FPSB India and Insurance Institute of India (III) to Advance Financial Planning Education in India; Fellows of III to directly qualify for CFP® Certification via Fast Track Pathway

Mumbai, India, 31st May 2024 – The Insurance Institute of India (III), the federation of Insurance Institutes formed to build academic and professional capacity for the insurance industry and FPSB India(Financial Planning Standards Board) entered a strategic collaboration and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing professional development within the insurance and financial planning sectors.

This strategic partnership will see FPSB India and the Insurance Institute of India working together on several key initiatives, including a Fast Track Pathway for the III Fellows aspiring for CFP certifications. Recognizing the expertise of Fellow members of III, this collaboration will provide them with exclusive entry to the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) through the Fast Track Pathway, enabling them to leverage their existing knowledge and skills for advanced certification.

Speaking at the MoU signing Krishan Mishra, CEO, of FPSB India, “Our partnership with the Insurance Institute of India marks a significant milestone in our efforts to elevate the standards of financial planning and insurance education in India. Together, we will create pathways for professionals to achieve new heights in their careers and better serve the needs of their clients.”

Shri S. N. Satpathy, Secretary General of the Insurance Institute of India, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating, “We are delighted to join hands with FPSB India. We are confident that the collaboration will bring significant benefits to our Fellow members and the industry at large. By combining our strengths, we can provide unparalleled opportunities for professional growth and development in the financial planning ecosystem of the country.”

FPSB India and III pledged to organize joint events, Management Development Programs (MDPs), and Executive Development Programs (EDPs). These initiatives aim to provide high-quality training and development opportunities for professionals in both sectors.

The two organizations will collaborate to co-create and launch joint certification courses on topics of mutual interest. These courses will address the evolving needs of the industry and equip professionals with the latest skills and knowledge.FPSB India and III will also work together on research projects, surveys, and questionnaires to generate valuable insights and contribute to the advancement of the insurance and financial planning community.

The MoU between FPSB India and the Insurance Institute of India signifies a commitment to excellence and innovation in the fields of insurance and financial planning. Both organizations look forward to a fruitful partnership that will drive the industry forward and benefit professionals and consumers alike.

MOU with Insurance Institute of India was signed at III Mumbai campus in the presence of Mr.S.N.Satpathy, Secretary General, III; Mr.P.Jaipuria, Director, III; Dr.Ramesh Satuluri, Assistant Professor(Research), III among other faculties and III officials.

Raj Comics Brings Super Commando Dhruva & Doga’ to Life with The Alliance: Project Metamorphosis

New Delhi, 31st  May 2024: – Raj Comics, the venerated publishing house that has long been synonymous with Indian comic book superheroes, announces the launch of the live-action short film series, “The Alliance: Project Metamorphosis Chapter 1.” Scheduled for release on May 31, 2024, this ambitious project reintroduces beloved characters such as Super Commando Dhruva and Doga, reigniting the enchantment of Indian comics for a new generation. The inaugural installment of the film will be available on the ‘Raj Comics By Sanjay Gupta’ YouTube channel, bringing the excitement directly to fans’ screens.

In the 1990s, Raj Comics captured the imaginations of millions with its diverse roster of superheroes, featuring the indomitable Nagraj, the courageous and resourceful Super Commando Dhruva, the fierce vigilante Doga, and countless others. These characters became household names, inspiring readers with their gripping adventures and unwavering spirit.

At the helm of Raj Comics stands Sanjay Gupta, a visionary dedicated to breathing life into these iconic characters. With steadfast determination and a mission to amplify the legacy of Indian superheroes, Gupta has surmounted numerous obstacles to transform this dream into reality. Despite facing constraints in resources for this self-production project, his fervent storytelling passion and commitment to Raj Comics’ heritage have propelled this project forward. Directed by the talented Wickki Koul and scripted by Saurabh Sharma and Wickki Koul, the film is elevated by Brijesh Birua’s captivating cinematography, while Vasu Gupta, the executive producer, has overseen the seamless execution of this ambitious endeavor. With a stellar cast led by Shubham Matta as Super Commando Dhruva and Kshitij Sharma as Blake, alongside Kushagra Nautiyal, Cherry Sin, and Vashu Jain in mystery roles, the film is poised to captivate audiences and inspire a new generation of fans.

“The Alliance: Project Metamorphosis Chapter 1” heralds a significant milestone in the resurgence of Indian comics. This live-action short film series underscores the enduring allure of Raj Comics’ characters and their relevance in today’s entertainment landscape. The film pledges to deliver a captivating narrative and breathtaking action sequences, breathing life into the heroes who dominate the fantasies of fans worldwide.

This film marks only the inception of a new era. The fervent reception to the trailer and the fervent anticipation for the movie’s premiere indicates that Indian superheroes are poised to make a resounding statement. With Sanjay Gupta and Vasu Gupta at the helm, Raj Comics is primed to once again captivate audiences’ hearts and inspire a new generation of aficionados. Do not miss the release on May 31, 2024, on the ‘Raj Comics By Sanjay Gupta’ YouTube channel.

Cashfree Payments Appoints Harsh Gupta as the Chief Revenue Officer

Bengaluru, 31st May 2024 : Cashfree Payments, India’s leading payments and API banking solutions company, announced the appointment of Harsh Gupta as its Chief Revenue Officer. In his new role, Harsh will spearhead the company’s growth initiatives along with expanding market presence in India. Harsh will lead the company’s go-to-market strategy across sales, revenue operations, and more, as Cashfree Payments enters its next stage of growth. He will be responsible for building and scaling strategic partnerships too.

Commenting on the appointment, Akash Sinha, Co-Founder & CEO, Cashfree Payments said, “I am excited to welcome Harsh. His wealth of experience and record of guiding companies through dynamic growth stages will be of great value to Cashfree Payments’ ambitious plans going forward.”

With over 15 years of experience, Harsh has a remarkable track record of scaling high growth businesses, driving product innovation and establishing strong strategic partnerships. An IIM-Lucknow post-graduate, Harsh’s strategic acumen has consistently resulted in improved operational efficiencies and enhanced market competitiveness for the organisations he has been part of. He has previously worked with leading digital payments firms, Ernst & Young, WNS Global Services, among others.

Harsh Gupta commented, “I am thrilled to be part of Cashfree Payments as it boldly progresses towards the next stage of growth and transformation. I look forward to helping shape the next phase of our journey, ensuring we meet our long-term goals.”

Arun Tikoo, the current Chief Business Officer and a seasoned executive at Cashfree Payments, will transition into a bigger strategic role, where he will spearhead international expansion of the company’s business across new markets by aligning it with the larger goal of servicing 10+ emerging geographies in next 3 years.

These appointments come at a pivotal moment for Cashfree Payments, which has made several strategic hires over the past year to support its growth ambitions and market expansion plans.

Cashfree Payments is a leading RBI licensed payment aggregator and a payment service provider in India processing transactions worth USD 80+ billion annually and is a trusted choice for over 6,00,000 businesses for digital payment solutions. Since receiving the PA license in December 2023, the company has onboarded thousands of large, medium and small scale merchants helping them seamlessly transact and grow. The company has been at the forefront of redefining the way businesses approach digital payments, verification and payouts through its wide range of tech-first offerings. Over the last few months it has introduced industry-first products like FlowWise, KYC Link, Risk Shield and more. Outside of India, Cashfree Payments is expanding its presence in the UAE region through its acquired partner, Telr.

Mattress giants Sleepwell & Kurlon Adopt Unicommerce

30 May 2024, Mumbai: Mattress titans Sleepwell and Kurlon sign up Unicommerce, one of India’s leading ecommerce enablement SaaS platforms, to power their e-commerce operations. The sign-up highlights the growing importance of online shopping for sleep category products like mattresses, bedding, pillows & cushions etc. In line with this, both Sleepwell and Kurlon have been focusing on augmenting their e-commerce operations.

The mattress industry across e-commerce has its own challenges including the management of custom sales orders, packaging issues with varying dimensions, lack of standardization, etc. Unicommerce’s SaaS platform will enable the brands to fulfill custom-sized orders of mattresses, centralize fulfillment from across multiple locations using item-level and SKU-level traceability, leading to error-free, more accurate and faster processing of orders. The system will also enable them to tackle their return orders, thereby improving the shopping experience for its end consumers. Currently, each of the brands process an average of 4,000 orders monthly using Unicommerce’s platform.

Sheela Foam, which is the parent company of Sleepwell, also recently acquired Kurlon. Both brands have deployed Unicommerce’s multichannel order management system to automate order processing across their brand website and multiple marketplaces. Additionally, Kurlon is using Unicommerce’s warehouse & inventory management system for all its warehouse operational workflows including picking, packing, and dispatch, allowing the brand to have a clear visibility of available inventory across different locations.

Emphasizing on the growing significance of e-commerce, Nilesh Mazumdar, CEO of Sheela Foam said, “E-commerce has become central for brands like Sleepwell and Kurlon. Our partnership with Unicommerce will enhance our e-commerce operations leading to improved efficiency of our e-commerce supply chain.”

Speaking about the partnership, Kapil Makhija, MD & CEO of Unicommerce said, “With experience in developing solutions for bespoke needs across emerging e-commerce sectors, we look forward to powering e-commerce operations for Sleepwell and Kurlon.

Unicommerce is India’s largest e-commerce enablement SaaS platform in the transaction processing layer, in terms of revenue for the financial year concluded March 2022. The company’s suite of SaaS solutions enables end-to-end management of e-commerce operations for brands, retailers, marketplaces and logistics service providers. The company has a consistently growing Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) and Revenue. As of quarter ending September 2023, Unicommerce has achieved a 750 million+ Annual Transaction run-rate, serving over 3500 customers, managing 8000+ warehouses, and processing orders from 1900+ stores through its platform.

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“Unicommerce eSolutions Limited is proposing, subject to receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offer of its equity shares and has filed a draft red herring prospectus (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India. The DRHP is available on the websites of the Company at www.unicommerce.com, SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in as well as on the website of the book running lead managers, IIFL Securities Limited and CLSA India Private Limited at www.iiflcap.com and www.india.clsa.com, respectively. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk. For details, potential investors should refer to the DRHP, including the section titled “Risk Factors”.

Intellect unveils iCPX and iAPX platforms to transform Corporate Procurement and Accounts Payable Processes

Mumbai, India, 30th May 2024: Intellect Design Arena Ltd, a cloud-native, future-ready, multi-product FinTech company for the world’s leading banking and insurance clients, proudly announces the launch of two cutting-edge AI-powered platforms: iCPX (Corporate Procurement eXchange) and iAPX (Accounts Payable eXchange) using eMACH.ai, the largest, most comprehensive and innovative open finance platform. These revolutionary platforms apply ‘First Principles’ Thinking along with embedded GenAI from Intellect’s own Purple Fabric AI platform to extend Intellect’s presence in the Commerce ecosystem by transforming procurement and accounts payable operations for large and mid-sized enterprises.

iCPX is the first-ever purpose-driven and open API-based source-to-pay platform aimed at reimagining the corporate procurement ecosystem. Cost overruns, inefficiencies and non-compliances are the main challenges in procurement due to a) need for cognitive decision-making b) manual content

generation requirements and c) unavailability of insights at the right time for proactive process interventions. iCPX seamlessly embeds expert AI agents while fostering the API Economy, thus empowering businesses worldwide to achieve unparalleled efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and strategic agility. Apart from supporting both specifications driven procurement and catalog driven procurement, it has 100+ procurement mode variations built-in. With pre-built assets like 111 APIs and 17 microservices, iCPX drives significant value to clients by providing the ability to compose their own signature procurement solution quickly. iCPX is also enriched by Intellect’s experience of building and managing one of the largest procurement marketplaces in the world for more than 6 years.

Accounts Payable (AP) processing is the backbone of financial operations for all organizations to ensure efficiency in cash management function along with maintaining healthy supplier relationships. The foremost challenges in Accounts Payable encompass handling high volume of invoices in disparate

formats and ensuring timely payments to suppliers, while ensuring compliance to all statutory

requirements. iAPX, the world’s most comprehensive patented AI-led Accounts Payable Platform gives unprecedented accuracy and efficiency to clients in the accounts payable process. By leveraging CDG (Cognitive Data Graph) Technology and powered by 12 global patented algorithms and 7 expert agents, iAPX eliminate duplication and discrepancies of invoices by up to 98%. Through cognitive decision making, automating time-consuming repetitive tasks and content generation, iAPX, reduces time, cost and compliance concerns of enterprises.

Intellect will drive these products globally through its newly created business line Intellect Digital Technology for Commerce (iDTC).

Commenting on the launch, Debanjan Kumar, CEO of iDTC said, “iCPX and iAPX will spearhead a transformative shift in corporate procurement efficiency and financial processes with our groundbreaking technologies composed of eMACH.ai. Our steadfast commitment lies in seamlessly integrating cutting-edge AI technologies and empowering businesses globally to achieve unparalleled levels of productivity, cost-effectiveness, and strategic agility.”