Tag: Media Dialogues

Duroflex aims for future listing, emphasises growth and professionalisation

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Mathew Chandy, CMD and Sleep Evangelist of Duroflex, in an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18’s special Media Dialogues, unveiled the company’s ambitious plans, with a particular focus on its impending listing.

Chandy underscored the significance of a balanced mix of promoters and professionals for sustained business growth across generations.

“One of our early goals was to transcend beyond our third generation. I’ve always believed that the synergy between promoters and professionals is essential for scaling a business, especially across multiple generations. With the business witnessing a tenfold growth in the last decade, the inclusion of Sridhar Balakrishnan marks the next strategic move towards professionalising our operations, clearly demarcating ownership and management,” Chandy said.

He added, “Our objective is to list the company shortly, and these strategic measures are significant steps in that direction.”

Also Read | Treating sleep issues among youngsters at risk of psychosis may improve mental health: Study

Sridhar Balakrishnan, Group CEO of Duroflex, spoke on the changing landscape of consumer preferences in India. Balakrishnan noted, “The income levels are rising across India, and if one were to look at big consumers in the last few years, there has been a radical shift in the consumer orientation towards the health of which sleep is an integral part. So the way we look at it is that this category is certainly a tailwind category which is likely to see a lot of action in coming times.”

Also Read | 61 percent of Mumbaikars feel drowsy at work: Survey

As part of its transformation journey, Duroflex is set to unveil a new campaign, aiming to align with evolving consumer and stakeholder expectations. The company’s leadership envisions this move as a strategic step towards meeting the demands of a market that increasingly values health and well-being.

For more, watch the accompanying video

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

British Airways: India a key demand driver; remains central to airline’s global plans

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

British Airways is gearing up to celebrate a milestone in 2024 —  100 years of flying to India. As the airline prepares to mark a century of connecting the United Kingdom and India, Hamish McVey, the Director of Marketing at the airline, highlighted the significance of India as a pivotal destination in their global operations.

“The Indian market has always been a huge, important market for us. Next year we are celebrating 100 years of flying to India. So yes, it is in our top three markets we are flying to, we have 56 flights a week, so it is an important place for us,” he told CNBC-TV18 in an exclusive chat.

The aviation industry faced significant disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in the last two to three years, a resurgence in demand has been witnessed in the market, and this demand has been remarkably sustained.

According to McVey, this resurgence reflects the enduring love and passion for travel. “For us, it has been about responding to that. To respond to the demand as it has been coming back into the market. India is a very good example of that.”

In June this year, Sean Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of British Airways, in a chat with CNBC-TV18’s Managing Editor Shereen Bhan said, “The opportunity and potential of the Indian market are incredible; we can see it domestically and we are seeing it economically.” Doyle believes the Indian diaspora in the UK is a big opportunity which it intends to focus on.

Doyle also talked about how India is the biggest market for employment for British Airways outside the UK. “India has huge potential in terms of human capital; want British Airways to take advantage of that,” he said.

The flagship carrier of the International Aviation Group (IAG) also recently opened its second call centre in Gurugram. The latest call centre is the biggest site globally with 1400 agents.

For more details, watch the accompanying video

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India transforming from trend-jacker to torchbearer in consumer tech and adtech space, says expert

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

Listen to the Article (6 Minutes)

Abhay Singhal, one of the co-founders of InMobi, holds the perspective that India is making a significant shift from being a follower of trends to becoming a leader in the realms of consumer technology and advertising technology. During an interview with CNBC-TV18, Singhal emphasised that the future of India’s adtech industry looks incredibly promising.

“Advertising is a very secular industry. It is the need of the hour of every brand to reach the consumer and it is also the easiest way for any B2C company to make money. So adtech has a very bright future. However one thing which is very unique about India specifically is we are starting to come to our own, we are no longer just the trend-jackers, we are actually becoming torchbearers and picking up our own stuff and saying these are the solutions that we are going to bring in the advertising sector,” Singhal said.

Back in 2011, InMobi achieved the distinction of becoming India’s first unicorn. Subsequently, in 2020, its subsidiary, Glance, earned this title by securing a substantial investment of $145 million from tech giant Google and investment firm Mithril Capital.

Delving into the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Singhal highlighted that InMobi’s overarching goal is to enhance the aesthetic quality of advertising, a feat that is unattainable without placing AI at the core of their efforts. He underlined that AI isn’t merely a tool to improve efficiency; rather, it serves as a catalyst for reimagining established paradigms.

Furthermore, Piyush Shah, another co-founder of the InMobi Group, as well as the President & COO of Glance, along with Vasuta Agarwal, Chief Business Officer of Consumer Platform Advertising at InMobi, engaged in a conversation about the transformative forces reshaping the landscape of media and consumer technology. They also elaborated on their strategic approach to unlocking the next phase of growth within the intricate and demanding adtech arena.

Watch video for entire conversation.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow