Category Archives: Business

GTC Law Group PC & Affiliates is Pleased to Announce That Shea Leitch Has Joined the Firm

Boston, MA, July 22, 2024 –– With over 10 years at the forefront of privacy and data protection law, Shea brings wide-ranging experience and proven skills to GTC’s data privacy practice. Shea has served as a trusted advisor to multinational companies in an array of industries who rely on her to provide timely, strategic and practical advice as they build and adapt their global privacy and security programs.

Shea has served as counsel for clients on projects ranging from the development of enterprise-wide privacy and security compliance programs and cybersecurity assessments, to targeted guidance on discrete privacy and security issues. With CIPP/US and CIPP/E certifications from the International Association of Privacy Professionals, Shea provides tailored guidance on privacy and cybersecurity issues, including regulatory compliance and risk management, security assessments and remediation, security incident preparation and response, and enforcement matters.
Shea also provides targeted guidance on privacy compliance for clients using emerging technologies, including biometrics, artificial intelligence and AdTech. As a strategic advisor, Shea helps clients bring products to market by identifying practical solutions that facilitate business growth and innovation, while mitigating legal and regulatory risk.

Prior to joining GTC, Shea was Counsel at Squire Patton Boggs, LLP. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Government from The Ohio State University, and a J.D. from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.

Shea joins GTC’s growing Data Privacy practice alongside accomplished lawyers, technologists and entrepreneurs who have pioneered GTC’s uniquely efficient and IP-centric law firm model.

Digital Hashes Unveils Comprehensive Outsourcing Services for SMBs

Los Angeles, CA, July 22, 2024 –Digital Hashes today introduced its innovative outsourcing services, offering nearshore and offshore resources for IT Staff Augmentation, Customer Support, and Back Office Support. This strategic launch aims to empower small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in their quest for cost-effective scaling of operations.

The new service addresses the critical need for affordable, high-quality support in today’s competitive global market. By leveraging offshore and nearshore talent, Digital Hashes enables SMBs to achieve over 50% cost savings without compromising on quality. The offering includes round-the-clock support, facilitating seamless global operations for businesses.

Digital Hashes’ Outsourcing solutions encompass a comprehensive range of services:

IT Staff Augmentation: Provision of skilled software developers, mobile app developers, project managers (PM), business analysts (BA), and QA testers.
Customer Support Outsourcing: Professional teams providing consistent, high-quality service to improve customer satisfaction.
Back Office Support: Services including Admin Support, HR/Recruitment Support, Bookkeeping Support, IT Helpdesk Support, Operational Support, and eCommerce Support.

Digital Hashes’ expansion into Outsourcing services underscores its commitment to delivering comprehensive digital transformation solutions. The company’s holistic approach combines cutting-edge technology expertise with tailored digital marketing strategies, positioning clients for sustained growth in today’s competitive landscape.

Ian Osborn Joins SAN Group as Agency Growth Coach

Hampton, NH, July 22, 2024 — Satellite Agency Network Group, Inc. (SAN), the leading alliance of independent insurance agencies in the Northeast, is pleased to announce the addition of Ian Osborn as an Agency Growth Coach for Connecticut and Rhode Island. In this role, Osborn will assist SAN member agencies to achieve profitability and growth through hands-on mentorship and by connecting them with SAN and SIAA resources tailored to their goals.

Osborn comes to SAN with over six years of experience as an agency producer in both personal and commercial lines. He has expertise in client relationship management, loss control and lead generation, and has a strong record of mentoring new producers and driving business development. Osborn’s background will be invaluable in supporting SAN member agencies through agency start-ups, commercial lines development, technology and automation, and client acquisition and retention strategies. He will work closely with Regional Vice President Jim McGlauflin to ensure comprehensive support and resources for SAN members.

“Ian’s comprehensive knowledge and experience in the insurance industry will enhance our ability to support our member agencies in Connecticut and Rhode Island,” said Tom Lizotte, COO of SAN Group. “Additionally, his commitment to fostering growth and innovation aligns with SAN’s mission to support our members’ success. We look forward to the positive impact he will make.”

Osborn holds certifications in Property & Casualty and Life Accident and Health, and he earned an Associate of Science degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from Northwestern Connecticut Community College. Ian grew up in Hartland, CT, and currently resides in Barkhamsted, CT, with his wife and daughter.

PG Technoplast Unveils New Integrated AC Manufacturing Facility in Rajasthan

22nd July 2024  New Delhi, Delhi, India.PG Technoplast Private Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PG Electroplast Limited (PGEL), today marked a significant milestone with the unveiling of its new marquee air conditioning manufacturing facility for North India in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. This strategic investment aims to meet the growing demand for energy-efficient and sustainable cooling solutions in India and expand the company’s footprint in the rapidly growing air conditioning market. The ceremony was graced by the esteemed presence of Mr Kamal Nandi (Business Head and Executive Vice President, Godrej Appliances), Mr NS Satish (President, Haier India), and Mr Pradeep Jain (Managing Director, Jaina India) who officially unveiled the state-of-the-art facility.

The brand-new facility, spanning an impressive 200,000 sq. ft. manufactures a comprehensive range of split ACs ranging from 0.75T to 2.0T with installed annual capacities of 360k AC Indoor Units, 360k AC Outdoor Units and 250k Window ACs. Its production capabilities, including the manufacturing of AC units, cover sheet metal components, powder coating plant, heat exchangers, and copper tubing systems. This unit will create additional employment for over 1,000 people.

The facility is designed with sustainability at its core. It features a state-of-the-art Learning Centre to educate apprentices and trainees to nurture the next generation of manufacturing talent and provide continuous on-the-job training to company’s stakeholders. It also features water conservation and integrated facility management systems to reduce plastic, corrugated, and paper waste generation.

Marking yet another significant achievement this month, PG Technoplast, became the first beneficiary to receive incentives under the air conditioning (AC) components target segment of the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, after being recognized for their incremental investment and sales performance during the fiscal years 2021-22 and 2022-23. PG has now firmly established itself as the second largest ODM for Room Air Conditioners in the nation having entered the category just 3 years ago in 2021.

Mr. Vishal Gupta, Managing Director (Finance), PG Electroplast Limited stated, “Today marks a noteworthy milestone for PG as we inaugurate our second integrated air conditioning manufacturing facility in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan. This facility emphasizes our commitment to delivering high-quality, energy-efficient cooling solutions that cater to the evolving needs of Indian consumers. With this expanded capacity, we intend to lead innovation in the landscape of Room ACs and capture a larger portion of the North Indian AC manufacturing market. This achievement is a reflection of our dedication to excellence and our vision for a greener future.”

Summer Vacation 2024: Explore Travel Credit Cards on Bajaj Markets

22nd July 2024 Pune, Maharashtra, India  As the summer season approaches, embark on exciting adventures with credit cards available on Bajaj Markets. One can explore a wide range of travel credit cards designed to enhance their family trips and journeys. Beyond the convenience of secure digital payments, these cards make travel more rewarding, convenient, and cost-effective.

Travelers can earn rewards tailored to their preferences with airline and hotel-specific cards. These cards provide flexibility by allowing redemption across various options like flights, hotels, car rentals, and travel packages.

With travel credit cards, cardholders can get airport lounge access across global networks for a relaxing travel experience. One can also benefit from travel insurance coverage for trip cancellations, baggage loss, or medical emergencies with a travel credit card.

Some travel credit cards available on Bajaj Markets that one can opt for this summer include:

SBI ELITE Credit Card

• Access to Club Vistara Membership and Trident Privilege Membership
• Complimentary Priority Pass Program membership
• Free movie tickets worth Rs. 6,000 each year
• Welcome gift voucher worth Rs. 5,000

IRCTC SBI RuPay Credit Card

• Up to 1% savings on transaction charges for booking railway tickets
• Up to 10% value back as reward points on specific railway tickets
• 4 complimentary visits to select railway lounges in India
• RuPay offers on golf, dining, travel, etc.

IndusInd Bank Legend Credit Card

• Offers complimentary Priority Pass membership
• Access to 600+ airport lounges worldwide
• Air Accident Cover of up to Rs. 25 Lakhs

Lifetime-free credit card

With a user-friendly interface and dedicated customer support, Bajaj Markets streamlines the process of exploring and applying for travel credit cards. To explore other categories of credit cards, visit the official website or download the app today.

Unshackled Campus Tour to Empower Talent Mobility from Across The World to the United States and Beyond

22nd July 2024 San Francisco, California, United States The Curious Maverick LLC recently conducted the “Unshackled Campus Tour”, a transformative initiative dedicated to educating and empowering highly skilled international students on the intricacies of the United States immigration system. This pioneering month-long journey visited 15 universities nationwide, which reached over 4000 students in person and engaged with over 15,000 virtually. One of the key points discussed during the campus tour was on “How to prepare for an O1 talent visa, options for students who got laid off, and alternatives to the H1B lottery”. This is a main issue faced by immigrants especially Indian students, who are striving to carve their niche in US. Some of the prime stops in the tour included Harvard University, UC Berkeley, UT Dallas, and a flagship event hosted in Boston, MA with over 500 registrants. The Boston event, along with many others on the tour, were free and open to the public to join, beyond international graduate students. The campus tour ended at the prestigious Stanford University in California which saw a huge turnout by Indian Students.

The “Unshackled Campus Tour” was born out of the book “Unshackled”, authored by Soundarya Balasubramani (and Sameer Khedekar) as well as an online community filled with 400+ talent visa aspirants, both under the umbrella of The Curious Maverick LLC. The Unshackled book is the first one in the market that demystifies the complex U.S. immigration system in a manner that is friendly and accessible to international students and nonimmigrant workers. The book has been read by 3000+ high-skilled immigrants since its launch last year and has been praised by experts in the field, including Dr. Tyler Cowen, a noted American economist, who called it the “best and clearest attempt at explaining a complex and muddled immigration system”.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of students from India embark on a journey to study in the United States but are poorly armed with knowledge of the immigration system they are about to encounter. Ms. Balasubramani’s book, Unshackled, breaks down the system — and the myriad of pathways — in simple and humorous language that is accessible to everyone. “Reading this book was a pivotal moment for me,” notes Anurupa Sinha, one of the readers. “Not only did it give me the clarity to navigate my entrepreneurial journey, it also came with stories of others who’d done this before.” She continues, “Honestly, I wish this book was given to me along with my visa stamp at the U.S. consulate.”

This is not Ms. Balasubramani’s first attempt at simplifying and promoting talent mobility. She published her first book, Admitted, in 2020, aimed at helping study abroad aspirants by condensing the end-to-end process of getting into one’s dream university and preparing for the same. Admitted has been read by 5000+ aspirants and has a 4.8-star rating with over 500+ reviews across Amazon, Goodreads, and Google Playbooks. “I loved how Soundarya depicted not only the strategies and the skill sets required to pursue higher education efficiently but also the vulnerabilities and the dilemmas in doing so,” shares Varun Tiwari, one of the book’s many passionate readers.

With Unshackled, Ms. Balasubramani and her co-author, Sameer Khedekar, tackle something far more complex: the U.S. immigration system and the labyrinth of pathways within it. Most international students move to the United States assuming that the H-1B is their only option to stay back and work in the country. Ms. Balasubramani’s book, and the “Unshackled Campus Tour” initiative, is a way to equip international students with the knowledge of other pathways they can pursue along with the resources they need to secure their future in the United States (and beyond). The book (and the tour) gives into lesser-known pathways such as the O-1 extraordinary visa, cap-exempt H-1Bs, International Entrepreneur Parole, and others, providing students with a comprehensive understanding of their options post-graduation — both to work and start companies in the United States (and beyond).

“Our mission with the ‘Unshackled Campus Tour’ is to empower talented international students with the tools they need to navigate the complex landscape of U.S. immigration,” said Ms. Balasubramani. “By providing them with insights into various visa pathways and practical guidance on building their profiles, we aim to help these top students unlock their full potential and secure their place in the United States, Canada, and beyond.”

The “Unshackled Campus Tour” will be accompanied by top lawyers and visa experts from esteemed firms, including MobSquad, a Canadian relocation startup, Bay Area Immigration, and Greenberg Traurig, both law firms based out of California, Gonzalez Olivieri LLC, a law firm based out of Texas, Summit Legal, a law firm based out of New York, and Banyan Law, a law firm based out of California. These partners will provide invaluable expertise and guidance to students throughout the tour.

“By partnering with leading legal experts, we’re able to offer students unparalleled access to insights and advice on navigating the U.S. and Canadian immigration system,” said Ms. Balasubramani. “Together, we’re committed to empowering international students to achieve their academic and professional goals in the United States — and beyond.”

For students in India aspiring to one day move to the United States for education and more, make sure to keep a copy of Unshackled (and Admitted) by your side so you can rely on it to be your guiding hand as you navigate a complex and muddled system. This is more timely than ever, given the upcoming election season. Ms. Balasubramani’s books and now the tour serves as a beacon of stability and reassurance amid the uncertain political landscape, offering concrete guidance and resources to navigate potential policy changes.

Book on Heritage of Sari titled “Indian Sari Sartoria and Semiotics” released at Chitkara University

22nd July 2024 Chandigarh, India  The Department of Fashion Design, Chitkara Design School, Chitkara University, organized a unique event “The Living Heritage of The Indian Sari” to commemorate World Heritage Day.

Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, releasing a book titled “Indian Sari – Sartoria and Semiotics” by Prof (Dr) Vaibbhavi Ranavaade at Chitkara University

On the occasion, Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor, Chitkara University, released a book titled “Indian Sari – Sartoria and Semiotics” by Prof (Dr) Vaibbhavi Ranavaade, Dean, Fashion Design at Chitkara Design School, Chitkara University. The book is a SCOPUS Indexed publication based on her doctoral research ‘A Semiotic Study of the Indian Sari’. Among the journal indexes available to researchers globally, one of the most comprehensive citation databases is SCOPUS. Being indexed in Scopus is an indicator of a journal’s quality and impact in the academic community.

In this book, which has been published by Routledge India, Dr Vaibbhavi examines the various meanings of sari which serves as a symbol of Indian femininity and tradition as well as a means of creative fashion expression for modern India.

The book discusses the semiotic interpretations of the sari today by understanding its significance for traditional weavers, designers and people who wear saris at home, work or for religious or cultural occasions. The book also looks at the processes involved in making traditional saris today, draping and weaving styles, buying behavior, saris in pop culture, pride parades and Bollywood, and interpretations of what the sari signifies in different socio-economic circles.

Commemorating the sari, the fashion students organized an event wherein they unveiled their creations in the fashion extravaganza ‘Sari Saga – Heritage of Indian Sari’. Each piece reflected a myriad of ideas and sentiments inherent in the dynamic array of Saris. Adding a touch of reverence to the occasion, students adorned themselves in diverse Sari styles, which served as a tribute to their rich cultural legacy.

On the occasion, Dr. Madhu Chitkara congratulated the students and staff of Department of Fashion Design and said, “This unique event showcases the beauty of Indian fashion and throws light upon the heritage and importance of Sari. It is pertinent that the world is familiar with the cultural legacy of Sari and keep taking the tradition forward.”

A unique fashion installation based on the theme “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” was presented through costumes and literature. The universal appeal for the iconic heritage of Indian Sari and its intersections that transcend borders of nations, communities, class, creed and race, gender and unify humankind for several thousand centuries was interpreted on the drapes with interplay of color, texture and forms.

Eight unique sari installations on themes such as Sari harmony, Sari Shakti, Woodland Whisper, Indian Festivals, Rainbow- Threads of Inclusivity, Dance of Life, Language acceptance and typography, and Unity in Diversity were installed with mixed media presentation of projection with live models draped in conceptual saris.

The event concluded with performances of traditional Siddha and bhangra by the students from the Office of Student Affairs, Chitkara University.

Embarking on a New Era: Indiatimes 2.0 Redefines Digital Storytelling for Modern Youth

22nd July 2024  New Delhi, Delhi, India  Indiatimes, the lifestyle brand of Times Internet, has long been hailed as the ultimate digital destination for youth. From the latest trends to timeless classics, the brand curates diverse content reflecting the preferences of today’s youth. With a fresh zeal to inform, educate, and empower the youth, Indiatimes embarks on a new content creation journey with Indiatimes 2.0.

The brand’s new avatar goes beyond mere information delivery; it aims to become a social-savvy brand and spark thoughts, ignite debates, and foster meaningful conversations. Indiatimes will buzz with a new style and format of content, blending humour and quirkiness with thought-provoking narratives. Debates, polls, contests, and tête-à-têtes with fan-favorite influencers on social media will place the audience at the center stage of India’s most happening scenes.

Abhijeet Anand, Business Head of Indiatimes, expressed his enthusiasm for this transformative journey, stating, “As the premier lifestyle platform under Times Internet, Indiatimes has always been at the forefront of creating trendsetting narratives that resonate with the nation’s youth. This metamorphosis marks our most thrilling chapter yet, as we strive to set new trends with unprecedented vigor to engage with our audience like never before. As we embark on the journey for Indiatimes 2.0, we have a robust pipeline of IPs (Intellectual Properties) centered around themes such as “Made on India” (showcasing India’s rich cultural heritage and innovation on a global scale), education and personal finance.”

The platform’s new coverage will deliver the latest stories from diverse fields such as lifestyle, tech, travel, personal finance, entertainment and auto. The sole commitment is to create unparalleled formats that directly resonate with Indian youth, placing them and their interests at the forefront of everything.

Wheebox, an ETS Company Signals Growth in India by Launching its 2nd Capability Centre in Gurugram

22nd July 2024  Gurugram, Haryana, India  Wheebox ETS, a subsidiary of ETS, the world’s largest non-profit educational testing and assessment organization, launched the relocation of its state-of-the-art India headquarters and 2nd Capability Centre in India. The new centre will host 150 Analysts, Researchers, Support Services and Core management teams at M3M International Financial Centre (IFC) in Gurugram. The occasion was graced by the distinguished chief guest Mr Sougata Choudhary, Executive Director – Skills, AA & IR Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr. Pankaj Bansal, Founder and CEO of PeopleStrong and Guest of Honor Mr. Devashish Sharma, CEO of Taggd expressed their delight in reaching a significant milestone at Wheebox ETS.

This contemporary workspace has been designed to cultivate a collaborative and innovative work environment. The environment setting is planned to empower teams to work cohesively, exchange ideas efficiently, and provide exceptional service to the firm’s valued global clientele. Beyond its functional aspects, the new headquarters places a strong emphasis on highlighting the well-being of employees like the Meditation room, Health Centre, Infirmary, Creche, Recreation room, Game Centre and a Indian and Continental Cafeteria.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Nirmal Singh, Chief Operating Officer of Wheebox ETS, said, “The relocation to our new headquarters and Capability Centre marks an auspicious occasion for Wheebox ETS. This move signifies not only a new chapter for the company but also a significant value addition for all those who are part of the Wheebox family. Our new headquarters will serve as a state-of-the-art workplace for our employees, enhancing their productivity, our focus to create a diverse and respected workplace for our people is aligned with our commitment to make Wheebox one of the ‘Best Places to Work in’, Wheebox got certified as ‘Great Place to Work’ in April.”

The establishment of the headquarters and our 2nd capability centre in Haryana underscores our commitment to quality and expansion in the realms of testing services and education on a global scale. This strategic investment will see the employment of over 250 talented individuals across the two locations in Gurugram.