Category business

Mumbai, 9th Feb 2023 Leading cloud communication company MyOperator launched Heyo Phone, India’s first digital phone line for small and medium businesses. The digital phone connection will help Small and Medium-sized Businesses manage their customer interactions, and improve their customer call + WhatsApp chat experience through a single business number. While MyOperator provides a full-stack communication platform (CPAAS) to 10000+ businesses including Lenskart, Apollo, PWC, Wow! Momo, E&Y, Amazon, Heyo aims to make communication simple for Small and Medium Business, professionalize their customer experience, and empower small and mid-market retailers, traders as well as freelancers.

Heyo has been launched with the objective of digitising customer engagement and commerce for India’s 65 Million+ small and medium businesses. Offering one number and a single dashboard to manage all customer calls and chats, Heyo aims to help SMEs boost customer interactions and convert every conversation into a business opportunity. A business owner can activate his Heyo number in less than a minute with digital Aadhar verification, link all his staff, connect to WhatsApp, and launch a full-fledged customer engagement platform. All on his smartphone and at a price that he can afford.

The Small and Medium Business communication market in India alone makes up to $4 billion, whereas globally it is a $40Bn market. As a first-mover, Heyo aims to disrupt the market while delivering on its mission of digitising the businesses of Bharat. MyOperator became the chosen platform for PM Narendra Modi’s “Mann Ki Baat”.

Ankit Jain, CEO & Co-founder of Heyo Phone said, “We launched Heyo Phone with the belief that each customer call is a potential business opportunity. We want small and medium businesses to have equal tools as large businesses or MNCs. For that purpose, we wanted to digitize phone systems with cost-effective technology. This will not only help business owners to monitor their customer interactions effectively but also ensure that no prospect is missed out on. This is India’s techade and Heyo is the tech every business in Bharat needs.”

Kunal Jain joins Sheraton Grand Pune and Le Meridien Mahabaleshwar Resort & Spa as the new Cluster Director of Revenue at the properties. Being a part of this industry for over ten years, Kunal is a seasoned hospitality professional having in-depth knowledge of total revenue management.

Kunal has completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality Management from IHM Kurukshetra and has a Post Graduate Degree in Revenue Management from Vedatya Institute. He has been a part of some of the noteworthy hospitality brands including IHG Hotels and Resorts and The Leela Group. Kunal embarked on this journey as a Front Office Associate at Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon Downtown and swiftly continued to climb the corporate ladder to take on bigger roles in revenue management. His last assignment was with Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport as the Director of Revenue.

With comprehensive knowledge of pricing, analysis of competitors’ marketing, and revenue management principles of the hospitality industry, Kunal will be spearheading the revenue strategy for both hotels.

His objectives for this new role are to drive market share for the properties with a focus on total revenue management, forecasting market demand, and managing various segments to ensure the optimal mix is achieved for maximum profitability.

In his leisure time, Kunal prefers driving to the lesser-known, quaint towns. An adrenalin-seeker, Kunal likes exploring terrains through trekking and hiking.

Bengaluru, India, February 09, 2023: Ducab Group, one of the biggest end-to-end solutions providers and manufacturing firm based in the United Arab Emirates, (UAE) has announced that it is further enhancing its presence in India. As part of this growth plan, the company has set up its India & South East Asia office in Bangalore to further drive the India story. This expansion plan was announced in the presence of His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade; Ahmad Belyouha, Board Member of Ducab Group; Mohammad Almutawa, Group CEO of the Ducab Group, and a number of officials from both countries. The new establishment is part of the Group’s strategic vision to be a leading global provider of high-quality integrated energy solutions.

Ducab Group commenced operations in India in 1988, when cables were supplied to Nhava Sheva Port (Mumbai Port). Over the years, Ducab has supplied over 1,428 km of power cables to the Indian market, which is equivalent to the distance between Delhi and Mumbai. Ducab has made trade transaction in India worth INR 2000 crores. Some of Ducab’s prestigious mobility and transport projects in the country are located in Delhi, Mumbai, Kanpur, Lucknow, Agra among others. Presently, the company is working on multiple projects in India and has strong relations with leading Indian industries, serving more than 100 clients and providing 263,000 metric tons of Cu-eq (copper equivalent), equivalent to powering 3 million houses.

Commenting on this, His Excellency Dr. Thani Bin Ahmed Al-Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, UAE said: “The new office by Ducab Group, one of the National Champion companies in the UAE, builds on the strong bilateral trade and business ties between the UAE and India. The two countries share common interests and have strong resources and capabilities to develop industrial manufacturing. The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed in 2022 has further catalyzed business relations between the two countries, enabling businesses to invest and expand their operations as well as drive cross-border trade and build new and constructive partnerships on a genuinely global scale. This is in line with one of the five top government priorities the UAE has outlined for 2023, namely ‘Expanding the UAE’s International Economic Partnerships”.

Ducab supports the Make in India initiative and has been involved in a series of mega Indian infrastructure projects by supplying key materials. The Make in India initiative focuses on indigenous production in India and all our collaboration with India is geared towards fulfilling this objective.

Sharing his thoughts, Mohammad Almutawa Group CEO of Ducab said: “Ducab considers India its new home. This set up in Bangalore in the state of Karnataka is another example of the significant commercial and international cooperation between the two countries. Ducab Group employs around 1000 Indians. This is an opportunity for us to explore new prospects in the Indian industry, as well as to benefit from the new advantages under the CEPA trade agreement building on the existing achievements and close ties that bind Ducab to the Indian market. It is an extension of the company’s ambitions and strategies, which is currently expanding its business in 55 markets around the world, where it exports 60% of its products.”

Ducab Group is keen to take the opportunity of reduced taxes under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that was signed by India and UAE in 2022. Under the CEPA, the duties will come down to Zero in five years reducing 20 per cent each year. The pact is expected to boost non-oil trade between the two countries to $100 billion in five years from $60bn currently, opening additional avenues of investment.

Ducab is relentless in its pursuit of quality and continue to expand across sectors and geographies, providing world-class products and services. Some of Ducab’s biggest projects in the UAE include Burj Khalifa, Dubai Metro, Emirates Palace, Burj Al Arab, Expo 2020 Dubai, Dubai Airport, Atlantis The Palm, and Yas Marina Circuit.

9th February 2023: Hindustan Zinc, India’s largest & only integrated producer of Zinc, Lead & Silver, ranks amongst the top 5% ESG Score in the metals & mining sector in S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2023. The company has been featured for the sixth consecutive year and this ranking reaffirms its best-in-class sustainable practices.

On this achievement, Mr. Arun Misra, CEO of Hindustan Zinc said, “We have always included ESG in every aspect of our operations at Hindustan Zinc, setting benchmarks for the sector as a whole. Every year, our teams work to achieve new milestone records by keeping sustainability at the core, and as we rank in the top 5% ESG Score in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook, it is a testament to all these records. All initiatives undertaken by us are in accordance to our Net Zero objective and Sustainability Goals 2025. This encourages us to keep up our ESG efforts and build a sustainable world.’’

S&P GlobalSustainability Yearbook is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive business sustainability databases. The purpose of the Sustainability Yearbook is to recognise companies that demonstrate best-in-class corporate sustainability practices as well as have a focus on long-term growth drivers. The result follows the score achieved in the 2022 Corporate Sustainability Assessment of S&P Global, in which Hindustan Zinc obtained the Top Score of 80 points in the metal and mining sector.

Hindustan Zinc, a Vedanta group company, is determined that utilizing sustainable business methods is the basis for creating long-term value for their stakeholders, communities, and environment. As a part of its Sustainable Development Goals, the company fosters innovation in the pursuit of a Zero Harm, Zero Discharge, and Zero Waste ecosystem, the conservation of resources& the improvement of health, safety, and sustainability practices across its operations. The company also continues to invest and strengthen its sustainability focus by delivering on well-defined goals and progressing on a sustainable value-accretive journey.

Recently, Hindustan Zinc has been ranked 3rd Globally and 1st in Asia Pacific Region in S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment under the metal & mining sector. The company’s commitment to Environment, Social, and Governance has also been recognized by CAP 2.0, S&P Global Platts Awards, GreenCo Certification, CII National 5S Excellence Award, Bhamashah Award, and many more.

February 09, 2023, Indore. OYO is providing accommodation for the players, support staff, and officials participating in the Khelo India Youth Games in Madhya Pradesh. The flagship sporting event is currently underway in the state in eight cities. More than 6,000 players are competing and showcasing their talent in 27 sports disciplines.

As part of the partnership, OYO is arranging over 1300 room nights in 160 rooms in various hotels such as Collection O and Super OYO in Indore, Bhopal, and Gwalior.

Khelo India is an annual national-level multidisciplinary grassroots game in India held for two categories – under-17 school students (Youth Games) and under-21 college students (University Games). Every year thousands of young athletes are given an annual scholarship of ₹5 lakh for 8 years to prepare them for international sporting events.

Speaking on the development, Pankaj Kumar, Head-Government Relations, OYO said “OYO has been associated with this flagship event since its inception and has successfully handled accommodation for all the previous editions of the games. The prior experience of handling accommodation for Khelo India Youth Games gives us a unique advantage. We will use the learnings to offer the best services during the event. Hygiene and safety will remain top priority”.

OYO is confident of meeting the expectations with the help of its unique inventory and availability of hotels, quality of accommodation, the price competitiveness of its offerings, ease of use of its app, personalization, the trust and safety of the OYO platform, and the quality of its customer support through Yo! Chat, OYO’s real-time chat assistance.

Khelo India Youth Games is a transformational initiative by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to create a vibrant sports ecosystem, revive sports culture at a grass-root level and establish India as a great sporting nation. The first edition of the games was held in New Delhi in 2018. The second was held in Pune in 2019 and the third edition was held in 2020 in Guwahati.

09 February 2023: SBI General Insurance, one of India’s leading General Insurance companies, has extended its support to Inspire Winter Sports Excellence Programme (IWSEP), a new association with JSW Inspire Institute of Sport (JSW IIS), which will train, guide and support athletes in gearing up for the upcoming Winter Olympics 2026, thereby strengthening SBI General’s contribution to the unwavering spirit of Indian sports. This support extended to prepare and enable athletes for Winter Olympics is the first of its kind.

Commenting on the association, Shri Anand Pejawar, Whole-time Director, SBI General Insurance said, “India is a land with diverse talent from all walks of life. Indian sportspersons have been excelling at various international events and in various kinds of sports. We, at SBI General, believe in encouraging the pursuit of excellence in sports, especially in those sports which do not have huge visibility currently, which then translates in poor financial support. In this connection, SBI General is pleased to support and boost Winter Sports in India, by supporting young athletes who will leave a rich sporting legacy for our country. We believe our support to this category of sports will enable
athletes participating & representing India in realising their true potential and represent the country at the highest level of sporting excellence, especially for winter sports.”

Welcoming the association with SBI General Insurance, Mustafa Ghouse, CEO of JSW Sports said, “Through our support of alpine skier Arif Khan in the build-up to the last Winter Olympics and the subsequent success we’ve seen him achieve, we got the confidence to delve deeper into the development of winter sports. The Inspire Winter Sports Excellence Programme is the off-shoot of that phase with Arif. Since founding the Inspire Institute of Sport, we have been able to elevate the performances of our athletes, boxers, wrestlers and judokas, and the introduction of the Inspire Winter Sports Excellence Programme is a big step in the same direction. We are delighted to have SBI
General share our vision and partner us, as together, we attempt to provide our winter sports athletes with the fillip they need.”

Through this association, under its CSR programme, SBI General extends its support to 4 athletes including Arif Khan, the face of winter sports in India and the only Indian athlete to compete at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The other athletes are Zain Syed, Faizan Ahmad Lone and MehRaj Khan. The Company has entered into a long-term association with JSW Sports to enable India’s representation of winter sports at international sports events. The chosen athletes will go through a tailored coaching programme designed by international professionals, with sports science support and off-season conditioning training at the Inspire Institute of Sport. The professional coaches will
evaluate the athletes’ physical and technical progress, including travel and participation in high-quality events, on a regular basis to prepare them for their competitions.

By Suvodeep Rakshit, Senior Economist, Kotak Institutional Equities

“The RBI as expected hiked the repo rate by 25 bps. The split mandate of 4-2 was also as expected. The stance too was unchanged which is in line with the excess liquidity continuing to be tightened. We see the RBI remaining concerned about inflation, especially core inflation. We expect inflation to average around 5.2% in FY2024 with adverse risks to growth likely to increase. The RBI will likely become increasingly data-dependent and look at the impact of past rate hikes on inflation-growth dynamics. We expect the RBI to pause from the next policy onwards with a likely shift in stance to neutral as the liquidity tightens further over March-April.”

By “Lakshmi Iyer, CEO-Investment Advisory, Kotak
, “The rate hike was in line with expectations. However, markets were expecting an explicit statement suggesting a
pause which has not happened. This suggests the tug-of war-between growth and inflation continues. While chances of pause still remain, the uncertainty may persist. Expect range bound yield movement till then – oscillating between
global data and domestic cues.”

New Delhi, 9th February 2023: In a move to reward customers for being financially fit, Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd. is offering as high as a 7.5%* discount on insurance premiums to customers who have high credit scores and good credit reports. Customers buying new or renewing their existing Reliance Health Infinity Policy can avail of this unique benefit based on their good credit score.

A good credit score indicates the financial discipline of a customer. To encourage such disciplines and good financial habits, Reliance General Insurance has introduced a credit score-based discount.

Reliance Health Infinity Policy also offers discounts on a premium basis Body-Mass-Index (BMI) to reward healthy living. Customers with Normal** BMI can avail of discounts on premiums.

Besides, the Company promotes preventive vaccination among its customers by offering a 2.5* percent discount on insurance premiums (on new policy and renewal**) to those who have taken the COVID-19 vaccines or Booster shot or even other vaccines like the Human Papillomavirus vaccine or Pneumococcal vaccine.

Reliance Health Infinity Policy comes with limitless benefits*; high sum insured up to ₹5 Crores, features like MoreGlobal Cover*, Maternity Cover, OPD Cover, unlimited restoration of the sum insured, and fifteen plus useful add-on benefits.

Mr. Arun Kumar, VP and Head of Research, FundsIndia

“Today’s rate hikes were in line with market expectations. We may be close to peak policy rates driven by fall in domestic inflation in recent months. The current repo rate at 6.50% is comfortably above RBI’s inflation expectation of 5.3% in FY24. There are early signs of US inflation easing and slowing pace of rate hikes by the US FED. Overall, we expect RBI to go for a long pause in rate hikes from hereon. Future policy actions will be guided by the evolving domestic inflation / growth dynamics and the US Fed rate hike trajectory.”