Category Archives: Business

IIFL Securities Recognized by Great Place To Work® India as Best Workplace in Investment Industry for 2024

10th July 2024  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  IIFL Securities has been honored by Great Place To Work® India as the Best Workplace in the Investment Industry for 2024. This prestigious recognition underscores IIFL Securities’ commitment to creating an exceptional workplace culture, further cementing its position as a leader in the financial sector. This is the sixth year that the Company has received recognition for its efforts toward building an inclusive and sustainable organization. The Great Place to Work assessment found IIFL Securities excelling on the 5 dimensions of a High-Trust, High-Performance Culture – Credibility, Respect, Fairness, Pride and Camaraderie.

At IIFL Securities, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace culture that values diversity and inclusion. We ensure that every employee feels respected and empowered, recognizing and embracing the diverse backgrounds, experiences, and aspirations of our workforce. Our robust employee engagement framework cultivates a highly motivated team, driving organizational success and holistic growth.

“We are honoured to be certified as a ‘Great Place To Work® and Best in Industry: Investments.’ for the 6th year. Over the years, we have invested in our people, processes and supporting ecosystem, and have strived to build caring and collaborative relationships based on trust and mutual respect, paving the way for a ‘Respectful workplace’ for all. This certification reflects our ongoing efforts to cultivate a workplace where our employees feel valued, supported, and inspired. Employee well-being and wellness have always been focal points at IIFL Securities,” said Geetha Menon, Head of Human Resources, IIFL Securities.

In its continued pursuit of a people-first approach, IIFL Securities has introduced a range of policies aimed at enhancing employee experience and work-life balance across all its offices and operating locations. These initiatives include the Creche Policy, Workplace Health and Safety Policy, Freedom of Association Policy, Equal Opportunity, Diversity & Inclusion Policy, parental leave, and adoption leave.

Listed FinTech Zaggle’s Founder Mr. Raj N. Wins ‘Fintech Leader of the Year Award’

10th July 2024  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  Raj N., Founder and Executive Chairman, Zaggle Prepaid Ocean Services Limited has been honored with the prestigious “Fintech Leader of the Year” award at the BW Festival of Fintech Conclave & Awards 2024. This accolade recognizes his exceptional leadership, innovative strategies, and significant contributions to the fintech industry.

A serial entrepreneur, Raj is known for his vision and dedication for continuous innovation and improvement. His strategy centers around a culture of creativity, experimentation, and learning within the organization. This helps drive sustainable growth and ensures the development of new ideas and solutions. “Continuous innovation and improvement are crucial for staying ahead of the curve and achieving sustainable growth,” said Raj N.

A key element of his approach is collaboration and integration across different business functions and departments. By working closely with cross-functional teams, including technology, marketing, finance, and legal, he brought in alignment and coordination in executing multiple business initiatives. This collaborative approach has streamlined processes, minimized duplication of efforts, and accelerated the time-to-market for new fintech products and services.

Raj highlights the importance of agility in strategy, constantly monitoring the market, gathering feedback, and being prepared to pivot when necessary. “Strategy is a dynamic process that evolves to meet new challenges and opportunities,” he further added.

Under his able leadership, several key initiatives have been successfully implemented, yielding impressive results. For instance, the introduction of a new product line, Zaggle Zoyer, resulted in a 32% increase in overall revenue. He was instrumental in forming strategic partnerships with industry leaders such as RazorpayX and multiple banks leading to a 25% increase in market penetration and a 20% growth in revenue from partnership initiatives.

Zaggle, under his leadership, was listed on both BSE and NSE in September 2023 and has since demonstrated phenomenal results. It remains one of the few profitable fintech companies, with the last 17 quarters being profitable. In Q4 FY24, Zaggle’s net profit jumped 1.5 times to Rs. 19 crore. The company has also signed over 650 partnerships in the last year.

A Red Circle Receives $200,000 Grant

Nonprofit to use money from the St. Louis County Port Authority for its Nexus project.

(St. Louis, Mo., July 9, 2024) The St. Louis County Port Authority recently awarded a $200,000 grant to A Red Circle, a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County, Mo. The nonprofit plans to utilize the grant to finance architectural expenses for its North County Community Nexus initiative.

A Red Circle is one of 21 recipients serving St. Louis County and the region to receive a grant. According to the St. Louis County Port Authority, the grant’s goal is to fund community development projects that train people to improve their employment opportunities, create new jobs, and redevelop areas in St. Louis County to improve economic conditions.

The North County Community Nexus – the biggest project in A Red Circle’s history – will provide both programming and critical links to strengthen the revitalization of North County’s healthy food infrastructure. This initiative involves the renovation of an existing 43,000-square-foot strip mall and two-story office building located at 9300 Lewis and Clark Blvd. that was purchased by the nonprofit in March 2023 and will be completed in 2025.

The Nexus will consolidate A Red Circle’s headquarters, a community-owned grocery store, the Learning and Opportunity Center, a bistro, a demonstration garden, and options available for rent including a storage shed with communal farm equipment, cold storage so farmers can preserve their crops, a commercial kitchen, and office space for health providers to use with clients.

“Nexus is meant to be a multifaceted center addressing food insecurity and so much more,” said A Red Circle’s Founder and Executive Director Erica Williams. “This funding enables us to move forward with a transformative project that will revitalize our region and foster economic growth.”

Founded in 2017, A Red Circle creates economic and community betterment solutions through education, employment, and empowerment. A Red Circle has four Missouri locations – Healthy Flavor Community Garden in Riverview, North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn, The Creative Spot in Ferguson, and North County Community Nexus in Bellefontaine Neighbors – to best serve the community and improve wellness opportunities for its citizens who experience healthy food access disparities in the region.

Daugherty Named Best and Brightest Companies to Work For 2024 for Atlanta

Atlanta, GA, July 09, 2024 — About Daugherty Business Solutions For over 38 years, Daugherty has been committed to driving innovation, growth and customer satisfaction across the nation while making a positive difference in the community. With software engineering, data analytics, business advisory services, and technology and delivery leadership, Daugherty delivers significant business results quickly and effectively. Leveraging proprietary tools, techniques, and virtual and regional development centers, Daugherty is a preferred strategic advisor and partner for the Fortune 500, helping customers achieve better and more predictable outcomes for mission-critical initiatives.

About the Best and Brightest Programs
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in operations and employee enrichment that lead to increased productivity and financial performance. This competition scores potential winners based on regional data of company performance and a set standard across the nation. This program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole. There are numerous regional celebrations throughout the country, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Houston, Milwaukee, San Diego, San Francisco, Miami, New York, Charlotte, Denver, Nashville, Pacific Northwest and Nationally. Nominations are now being accepted for all programs.

Keller Williams Arizona Realty Launches Arizona Home and Auto Insurance Agency to Benefit Homeowners

Scottsdale, AZ, July 09, 2024 — Keller Williams Arizona Realty is pleased to announce the launch of Arizona Home and Auto Insurance Agency, a new venture designed to provide comprehensive and affordable insurance solutions to homeowners across the state. This new agency aims to offer tailored home and auto insurance policies that meet the diverse needs of Arizona residents, ensuring peace of mind and financial protection.

With a strong commitment to exceptional service, Arizona Home and Auto Insurance Agency will leverage Keller Williams Arizona Realty’s extensive local market knowledge and industry expertise. This initiative represents a significant step forward in Keller Williams Arizona Realty’s mission to deliver unparalleled value and support to its clients.

“Homeownership is one of the most significant investments individuals make in their lifetime,” said David Morse, CEO of Keller Williams Arizona Realty. “By launching Arizona Home and Auto Insurance Agency, we are extending our commitment to safeguarding that investment. Our clients can now benefit from a seamless, integrated experience that combines real estate services with comprehensive insurance coverage.”

The agency will offer a wide range of insurance products. Clients will have access to personalized consultations with experienced insurance agents who will guide them through selecting the best coverage options tailored to their unique needs.

Kolmar Korea Teams Up with Amazon to Support Global Expansion of K-beauty Companies

Tuesday, July 9, Seoul, South Korea : Kolmar Korea (KRX: 161890) joins forces with Amazon, the world’s leading e-commerce platform, to support the successful global market entry of K-beauty brands.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240708461379/en/

Sang-hyun Yoon, Vice President of Kolmar Group, delivers welcoming remark at the Amazon K-Beauty Conference Seller Day (Image: Kolmar Korea)
Sang-hyun Yoon, Vice President of Kolmar Group, delivers welcoming remark at the Amazon K-Beauty Conference Seller Day (Image: Kolmar Korea)

Kolmar Korea announced that it has jointly hosted the ‘Amazon K-Beauty Conference Seller Day’ with Amazon on June 27 at the InterContinental Hotel in Seoul.

The event was attended by about 1,500 individuals, including officials from Korean beauty brands as well as those from the distribution and manufacturing sectors, both online and offline. Key attendees included Sang-hyun Yoon, Vice President of Kolmar Group; Hyun-gyu Choi, CEO of Kolmar Korea; Jim Yang, Executive Vice President of Amazon Global Selling Asia Pacific (APAC); and Yuki Suita, Head of Consumer Beauty Business at Amazon Japan.

In his welcome speech, Sang-hyun Yoon explained the event’s purpose. He said, “This event, organized by Kolmar and Amazon, is more than just a business partnership. It aims to spread the innovation and value of K-beauty globally. We hope this event will be a cornerstone in exploring global opportunities for K-beauty and sharing detailed strategies for implementation.”

The event came as K-beauty is gaining a great popularity on Amazon, and both companies want to actively support Korean beauty companies’ entry into the global market.

K-beauty is so popular that sales of K-beauty products on Amazon’s global store rose more than 75% last year. Kolmar Korea is leading this trend by securing new contracts with 253 customers, predominantly indie brands, marking a 48.7% increase from the previous year. The two companies plan to keep identifying standout brands that drive global market trends with compelling concepts and innovative technologies.

At the event, Kolmar Korea established a large-scale booth showcasing skin care, makeup, sun care, and cosmetic packages. They also provided customized consultations for the global cosmetics business. Moreover, Sang-Keun Han, Vice Director of Kolmar Korea R&D Complex, delivered a lecture titled ‘Deeply Grounded Confidence: The Competitiveness of Korean Cosmetics.’

A representative from Kolmar Korea said, “This event is significant as it marks the inaugural collaboration between Kolmar Korea, a global cosmetics ODM company that has driven the growth of K-beauty, and Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce company. Kolmar and Amazon will pursue shared growth by offering the optimal pathway to support our customers’ successful entry into global markets.”

Boomi Bolsters API Management Offering With New API Control Plane for Centralized Discovery, Management, and Governance

July 9, 2024,CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., United States : Boomi™, the intelligent integration and automation leader, today announced the launch of the Boomi API Control Plane — providing enterprises with a centralized platform to discover, manage, and govern all APIs across their organizations for accelerated business innovation, improved developer productivity, and stronger API governance.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240708054181/en/

Boomi Bolsters API Management Offering With New API Control Plane for Centralized Discovery, Management, and Governance (Graphic: Business Wire)
Boomi Bolsters API Management Offering With New API Control Plane for Centralized Discovery, Management, and Governance (Graphic: Business Wire)

Utilizing the recently acquired federated API management business from APIIDA, the Boomi API Control Plane bolsters Boomi’s existing API Management solution, allowing users to discover all APIs in one place, including “shadow APIs” that may exist outside the purview of IT. By bringing these shadow APIs under control, organizations can increase API consumption throughout the enterprise, driving new efficiencies and opportunities for innovation.

“APIs are the backbone of modern digital transformation, yet managing them across various platforms remains a significant challenge for many organizations. Unlike other APIM vendors, Boomi provides a federated API management approach that is truly vendor-independent, enabling organizations to utilize existing on-premises and cloud API runtimes effectively while addressing API sprawl,” said Ed Macosky, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Boomi. “With the Boomi API Control Plane, we are setting a new standard for API management by offering an integrated, holistic solution that simplifies operations, strengthens governance, and accelerates innovation.”

Industry analysts have highlighted the growing necessity for federated API management solutions. “Organizations increasingly need federated API management to handle the complex and diverse API landscapes that span multiple environments and platforms,” said Shari Lava, Senior Research Director, AI and Automation at IDC. “A centralized, federated approach can enable consistent governance, security, and monitoring across all APIs, reducing risks and enhancing operational efficiency.”

Key Features of Boomi API Control Plane:

Centralized API Discovery: Discover all APIs within an organization from a single location, bring shadow APIs under control, and increase API consumption to drive business innovation.
Simplified API Management Across Gateways: Enhance productivity with a consistent developer experience, gain insights into API performance and usage, and extend the value of existing on-premises and cloud investments.
Strengthened API Governance: Ensure consistent policies across all platforms, reduce the risk of data breaches, and streamline security audits, making compliance simpler and more efficient.

Additional Resources

Take a free interactive API Management Maturity Assessment to better understand where your organization stands when it comes to managing APIs
Read the technical blog on Boomi API Control Plane
Follow Boomi on X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube

PwC Hosts Analyst Day 2024 in India

9th July 2024  New Delhi, Delhi, India  PwC recently hosted its Analyst Day 2024 event in India, a day-long forum that brought together key analysts, industry stakeholders and PwC leaders from India and across the globe to explore business model reinvention.

Held at the Gurgaon Experience Centre in India, the event showcased PwC’s commitment to driving digital-led solutions and shaping the future of business model reinvention. Market, Industry and Technology Analysts from firms including Everest Group, Forrester Research, HfS Research, IDC, ISG, Ecosystem, TBR, Third Eye Advisory, and Quadrant Knowledge Solutions joined PwC leaders and stakeholders for a day of insightful discussions and networking.

In line with its accelerated focus on investments around strategic areas to build speed and scale, PwC showcased digital-led initiatives and real-world case studies across sectors, a testament to its commitment to build trust and deliver sustained outcomes.

Arnab Basu, Partner and Leader – Advisory, PwC India added, “This is the age of disruption and change and at a time like this, our clients are looking to us to help them become truly digital-led, transformative enterprises. We partner with them to build their business in a way that they can rethink, reinvent and thrive. Through a blend of innovation and latest technology, we seek to offer differentiated and sustained outcomes that not only address current needs but also anticipate future demands. Through our purposeful work around creating value-based, digital solutions, we seek to not only enable our clients to reinvent for the future, but also align ourselves to the overall growth opportunity presented by India. Hosting this year’s PwC Analyst Day in India could not have come at a better time, as it provided a platform for engaging in meaningful interactions and showcasing our capabilities to the analyst community and stakeholders. It underscores our focus on spotlighting the transformative impact of our solutions.”

Sanjeev Krishan, Chairperson, PwC in India commented, “India has been making tremendous strides – firmly establishing itself on the global map, creating opportunities for our institutions and carving new avenues for our people to thrive. PwC is committed to being a part of this journey, by creating, delivering and capturing lasting value for our clients and the broader stakeholder community. It was our pleasure to have had the opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities and have key clients showcase the work we do, at the PwC Analyst Day 2024.”

Annapurna Group Celebrates Mother’s Day: Birth of a Mother; A Thought-Provoking Film

9th July 2024  Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  Annapurna Group, a pioneering FMCG firm with over 70 years of experience in delivering pure and delightful products, is coming out with a thoughtful film on this Mother’s Day. Titled Birth of a Mother, this cinematic masterpiece celebrates the essence of motherhood and pays tribute to the profound influence of mothers in our lives.

“Our founding father, Late Gouranga Chandra Ghosh, a true visionary, started building up Annapurna from scratch in the year 1952,” shares Mr. Subir Ghosh, MD of Annapurna Group. “Today, it reigns as a leading household name in the entire Eastern India. With an experience of over 70 years, Annapurna Group has always believed in researching and developing a delightful selection of products – sourced in its purest forms.” Please click know more about Annapurna Group: www.annapurnagroup.in.

Motherhood stands as nature’s most immaculate offering, encapsulating the epitome of purity and grace. The connection shared with a mother transcends mere words; it is a beacon of authenticity, embodying the most genuine and profound connection one can encounter in a lifetime.

At Annapurna Group, the celebration of purity is deeply ingrained in their ethos. “Our aim – to deliver only the purest products to our consumers whose trust is paramount to our legacy,” affirms Ghosh. “Our purpose – to uphold your Right to Purity. Today and forever”.

Through this film, Annapurna Group aspires to inspire audiences to reflect on the purity of maternal love and the profound bond between mother and child. As Ghosh aptly stated, “Purity is the source of great living”. An appreciation is extended to Director Vinay Jaiswal and Mr. Subir Ghosh, MD of Annapurna Group, for laying the foundation of this film during their jam session. Vinay Jaiswal’s creativity and vision have shaped this film, portraying the purity of motherhood in a completely different perspective.

Curated and Creatively Produced by Shameer Tandon’s Music Boutique, the Savlon Swasth India Mission Clinches Three Golds at ET Brand Equity Brand Disruption Awards

9th July 202 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India  Shameer Tandon’s Music Boutique, a leader in innovative brand solutions, has reshaped perceptions of hygiene with its groundbreaking Savlon Swasth India mission for ITC Savlon alongside Ogilvy. The exceptional work by Music Boutique, Shameer Tandon’s creative production house led the brand to victory with three gold awards in the categories of Viral Marketing, Influencer Marketing, and Best Video/Visual Content at the Brand Disruption Awards by ET Brand Equity.

The Savlon Swasth India Mission was designed to tackle the issue of hand hygiene, particularly among children in smaller towns. It aimed to transform handwashing before eating from a mundane chore to a trendy habit. Through a collaboration with India’s renowned gully rapper Emiway Bantai, Shameer Tandon’s Music Boutique creatively conceived the song and curated the audio and video. A rap song and music video that not only entertained but also educated viewers on the importance of handwashing.

Shameer Tandon, the creative force behind the campaign, expressed his delight at the campaign’s success. “After receiving the brief from the ITC Savlon team and their agency Ogilvy, we creatively curated the lyrics, music and the video with a clear goal in mind: to start a movement that would resonate with audiences and drive meaningful change. The Savlon Swasth India Mission aims to promote good hygiene practices, particularly among children in smaller towns, making it more than just a campaign—it’s a transformative initiative.”

The campaign’s impact extended beyond just winning awards; it sparked conversations and inspired action, making handwashing a cool and essential habit. The campaign’s success is a testament to Shameer Tandon’s Music Boutique’s commitment to creating innovative brand solutions with a unique focus on music that resonates with audiences.

Shameer Tandon’s journey in the entertainment industry has been marked by a series of groundbreaking projects that have redefined brand solutions. From creating India’s first transgender band, the 6-Pack Band for Brooke Bond Red Label, to championing inclusivity with a band featuring members on the mental health spectrum, Shameer Tandon has consistently pushed boundaries and set new standards.