Category business

Ramesh Nair, CEO, India and Market Development, Asia, Colliers

“The Reserve Bank of India increased the repo rate by 25 bps in February 2023. This sixth increase in a row adds to the 225 basis points increase seen in 2022 alone. This rate increase, which is lower than last time, reflects the government’s unwavering attempt to tackle inflation over the last few months. The retail inflation rate started easing in the latter part of 2022 now hovering within the government’s target below 6%, although core inflation continues to be sticky. If inflation continues to show positive outcomes combined with encouraging high-performance economic indicators, we hope to see fewer rate hikes or negligible rate hikes by the RBI, going ahead. Home loan interest rates are already in the higher bracket of 8-9% in recent times. Further, housing prices are expected to largely remain firm in the upcoming quarters. On the optimistic side, we hope not to foresee a further rise in the repo rate and a resultant increase in loan rates. This will help sustain the demand and confidence of homebuyers in the market”
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Mr. Amit Goyal, CEO, India Sotheby’s International Realty

The rate hike of a quarter basis point by the central bank is on expected lines. Inflation is still above RBIs comfort levels and considering the evolving inflation outlook, it’s important to ensure inflation remains within the tolerance band and progressively aligns with the target. The good news is that amid volatile global developments, the Indian economy remains resilient and is expected to grow at 7% in FY23.

While an increase in the repo rate will certainly increase the home loan interest rates, we are optimistic and expect the housing demand to remain intact.
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Mr. V Swaminathan, Executive Chairman, Andromeda Sales, and Apnapaisa.com, India’s largest loan distributors.

Repo rate is directly linked to loan rates offered by lenders so an increase in the repo will increase the borrowing cost and vice-versa. The rate hike of 25 bps today will make EMIs expensive by approx 2-4%. Borrowers will either have to shell out extra money to repay their loans or will have to extend their tenure.
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Mr. Pradeep Aggarwal, Founder, and Chairman, Signature Global (India) Ltd

“The increase of repo rate by 25 bps the apex bank is aimed to give an extra cushion to curb inflation in the face of geopolitical uncertainties. It is an accommodative move as per current micro and macroeconomic conditions globally as well as in domestic markets. Controlling inflation is the RBI’s mandate, and the apex bank is showing prudence in taking corrective measures to curb rising inflation.”

He further added, “However, considering the growth-focused fiscal budget announced by the Government earlier this month, combined with the positive market sentiments, it is quite evident that the affordable and mid-segment housing is going to witness a significant upsurge in demand in the coming months. We are confident that residential sales would increase at least 20 percent in this quarter and at least 30 percent on a YOY basis overall”.
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Mr. Saransh Trehan, Managing Director, Trehan Group

With the latest increase in repo rate, home loan rates will cross the level of 9% per annum. So far the demand in the housing sector remained unimpacted by past increases, but any further hike in interest rates will certainly put a break on the demand in the housing sector.

Kolkata, 09th February 2023: The 46th International Kolkata Book Fair to organise the three-daylong events of the 9th edition of Kolkata Literature Festival 2023. This event will be held on the 9th, 10th, and 11th February 2023 at the SBI Auditorium, in the Boi Mela Prangon, Central Park, Salt Lake. The event will be inaugurated by His Excellency, the Governor of West Bengal, Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose, and the Hon’ble Education Minister, Government of West Bengal Shri Bratya Basu.

The sessions will witness insights from the esteemed delegates on fiction, history, biographies, cinema, the arts, culture, music, and politics. The key focus of the discussion will be on the evolving idea of India as the nation moves forward into its 76th year of independence. Many eminent thinkers, including Dr. Sanjaya Baru, Dr. Rudrangshu Mukherjee, and Sumantra Bose, will be participating in the discussion. David Davidar, author-publisher, will be talking about the trajectory of Indian literature over the last century. This year the festival will highlight two discussion panels on Indian literature from the East and North-East with powerful voices involving Manoranjan Byapari, Chuden Kabimo, Manaswinee Mahanta, and Raman Shrestha. Stalwarts involving Sanjib Chattopadhyay and Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay will also be present at dedicated sessions to delight readers of Bangla literature. Barry O’Brien, Nilanjana Bhowmick, and Lucy Hannah will be discussing the ever-burning question of identity. Dr. Samir Parikh, Akash Khurana, and Amit Nagpal will talk of matters of the mind. Authors such as Anupama Mohan, Bernhard Kammel, and Iffat Nawaz will talk about weaving words into stories, and writer-biographers Anirudha Bhattacharjee, Ram Kamal Mukherjee, and Sangeeta Datta will discuss writing about famous lives. The Annual Apeejay Jit Paul Memorial Lecture, the highlight of the Kolkata Literature Festival 2023, will be delivered by Dr Kunal Sarkar. There will be two-panel discussions on cinema with Rahul Bose, Arindam Sil, Dhrubo Banerjee, Ushasie Chakraborty, and Biswanath Basu sharing insights on the continuous fascination of the International Kolkata Book Fair with the silver screen. There will be regular, engaging Bangla sessions with distinguished delegates involving Pracheta Gupta, Ullas Mallick, Pabitra Sarkar, and Saikat Mukhopadhyay. The festival will be followed by concerts during the evenings. An Indo-Spanish concert will be led by Sahil Vasudeva, followed by Babul Supriyoon’s electric performance on day two. The concluding day will witness the music of the maestro, Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty. Many eminent speakers like Shuvaprasanna, Arshiya Sethi, Sunil Bhandari, and Indrajit Lahiri will be part of this grand event. The entire three-day long sessions will be streamed live on the Kolkata Literature Festival Facebook page, YouTube channel, and Kolkata Book Fair website.

Commenting on the event, Director Kolkata Literature Festival, Ms. Sujata Sen, said, “The Kolkata Literature Festival has been at the forefront of celebrating the city’s rich literary and cultural heritage for almost a decade now. The 2022 edition witnessed the attendance of over 65 writers, both established and new. KLF is organised as an integral part of the Kolkata International Book Fair, which has, over the years, attracted almost 2.4 million visitors.”

Bangalore, 9 February 2023: Godrej & Boyce, the flagship company of the Godrej Group, announced that its business Godrej Interio, India’s leading furniture solutions brand, in-home, and institutional segments, launched a unique healthcare birthing bed – ‘Solace’. The Solace Bed is a unique concept that facilitates ease of movement and enables alternating between different postures during the Labour, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum (LDRP) process. With the new range, Godrej Interio is addressing the need for making the birthing experience healthy for the mother and caregiver. The brand currently generates over 13% of Institutional revenue from the healthcare industry and provides furniture solutions to over 100 hospitals and healthcare institutions across the country.

According to data from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, quality of care is increasingly recognized as a critical aspect of the unfinished maternal and newborn health agenda, with over 40% of death witnessed among new mothers and children at the time of labour and delivery. [1] The LDRP journey for the mother needs the best of medical care and support. For a smooth and safe delivery, it’s essential to ensure a less strenuous journey for both the mother and the caregiver. Addressing the concern, Interio – a reputed healthcare furniture brand has come up with a bed that aims to better the birthing procedure.

Godrej Interior’s feature-loaded Solace Bed is designed to offer comfort to the mother and hospital staff during birthing procedures. Considering the varying stages of giving birth, the bed has been designed to deliver a smooth and safe experience during childbirth. The key features include an electronically controlled backrest and height, 360° adjustable calf supports, manual & electronic CPR for emergencies and in case of power shutdown and retractable leg rest. It also comes with a synchronous TR-height movement feature that brings the back bed to its horizontal position after Trendelenburg. The adaptability and simplicity of the Solace bed make it a useful, affordable option for the contemporary, progressive labour suite while providing warm, comfortable, and ergonomic care in the hospital.

On the new product launch, Sameer Joshi, Vice President, of Marketing (B2B), at Godrej Interio said, “At Godrej Interio, it has been our mission to enrich the quality of life every day and in every way. Godrej Interiors Healthcare’s business focuses on creating healthcare spaces that deliver ergonomically safe, healing experiences for the patient, family and caregiver. The newly launched Solace bed highlights our human-centric approach towards design using thoughtful design solutions for enhancing the maternity experience. Solace bed is the one-stop solution catering to all stages of the birthing process providing comfort & support to mothers and caregivers. We take great pride in continuously innovating to uplift the quality of the healthcare experience across India. Further, we plan to launch 5 new healthcare variants to our healthcare range of furniture in FY23-24 and target revenue growth of 30% in our Healthcare business.”

Peachtree City, GA (February 9, 2023) ― Wencor Group (“Wencor”), a leading solutions provider to the aerospace and defense markets, today announces the acquisition of Aero-Glen International, LLC.

“We are excited to welcome Aero-Glen International and their talented team of employees to Wencor. This acquisition is an excellent fit that accelerates our strategy to provide best-in-class distribution and value-added services to both the defense and commercial aerospace markets. It also enhances our aftermarket hardware offering, allowing us to provide our customers with more comprehensive options to meet their repair needs,” says Wencor Chief Executive Officer, Shawn Trogdon.

“The addition of Aero-Glen rounds out our capability to offer creative and differentiated supply chain solutions, value-added services, and customized kitting solutions to both OEM and aftermarket customers in the defense marketplace. This acquisition aligns with our product line expansion strategy, providing additional premier authorized distributorships including Howmet, HPF, Lisi, and Monogram,” adds Wencor’s President of Defense, Scott Herndon.

Aero-Glen International, based in Fort Worth, Texas, and celebrating its 47th year servicing the aerospace market, is a full-line stocking distributor offering value-added services and kitting solutions that include aerospace fasteners, fittings, machined parts, and other specialized hardware. The company serves a diverse and global customer base, including domestic, international, commercial, and military customers.

Aero-Glen is the first company in the United States to successfully complete the Joint Surveillance Voluntary Assessment Program and effectively meet the stringent requirements of CMMC 2.0 Level 2 compliance.

“We are thrilled to be joining the Wencor team, who like us, shares a culture dedicated to providing customers with exceptional service and solutions at the highest levels of quality and reliability,” says Tyson Kay, Vice President and General Manager of Aero-Glen International. “We are excited to join Wencor as we look to leverage their extensive in-house technical capabilities and overall scale to drive continued growth across our distribution and value-add services business.”

BMO Capital Markets served as the exclusive financial advisor to Aero-Glen International and Hallett & Perrin PC served as legal counsel.

For the last few years, the term ‘skincare’ has been the talk of the town with the quirkiest trends taking center stage from time to time. Amongst the most popular trends, a recent trend that has hopped on the bandwagon to help achieve ‘the skin of your dreams’ is skin cycling. It’s all about switching up the products so that you target different skin concerns and keep your skin looking fresh and fabulous!

Simply put, think of it like a ‘choose your own adventure’ for your skin. Imagine a world where your skin never gets bored with the same old routine, it’s always on its toes, ready to take on the next adventure. You can mix and match different products and try new things to keep your skin looking and feeling its best. One day you can focus on hydration, the next day on exfoliation, and so on. By giving your skin a variety of options, you’ll be able to address multiple concerns, resulting in well-rounded and healthy-looking skin.

This time, as you seek to add the right products to try out the new trend, consider opting for Colorbar’s products under the Vita Hemp Range that are listed below. Your skin will definitely thank you!

● Cleanse the dirt away with Colorbar’s Hemp + Vitamin C Restoring and Balancing Foaming Face Wash

Every day, your skin comes in contact with active pollutants, dirt, harmful chemicals, and much more. To provide your skin with much-needed love, start by incorporating a cleansing routine. The most basic step for any skincare regime is to gently cleanse the face without stripping it of healthy oils. Color bar’s Hemp + Vitamin C Restoring and Balancing Foaming Face Wash is a single-wash formula that effortlessly reaches deep within the pores of the skin and gently washes away its impurities and excess oils. The foaming face wash is priced at INR 495.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       ● Toning your skin with Colorbar’s Hydra White Toner

The second step of a healthy skincare routine includes the use of a powerful toner that acts as a supplement for the skin. A toner is meant to prime your face to help the other products in the regimen to be better absorbed later on. Carefully opt for a hydrating toner based on your skin type. A toner that is beneficial for all skin types is Colorbar’s Hydra White Toner – a weightless formula that deeply penetrates the skin to even out the skin tone. It locks in the skin’s natural moisture level, leaving beautifully balanced, and hydrated skin. The hydra white toner is priced at INR 890.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ● Skincare treatment with Colorbar’s Restoring and Balancing Serum

The third step of a skincare routine is absolutely essential. Skincare experts have been toiling over the minutiae of ingredients and formula, and now we can reap the benefit of their hard-won knowledge. Filled with concentrated doses of active ingredients, these elixirs can visibly help improve your skin’s health by reducing aging lines, dark spots, worry lines, and much more. Color bar’s Restoring and Balancing Serum is a lightweight formulation that helps with quick absorption and fights the early signs of aging. The serum is priced at INR 695.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     ● Applying colorbar’s Restoring and Balancing Under Eye Serum

To tackle specific concerns — like hyperpigmentation, dryness or puffiness, opt for an eye cream by integrating it into your skincare regimen. Given the fragile and sensitive nature of the skin around the eyes, it becomes all the more important to treat it with gentle ingredients packed with low actives. Color bar’s Restoring and Balancing Under Eye Serum helps rejuvenate, restore, and balance the eye contour. Enriched with the goodness of Cold Pressed Hemp Seed Oil, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Hyaluronic Acid, and Peptides, this cream helps fight puffiness and dark circles to bring an overall glow to your eyes. It is priced at INR 495.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ● Moisturizing your skin with Colorbar’s Restoring and Balancing Moisturizer

This fifth step is a holy grail to keep the skin soft and hydrated while strengthening the skin barrier. Effective moisturizers assist in complimenting the naturally found protective oils and other building blocks within the skin. Color bar’s Restoring and Balancing Moisturizer comes with the power of natural actives that hydrate the skin while ensuring the skin’s repair and rejuvenation. Enriched with olive leaf extract, saccharide isomerate, and extracts of rice, papaya, and green tea, this cream ensures naturally healthy-looking skin. The moisturizer is priced at INR 695.

Hyderabad, February 9th, 2023: Gravton Motors, Hyderabad’s fast-growing, startup in the Electric Vehicle (EV) space, has unveiled its new model “ARQ” , e-bike in the presence of Mr. K T Rama Rao, Minister of IT, Industries and MA & UD, Govt of Telangana.

Launched at the Hyderabad E Motor Show, HITEX today, the EV ‘ARQ’ is an of its kind vehicle with a BIONIC design, full helmet boot space, and equipped with a swappable battery system.

According to Mr. Parshuram Paka, Founder & CEO of Gravton Motors, “the new e-bike will surely be a game-changer in the EV market”. There are three modes for this vehicle: ECO-40, City-65, and Sports-110. It can last up to 140 km with a one-time charge. And to top it all there is zero maintenance for the battery, he added.

Mr Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, IT, Electronics & Communications and Industries & Commerce Dept. was also present at the unveiling event.

Gravton Motors has recently participated in India’s largest EV rally conducted by the Government of Telangana and enthralled the EV lovers through their exciting bike stunts at People’s Plaza. The rally was also part of Telangana’s E- mobility week program, to promote sustainable living for the future generations.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Parshuram said, “We are also looking forward to introducing more vehicles and promoting sustainable mobility and supporting the revolutionary EV adoption which has begun through this E-Mobility week. We really appreciate the efforts of the minister and State Government for taking this initiative and giving a wonderful opportunity to EV startups like us”.

Gravton Motors unveiled their new model QRX at the Auto-Expo 2023, Delhi. It has also been indigenously designing and developing components, thus making it among the few companies with capability to manufacturing the highest number of components in the country.

Incidentally, the company’s e-bike covered 4,011 kms from Kanyakumari to Khardung La, mountain pass (Ladakh) – K2K Ride in the shortest time without the need for charging. This achievement got it an entry into the Asia Book of Records.

By Dr. Manish Patni, Consultant – Neuro Physician. Bhavnagarc

The brain regulates the movements of skeletal muscles through specific nerves. The combination of the nervous system and muscles working together to let movement is termed the neuromuscular system. These muscles are called voluntary muscles, the muscles one can choose to move, such as ones in arms, legs, or face.

If a person wants to move a part of the system, then a message is sent to neurons called upper motor neurons. Upper motor neurons have long tails (axons) that travel into and via the brain and into the spinal cord, where they link with lower motor neurons. At the spinal cord, the lower motor neurons send their axons via nerves in the arms and legs directly to the muscle they control.

A muscle is tuned by more than 650 lower motor neurons and each of which is subdivided into several tiny branches. The tip of each branch is called a presynaptic terminal, and this connection is called the neuromuscular junction.

What Are Neuromuscular Disorders?

Neuromuscular disease affects the function and working of muscles due to problems with the nerves and muscles in the body. Several diseases are classified as neuromuscular disorders. Some of them are caused by inherited conditions, hormonal issues, and autoimmune disorders. The typical sign of these diseases is muscle weakness.

Common Neuromuscular Disorders

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): This condition results in the loss of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, where muscle weakness causes trouble with movement and speech.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT): It is a group of inherited disorders; initial symptoms include weakness in the lower limbs, feet, and hands. This condition progresses gradually and may not impede a person’s quality of life.

Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP): It leads to weakness in the arms and legs. It is caused by autoimmune disorders that affect the insulation surrounding the myelin sheath (peripheral nerves).

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS): The myelin sheath is affected and leads to weakness in the legs, progressing rapidly to the rest of the body. It is caused when the immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system.

Lambert-Eaton syndrome: It is an autoimmune condition that leads to weakness and exhaustion in the arms and leg muscles.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS): In this condition, the myelin sheath around the peripheral nerves are attacked by the immune system. It usually affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.

Myasthenia Gravis: It is an autoimmune condition caused by damage to muscle receptors, which leads to muscle weakness throughout the system. Some symptoms include weakness in the arms and legs, vision problems, and speaking and eating difficulties.

Peripheral Neuropathy: This disorder affects the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. It results in weakness, pain, and numbness in the extremities.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA): A group of genetically inherited disorders leads to hypotonia in the arms and legs and breathing problems.

Symptoms

Generally, the symptoms of a neuromuscular disorder may vary by the condition one has. Also, a person’s symptoms may vary from mild to moderate to life-threatening. The onset of symptoms may range from childhood to adulthood. The progress may be slow, rapid, or even change. Common symptoms include:

• Muscle weakness
  Muscles wasting
  Muscles cramps
  Muscles stiffness
  Pain in the muscles
  breathing difficulty
  Problem swallowing
  Balance and movement problems
  Poor vision

Causes

The exact cause of some neuromuscular disorders is unknown. Some of the reasons may include the following:

Genetic mutation
Viral infection
Autoimmune disorder
Hormonal problem
Metabolic disorder
Dietary deficiency
Use of certain drugs/ poisons

Diagnosis

The healthcare provider will initially examine the person thoroughly, test reflexes, and look out for any signs of loss of muscle tone(atrophy). Then the following tests may be recommended to confirm the diagnosis:

Blood tests to check for levels of certain enzymes
Electromyography to determine the electrical activity in the muscles
MRI to evaluate for problems with the brain and spinal cord
Spinal tap to test the cerebrospinal fluid
Nerve conduction velocity testing to assess how well messages are being sent from the nerves to the muscles
Muscle biopsies to monitor the functioning of the muscle tissue
Genetic testing to check for any mutations that may have been inherited

Treatment

Neuromuscular disorders cannot be completely cured, but treatment may help alleviate symptoms and slow the condition’s progression from getting aggravated.

Doctors may prescribe medications to help ease muscle pain, weakness, cramps, and stiffness.
Drugs to improve nerve impulses and strength in the muscles
Immunosuppressants to treat conditions caused by autoimmune issues
Immunoglobulin therapy to increase antibodies

Other treatment options include:

Physical / rehabilitation therapy to revamp muscle tone and work on motor skills
Occupational therapy to learn new methods to perform routine tasks and preserve energy
Surgery may be needed for patients with neuropathy to ease pressure on the nerves or to remove the thymus

February 2023: Cinépolis, the first international cinema exhibitor in India, today announced the launch of Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura. With the strategic move of opening multiplexes at prime locations, the launch of its biggest multiplex in Delhi, Cinépolis NSP in Pacific Mall, Pitampura will further strengthen its positioning among its customers and associates in the premium luxury multiplex industry.

The launch of this biggest multiplex will create an unmissable and exhilarating cinematic experience for the patrons of New Delhi with its completely new architectural design look in Black and Golden. With its unmatched technology and comfortable ambiance, it will certainly be the favorite spot for movie lovers. Cinépolis Pacific Mall is the biggest theatre by Cinepolis in Delhi with 9 screens and a luxury last row in all auditoriums with premium recliners. In addition, the multiplex will also have a full-service Coffee Tree (gourmet café), DOLBY Atmos audio, Harkness Screens, and RealD 3D technology, giving excellent premium ambiance and experience to patrons.

Speaking on this occasion Mr. Devang Sampat, CEO, of Cinépolis India, said “Cinépolis has always aimed at offering an unmatched experience to movie patrons, the opening of Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura has endorsed our commitment towards them. This is our flagship property, our biggest multiplex in Delhi with 9 screens which will take the entertainment value to the next level. We are expecting a huge footfall at the multiplex and are sure that patrons will be amazed by the experience at Cinépolis. Our cutting-edge technology combined with quality and distinctively comfortable ambiance sets us apart and we are committed to providing the same world-class cinema viewing experience to our discerning patrons across India. I would like to thank Mr. Abhishek Bansal for giving Cinepolis an opportunity to develop our multiplex in Pacific Mall. His team has been very successful in developing and running high-footfall malls and I’m sure they will continue to build upon the same in the future as well.”

He further added, “The opening of Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura is of significant strategic value that further strengthens our position in India. Looking forward and expanding our wings, the focus now is to open more multiplexes in prime locations in metros and mini-metros. India is an important market for us and the strategic importance of the market is underscored by the fact that Cinépolis’ expansion plans have been steadfast even through the pandemic wherein Cinépolis added 42 screens. It is our constant endeavor to upgrade the cinematic experience by bringing the latest technology and customer engagement into the industry.”

Abhishek Bansal, Executive Director, Pacific Development Corporation Ltd said, “We are happy to have an iconic and world-class cinema chain – Cinépolis now being part of Pacific Mall, Pitampura. The mall is situated in the most premium location in North Delhi and we associate with the best of the brands in the business. We hope that Cinépolis in its new version will complement the mall and we look forward to an entertaining journey ahead.”

With the opening of the Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura with 9 screens, Cinépolis total screen count now stands at 436 screens with 97 multiplexes across India. The newly inaugurated, Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura has total a total capacity of 1659 seats. The entire ambiance, lighting, and décor of Cinépolis Pacific Mall, NSP, Pitampura have a new architectural design ID in Black and Golden, giving it a more premium luxury experience. The iconic ‘Coffee Tree’ will offer movie connoisseurs an elaborate gourmet menu that serves a range of delectable food and beverages offering a plethora of cuisines from Italian to American to Indian. The brand also offers a continuous customer engagement and loyalty program, ‘Club Cinépolis’ that allows the patron to earn and burn points on movie tickets and has exclusive benefits of special screenings, meet & greet with stars, and much more. The 9-screen multiplex is equipped with RealD 3D technology and DOLBY Atmos audio.

Since its inception in India, Cinépolis has created a strong footprint across 62 Indian cities with a focus on opening multiplexes in prime locations in metros and mini metros. India is now the second largest market and remains the fastest growing market for Cinépolis, globally, and plans to add 200 more screens in the next 3 years.

Cinépolis India has created a strong footprint across 62 Indian cities with a strong presence in major metros: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Cinépolis extends a contemporary approach that seamlessly weaves the entire range of cherry-picked cinema formats from across the world under one roof offering an unmatched experience to all movie patrons.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.; Feb. 9, 2023) ­– Crowley has appointed Clay Heil as vice president of global government relations, where he will lead the company’s full spectrum of government advocacy across all of the company’s business interests and activities.

Based in Washington, D.C., Heil will spearhead Crowley’s engagement with federal, state, and local government partners and elected officials on policy and regulatory matters that support the company’s strategic growth.

Heil joins Crowley with more than 25 years of legislative and legal experience. In Congress, he worked in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate for 12 years, holding senior roles including deputy staff director and general counsel for the Senate Appropriations Committee. Most recently, Heil was a partner in Taft’s Public Affairs Strategies Group, where he represented Fortune 500 companies in the defense, cybersecurity and technology sectors.

“Clay’s experience, knowledge and relationships in Washington and the private sector make him a strong advocate for Crowley and our industries,” said Chief Legal and Risk Officer Parker Harrison. “His leadership will help elevate Crowley’s transportation and logistics solutions to continue the growth as a chosen partner for government and military.”

During his time in Congress, Heil also served as legislative director for Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and worked for Rep. Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Ark.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.).

Heil holds a juris doctorate from the Georgetown University Law Center and a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar.

About Crowley
Crowley is a privately held, U.S.-owned and -operated maritime, energy, and logistics solutions company serving commercial and government sectors with $3.4 billion in annual revenues, over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet, and approximately 7,000 employees around the world – employing more U.S. mariners than any other company. The Crowley enterprise has invested more than $3.2 billion in maritime transport, which is the backbone of global trade and the global economy. As a global ship owner-operator and services provider with more than 130 years of innovation and a commitment to sustainability, the company serves customers in 36 nations and island territories through five business units: Crowley Logistics, Crowley Shipping, Crowley Solutions, Crowley Wind Services, and Crowley Fuels. Additional information about Crowley, its business units, and its subsidiaries can be found at www.crowley.com.

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Media Contacts

David DeCamp
Director
Corporate Communications
Crowley
Tel: (904) 727-4263
David.DeCamp@crowley.com

Torey Vogel
Specialist
Corporate Communications
Crowley
Tel: (904) 726-4536
Torey.Vogel@Crowley.com

The RBI raised the repo rate by 25bps and kept its stance unchanged at “withdrawal of accommodation” on expected lines. The policy tone was hawkish as the RBI recognised that they are still away from achieving their objective of durable disinflation. In terms of the inflation risks, the RBI highlighted the elevated nature of core inflation and continuing global risks that could push up domestic inflation going forward. On growth, the RBI pegged GDP growth at 6.4% in FY24, higher than consensus expectations – sounding optimistic about the growth momentum. Going forward, the central bank is likely to become more data-dependent, and this does not rule out another rate hike in the upcoming policy.

On liquidity, the RBI recognised that there might be some reduction in liquidity surplus as the facilities provided during the pandemic end while providing reassurance that they are likely to balance these out through various instruments available at their disposable. Despite the comments on liquidity conditions remaining accommodative compared to pre-pandemic levels – signalling a somewhat hawkish tone – we expect the RBI to maintain adequate liquidity surplus to remain growth supportive going forward.