for modern enterprises, streamlining various communication channels into a single, cohesive system. This integration enhances productivity, ensuring seamless interaction across teams, reducing misunderstandings, improving decision-making, and accelerating project completion regardless of location. By participating in the 25th Annual CIOandLeader Conference, IceWarp was able to showcase its expertise in Business Email and Collaboration solutions, strengthen relationships within the IT community, and foster knowledge exchange.

IceWarp has been a part of the Indian market for more than 8 years and has over 1500+ Mid Enterprise & Enterprise customers using their solutions. Having worked with various companies; small, mid-size, and enterprise-level, IceWarp solutions are created keeping in mind that it is suitable for all verticals especially the verticals with strict external and internal guidelines such as BFSI, Pharma and Healthcare, Manufacturing, FMCG, IT & ITeS.

Honeywell Unveils Complete Emissions Monitoring Solution for Offshore Platforms and Marine Vessels

INDIA, August 6, 2024 – Honeywell today announced its Emissions Management Suite is now Hazardous Location (HazLoc) and marine certified, making it one of the industry’s first end-to-end solutions for offshore oil and gas assets to measure, monitor, report and reduce emissions. Within its Emissions Management Suite, Honeywell has also added new solar capabilities into the Honeywell Versatilis™ Signal Scout™ hardware, expanding the lifespan of the gas detector by more than eight years with little additional maintenance requirements.

By helping the energy industry reduce its environmental footprint, the Emissions Management Suite supports Honeywell’s alignment of its portfolio to three compelling megatrends, including energy transition and automation.

Emissions management and monitoring are critical for shallow water offshore oil and gas platforms that can leak methane at much higher rates than land operations. For example, the methane loss rate of shallow water offshore oil and gas platforms in the Gulf of Mexico can range from 23-66%, compared to similar upstream land operations in the Permian Basin that can range from just 3.3-3.7%, according to a study by Cabon Mapper.i These unknown emissions can leave companies with offshore assets prone to regulatory hyperspectral satellite inspections, which could lead to large fines if a super-emitter event is detected.

Honeywell’s optimized solution provides offshore oil and gas assets with near real-time visibility for platform operations, enabling quick event response and the ability to balance emissions performance with production. At an enterprise level, this can allow flexibility to drive production from low emissions platforms while ramping back high emissions assets until repairs are completed, maintaining production while controlling emissions.

“By continuing to innovate, Honeywell is now able to provide an end-to-end solution that enables marine vessels and offshore platforms to accurately measure and report fugitive emissions when they happen,” said Pramesh Maheshwari, President of Honeywell Process Solutions. “With the help of our Honeywell Forge Sustainability+ for Industrials software, we are moving the industry forward by helping companies reach net-zero operations, both on land and offshore.”

Honeywell’s Emissions Management Suite is an effective solution for companies to measure fugitive emissions levels and help take action to reduce them. The solution is available now for several verticals including upstream and downstream oil and gas, refining, chemicals, utilities and more.

Skanray Partners with Tata Elxsi to Advance Surgical Imaging and Healthcare Innovation

Mumbai, August 5, 2024: Skanray, a leading global MedTech R&D and Manufacturing company specialising in diagnostic imaging, critical care and surgery/OT solutions, has chosen Tata Elxsi as a strategic partner for advanced surgical imaging core technology and software platform development. This collaboration aims to revolutionise diagnosis and treatment by leveraging cutting-edge technology modules, making them predictable, accurate, and consistent.

 Skanray is actively pursuing a long-term strategy to expand its portfolio by including new device families and modalities. This initiative aims to build a suite of reusable modules and components for medical devices, alongside the development of an advanced analytics cloud platform.

 Tata Elxsi will lead a software platform-led approach to diagnostics that will support all imaging, critical care and surgical systems from the Skanray family, ensuring interoperability, compatibility and multi-modal functionality. This platform will also incorporate the latest technologies and process efficiencies from AI and GenAI.

  Combining Skanray’s expertise in medical devices, core component technology, systems and applications with Tata Elxsi’s domain experience in medical imaging, software platform development, digital capabilities in cloud, AI and analytics, and ready-to-use solution accelerators provides Skanray an opportunity to redefine the landscape of medical technology, with advanced, modular, and yet affordable diagnostics systems.Pankaj Madhukar Wani, Head of Healthcare Business Unit at Tata Elxsi said, “The diagnostic imaging landscape is being transformed by software and digital technologies such as cloud and AI. We are delighted to be supporting Skanray in realising their long-term strategy and vision for healthcare. This long-term partnership will help create transformative solutions for healthcare facilities and patients worldwide.”

 “By combining Skanray’s core technology and deep understanding of medical applications with Tata Elxsi’s capabilities in futuristic technology, we are poised to drive significant advancements in healthcare delivery. Our collaborative efforts will result in solutions that are not only technologically advanced, but are also operator-friendly and cost-effective, helping healthcare providers deliver significantly improved health outcomes for patients.” said Priyanka Chatterjee, VP – Corporate Communications at Skanray Technologies Ltd.