December 2023 -

Zippo Unlocks the Trend for Fashion Accessories This Winter

Business Wire India
Iconic windproof lighter brand, Zippo, known for its signature design and long-lasting flame, goes beyond functionality to ignite a new trend in fashion accessories. An unparalleled combination of Zippo lighters and Indian fusion will be seen for the first time, this winter. Taking personal style and confidence to another level, the brand draws inspiration from the undeniably powerful space of Indian ethnicity, influencing global trends.

Growing exposure to hi-fashion and disposable income has led to a change in consumer behavior and lifestyle. With premiumization driving the market in fashion accessories, Indian customers, specially millennials are seen increasingly open to upmarket brands and are willing to invest and experiment with new styles, true for women and men, both. Recognising the evolving need among young urban customers to express their uniqueness, and a fast building market for fashion accessories, Zippo aims to expand its presence on e-commerce platforms, offering a vast selection to shoppers, across India.

According to Lucas Johnson, Associate Vice President, Zippo Global Marketing, “As fashion continues to influence people’s minds, adopting new trends in a meaningful way is important with changing times. The world of fashion accessories as we know, has moved from need-based purchase to an expression of individual style and persona. We see this as a great time and opportunity to blend Zippo with Indian fashion, innovate styles, bring in more cultural integration and deepen our connect with the audiences.”

With a legacy spanning over nine decades, Zippo lighters today are more than a functional tool, extending to a wide choice of design and finish to choose from. With something for everyone, from sleek and modern to classic and vintage, Zippo lighters are highly customisable. The classic chrome, bold colors, earthy tones and intricate patterns, can be matched seamlessly with any fusion ensemble, like a sari with a blazer or western suits in sequin work. Focused on design, aesthetics, and ingenuity, these options promise to add a distinctive flair to any attire.

The power to elevate confidence, influence emotions, and create lasting impressions, makes Zippo stand-out, beyond just a style accessory. As an enabler of self expression, a catalyst for self discovery and a potent form of personal branding, it reinforces the idea of, ‘Live With Confidence’. A timeless marvel, and a great fashion accessory to have in your wardrobe, it also makes for a perfect gift, this festive season. Priced between INR 1,999 to INR 45,199, Zippo lighters are available across online platforms including, zippo.in, Tata Cliq Luxury, Ajio Luxe and Amazon.in.

Sunteck Realty Reduces Its Net Debt to Zero with Recent Cash Flow Injection

Business Wire India
Sunteck Realty Limited, a Mumbai-based premium luxury real estate developer, has reduced its net debt to zero by gaining a cash flow surplus that will be utilised to further accelerate business operations.

A recent sale of 60 lakh shares (4.10%) of Sunteck Realty Limited by its wholly owned subsidiaries Satguru Infocorp Services Private Limited and Starlight Systems Private Limited have generated a substantial cash flow which shall be retained & consolidated with Sunteck Realty Limited, leading to nullifying the net debt and generating positive cash flow in the company.

Sunteck Realty now has 6 large projects as growth engines with the recently launched Kalyan project ‘Sunteck Crescent Park’, which also marks the entry of Sunteck in the Eastern Suburbs of the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Furthermore, Sunteck Realty project Sunteck Maxx World is nearing completion leading to a significant revenue of Rs. 750 crores to Rs. 850 crores, which will be recognised by the end of Financial Year 2024.

Dunkin’ Brews Excitement with the Grand Opening of its First Store in Lucknow

Dunkin’, the iconic globally recognized coffee and bakery chain serving 100% premium Arabica coffee and amazing bakery (donuts and ready-to-eat snacks) announces the grand opening of its first store in Lucknow today, the city of Nawabs. The new store is located at Lulu Mall in Lucknow and offers its customers a vibrant and youthful atmosphere.

Renowned for its commitment to great tasting coffee, good quality and value, Dunkin' has become a staple in the fast growing Cafe world. The world’s largest coffee chain with over 13,500 outlets in 50+ countries, Dunkin’ uniquely combines aspiration with accessibility, renowned for its vibrant orange colour, great taste and casual store vibe. At its store in Lulu Mall, customers can savour freshly baked goods and the finest coffee in an inviting ambience that blends modern aesthetics with a touch of retro charm, offering a perfect destination for a memorable and flavourful experience. In India, Dunkin's triumph is attributed to its Internationally inspired menu that appeals to young at heart. Latest being, it's Dunkachino range or Christmas pudding Donut.

Dunkin’ new store will be more than just a coffee spot, and will be more like a warm and welcoming community hub, a place where families and friends come together. The brand enhances customer experience with amazing store experiences and also offers convenience of delivery and takeaway options.

As Dunkin' continues to pour positivity, sweeten lives, and cultivate connections, the brand looks forward to becoming an integral part of Lucknow's coffee and bakery culture. As it continues to expand its presence in India, the Lucknow store in Lulu Mall marks another milestone in Dunkin's journey in India, adding to its success in delivering a flavourful blend of international and local culinary experiences.

India top market for Foreign Direct Investment into London

· India contributes 29% share of FDI projects into London in 2023

· London's Business Agency Secures 100 New Tech Investments in 2023

· London's Climate Tech Projects Surge, Tripling Job Opportunities

London & Partners (L&P), the business growth and destination agency for London, has announced that among the 100 FDI projects secured, India leads with a 29% share of inward investment into the capital, followed by Europe (24%), and North America (23%). In fact, London & Partners supported Indian investment has doubled over the last 3 years in terms of project wins jumping from £14.8m in GVA from 2022 to £30.9m in GVA in 2023.

London & Partners has worked with leading Indian companies across education, software as a service (SaaS), robotics, B2B technology, fitness, to help them set up and grow in London. Support ranges from opening a UK entity and navigating the regulatory environment, to identifying the most suitable office space, legal and financial advice, as well as facilitating introductions to London’s ecosystems, networks and partners. Companies include:

· Uniacco, a student accommodation platform,

· GOQii, a healthy technology platform,

· Miko AI, a learning and entertainment platform for children

· Urban Piper, a food delivery platform for restauranteurs

· Robosoft Technologies, a software and automated tools developer

· Aarvee Associates, a multi-disciplinary engineering company

· QBurst, a software provider

· SP Jain School of Global Management, a global business school

Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, said, “London & Partners teams around the world are the city's talent scouts, identifying the most exciting international businesses in key growth sectors, who will ultimately drive and deliver future growth for London. From assessing the commercial opportunity to hiring their first team to accessing clients and investors, London & Partners' expert teams help shortcut months by putting international companies directly in touch with the right people in London.”

Commenting on the increasing FDI interest from India, Hemin Bharucha, Country Director- India, London & Partners, “Of the 100 FDI in London, 29 of those being from Indian companies is reflective of the growing relationship between both countries and our deepening business ties.

We have seen considerable interest from software as a service (SaaS) companies wanting to expand to London. This not only reflects the growing global push towards DeepTech, innovation, and digital led transformation, but also how London is continuously chosen as the topmost investment destination for tech companies. This is thanks to its strong track record of offering a robust, business-friendly environment to reliably expand trade and invest in addition to a mature, high-spending consumer market and an open, liberal economy with world-class talent. We at London & Partners are excited to welcome more companies to London and geared to assist them throughout their journey.”

Also commenting on the 100^th FDI win, Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I’m delighted that London & Partners has reached this significant milestone of 100 international tech companies investing in our capital, boosting the economy and supporting local jobs. I’m committed to being London’s most pro-business Mayor ever and it’s fantastic to see the significant investment from climate technology, showcasing London’s commitment to decarbonisation and improving air quality as we continue working towards building a fairer, more prosperous London for everyone.”

Since January this year, L&P has successfully brought in 100 international tech companies. Alongside this, separate data from fDi Markets shows that so far over 320 companies have set up in the capital so far this year further reaffirming London’s position as the leading European and the third top global destination for FDI behind Dubai and Singapore.¹

Additionally, London & Partners has secured notable climate tech investments in the past 11 months. Among these is Roadmetrics, an AI software mobility company from India which chose London as its UK headquarters. Recently, the company delivered its 1000th electric bus to the city, contributing to one of Europe's most extensive electric bus fleets. Additionally, London embraced award-winning Cloverly from Atlanta, recognized for its climate action technology, and Allume Energy from Australia, known for specializing in shared solar solutions for apartment complexes. London celebrated other significant climate tech investments, including Cero.org, the Thai company behind the blockchain-enabled carbon wallet, as well as BjoYD, the world's largest electric vehicle maker from China.

Muthoot EximOpensFirst Gold Point Centre at Ghaziabad

Muthoot Exim (P) Ltd., the precious metal arm of business conglomerate Muthoot Pappachan Group (also known as Muthoot Blue),hasopened newMuthoot Gold Point Centre at Ambedkar Road, Ghaziabad. This Gold Point centre will be the 4^th in Delhi NCR from Muthoot Eximaimed at providing the customers a trusted and credible centre to sell their gold ensuring a seamless transparent process.The other Gold Point centres in the state are located at Delhi, Noida and Gurugram. With this new branch, the companytoday has20 Gold Point centres in India including two 'Mobile Muthoot Gold Point' (Mumbai & Bengaluru) which collects gold from the doorstep of the customers. Muthoot Exim, through its Gold Point Centres, buys old and used gold items directly from customers, which is later reprocessed, refined, and supplied for domestic consumption.

The first Gold Point centre was launched by the organisation in Coimbatore in 2015 and have expanded to other cities since then including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Madurai, Vijayawada, Ernakulam (Kochi), Noida, Pune, Hyderabad, Indore, Visakhapatnam, Gurugram, Mysuruand Rajahmundry. The company intends to revolutionize the retail recycled gold segment by empowering customers with transparency, scientific assessment and best practises that would enable them to get fair value for their Gold.

Commenting on the launch, Keyur Shah, CEO – Muthoot Exim said, “We are extremely delighted to open our first Gold Point Centre in Ghaziabad and 4^th in Delhi NCR. The existing three centres around the region has seen significant growth since its launch and it was just a matter of time to open a fourth one here. We hope to be the one point stop for our customers to help them in times of need and enable a hassle-free service to them”.

Highlighting the importance of the launch, Mr. Thomas Muthoot, Executive Director – Muthoot Pappachan Group & Managing Director – Muthoot Exim said, “Every new launch is a step closer to our customer. We exist to serve the needs of India’s common man through our various products and services, and Muthoot EXIM is one of the fastest growing businesses for Muthoot Pappachan Group. We hope to grow and expand to reach out to our customers and help them realise their ambitions”.

Muthoot Exim Pvt. Ltd. (MEPL)

Muthoot Exim Pvt. Ltd. is the precious metal vertical of the Muthoot Pappachan Group. It specialises in innovative products and offerings in the precious metal space. MEPL was the first organized sector player to launch gold recycling centre in the organised sector in the country. With its first GoldPoint centre in Coimbatore in 2015, it has gradually expanded to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, Madurai,Vijayawada, Ernakulam, Noida, Pune, Hyderabad, Indore, Gurugram,Visakhapatnam and Mysuru. These retail centres by Muthoot Exim Pvt. Ltd. are for gold aggregations and recycling and enables customers to have access to quality products that meet the highest standards, at an affordable price.

Airtel Xstream Play partners with aha Telugu and Tamil, enhances regional content portfolio

– Expansion of portfolio with aha ensures Airtel Xstreamremains the go-to-destination for OTT enthusiasts in AP, Tamil Nadu and Telangana

– aha remains one of the fastest-growing regional OTT players in India with over forty million viewers

Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), India’s premier communications solutions provider, today, announced that Airtel Xstream Play, India’s fastest-growing OTT aggregator service with over five million paid subscribers, will now offer aha Tamil and Telugu to its subscribers.

aha OTT, a Joint venture between Allu Arvind’s Geeta Arts and My Home Group was launched in 2020 and is one of the fastest-growing regional OTT platforms in the country. aha provides a diverse array of original content, encompassing 750+ films and 40+ original shows besides talk shows and reality tv.

Commenting on the collaboration, Adarsh Nair, CEO – Airtel Digital, said, “We welcome team aha on to our platform and look forward to collaborating with them and taking their content across the length and breadth of India. Over the years, we have observed regional content gain prominence and transcend the barriers of language within India. aha’s addition will not just get the best in Tamil and Telugu content to the audiences in TN, AP and Telangana but also to discerning audiences elsewhere in the country. At Airtel Xstream Play, as the largest OTT aggregator in the country, we remain committed to being a trusted partner for OTT players and helping them solve for discovery, pricing and other challenges.”

Speaking about the partnership, Mr. Rakesh CK, Senior VP and Head-SVOD and Business Strategy of aha said, “We are pleased to unveil this strategic collaboration with Airtel Xstream, marking a significant stride in our ongoing mission to be in every Telugu and Tamil household. We hope that the partnership with Airtel Xstream will enhance our reach and impact, helping us tap into a broader audience. Together, we are committed to redefining the entertainment experience, ensuring that our exclusive content resonates profoundly with viewers.”

Airtel Xstream Play offers India’s largest bouquet of OTT content aggregated on a single app. Airtel subscribers can have access to premium content from partners such as Sony LIV, Lionsgate Play, Chaupal, Hoichoi, FanCode, ManoramaMax, ShemarooMe, Alt Balaji, Ultra, ErosNow, EPICon, Docubay, Playflix, etc. and can watch 40,000+ movie titles and shows from 20 content partners on the Airtel Xstream app with a minimum recharge of Rs. 148.

Firestone Grill opens at the Lulu Mall; 168 food items of vegetarian and non-vegetarian inclusive of Desserts offered

Chief Guest Tummala Nageswara Rao, Minister for Agriculture, Marketing Co-operation and Handloom & Textiles cut the ribbon to mark the inauguration of Firestone Grill (Beyond Buffet) on Friday, 23 December, 2023 at the Lulu Mall.
Other dignitaries present at the inaugural were Dr. Matta Ragamayee, MLA, Sathupalli.
Firestone Grill, Beyond Buffet is a 100% Volcanic Stone based cooking to reduce fat without losing natural flavour and eliminating tasting salts such as Ajinomoto or MSG (monosodiumglutamate). The ambience is state of the art with the latest decor, lighting and cascading platforms’ and canopys’ dishing out mouth watering recipes.

The menu consists of a welcome drink, soups, salads, starters vegetarian, starters non-vegetarian, vegetarian main course, non-vegetarian main course, accompaniments and Indian breads. Of course, if you have a sweet tooth, there are plenty of Desserts to choose and you are spoilt for choice.
This venture is supported by Suryadevara Ajay- Partner, Gautam –Partner, Srilakshmi Suryadevara-Partner.

Speaking at the inaugural, Gautam, partner, said, “ ours is a Volcanic lava stone based cooking to reduce fat and enhance health, keeping the natural flavours intact. This is our second venture and the first one is in Kondapur.One of our specialities is the cabbage and apple based salad that is a first of it’s kind. It has a distinct taste with a fresh flavour that is served with 5 different sauces and with a dash of green Mint chutney and red chutney. This salad has been a popular at Kondapur with Kids’ birthday parties, ladies kitty jigs and corporate meetings”.

“Our cooks have worked on different cruises around the world and have expertise of all the authentic and original cuisines that include French and Mexican to name a few. We have also modified our menu to suit the Andhra and Telangana food lovers keeping their tastes and sentiments in mind. We do not serve Beef and Pork but only Chicken, Mutton and Fish etc.”.

He added “we have a target of starting another 15 units in Andhra and Telangana in the next three years. We are open from 11 am to 11 pm to serve our esteemed customers”.

Airtel Business enters into strategic partnership with IntelliSmart for powering up to 20 million smart meters

To offer end-to-end IoT solution for smart metering including Head end system, Meter data management system, Cloud and Analytics

Bharti Airtel (“Airtel”), one of India’s leading telecommunications service providers, today, announced that it has formed a strategic partnership to power up to 20 million smart meters with IntelliSmart Infrastructure Private Limited, a leading smart metering and digital solutions provider. This partnership also marks Airtel’s foray into high end applications such as Advance metering infrastructure and meter data management systems along with Cloud and Analytics. This is the largest such deal in the smart metering space in the country. It will significantly contribute towards Airtel’s fast-growing IoT deployment across sectors.

Airtel’s IoT proposition includes its proprietary platform the “Airtel IoT Hub” which will help the utility track and monitor these smart meters with advanced analytics while maintaining extremely high reliability augmented with telco grade security. Housed on Airtel’s own cloud network, the IoT hub will allow enterprise users the capability to connect and manage billions of devices and applications in a highly secure and seamless fashion.

Ganesh Lakshminarayanan – CEO, Airtel Business (India) said about the venture, “We have further strengthened our market leadership as the largest IoT enabler in the country. IoT is one of the fastest-growing business segments for Airtel Business and, with this deal, we are now strategically positioned to play a pivotal role in driving the Govt. of India’s vision of digitising 250 million conventional meters to smart meters. As we connect the devices across the country on our platform, we will exponentially grow our current IoT market share of 55.4% (as on Q1 FY23-24).”

Anil Rawal – MD & CEO, Intellismart Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. had this to say, “India’s smart metering programme is one of the significant steps taken by the government to modernise the power distribution sector. Smart meters are critical building blocks for smart grids and a fundamental enabler of the digitalisation efforts of the power system. As we set forward to implement one of India’s largest portfolios of smart meters, we are relying on some of the most able and potent partners in the sector for various solution elements to support the successful deployment of our Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solutions. We are confident that the on-boarding of Airtel as a strategic partner will be a significant step towards our goal of creating strong associations to strengthen our infrastructure solution with a resilient and secure cloud-hosted cellular communication network.”

The Government of India has the ambitious vision of replacing 250 million conventional meters with Smart Meters in the next five years as part of the AMI initiative. Airtel IoT aims to play a pivotal role in enabling this vision of the government with its unique capabilities. Power sector digitisation aided by the Government of India's push to usher in transparency and consumer friendly measures in this sector will see innovation such as Smart Meters become commonplace.

NPS AWARENESS PROGRAMME FOR CORPORATE

The National Pension System (NPS) has been implemented for all Government Employees (except armed forces) entering the Central Government workforce on or after January 1, 2004. Most of the State/UT Governments have also adopted the NPS for their new employees. Since May 1, 2009, NPS has been available to every Indian Citizen on a voluntary basis, including corporates. Notably, the Atal Pension Yojana (APY) was launched on June 1, 2015, providing a significant boost to social security schemes.

Event photograph.jpeg

As on 9.12.2023, the subscribers of NPS and APY surpassed 6.92 crores with a total Asset Under Management (AUM) of 10,70,423.51 Crore. The number of subscribers in the private sector, including corporates, exceeds 50 lacs and crossed 2 lakh crore AUM, with 14,629 corporates having adopted NPS and registering 18.76 lacs employees under NPS.

To promote awareness of NPS among corporate entities, the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) organizes NPS Awareness Programme for Corporate' nationwide. Recently, in collaboration with the FICCI, PFRDA conducted an event on December 15, 2023, at Hyatt Place, Hyderabad in presence of various corporates based in Hyderabad.

The keynote speaker at the event was Ms Mamta Shankar, Whole Time Member (WTM) at PFRDA. Ms Shankar emphasized the growing concerns related to an aging society and increasing life expectancy, underscoring the necessity for adequate pension coverage. She elaborated on the efficiency, scale, and returns that NPS has delivered and urged corporates to adopt NPS for the benefit of their employees. Other notable speakers included Mr. Jehangir Damkevala, Associate Director and Retirement Trust Consulting Leader, Willis Towers Watson and Managing Partner, and Ms. Behroze Kamdin, Partner, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, alongside Mr. Ramchander Maddela, Chief Human Resource Officer of Aspentek Informatics Pvt Limited. Ms. Puja Upadhyay, AGM, PFRDA explained the product benefits and features of NPS and highlighted the importance of NPS for corporate employees. The speakers addressed critical topics such as Retirement Benefits Planning, features of NPS including Tax benefits under NPS, and NPS Onboarding and Implementation for Corporates (Experience sharing).

The conference was attended by over 120 delegates from 50 corporate, and Points of Presence.

Delhi NCR Witnesses Inaugural Mega Space Festival this Christmas at AIRIA Mall, Gurgaon in Partnership with ISRO

Airia Mall, Gurgaon is thrilled to announce the launch of “Mission to Space”, the largest Space Festival in collaboration with the prestigious Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). This Christmas season, people in Gurgaon will be captivated by a promising unique experience that combines space exploration, education, and festive cheer from December 15th to December 31^st. This will be the first time for Gurgaon to host an event in collaboration with ISRO.

ISRO scientists, known for their pioneering work in space exploration, will participate in meet-and-greet sessions during the festival. It allows an exceptional opportunity to educate children about space exploration. The “Mission to Space” initiative offers kids an immersive journey into the cosmos, allowing them to unravel mysteries and explore potential careers in this field.

Using VR and AR tech, kids will engage in driving Chandrayan on the Moon's surface, offering insights into the Solar System and planets. Various engaging & immersive activities like a simulated moonwalk, weight scale comparisons under lunar gravity, DIY workshops, and immersive photo booths promise an enriching and entertaining experience.

The other highlight of this spectacular festival will be the awe-inspiring 30-foot tall spaceship installation, serving as a symbolic gateway to a universe of discovery. Complementing this, at the atrium, AIRIA is hosting a Santa Village where consumers get to explore the gingerbread house, 30 Ft Christmas Tree and other photo-ops, a delightful Santa Meet & Greet experience.

“At AIRIA Mall, we aim to create captivating and immersive experiences and our partnership with ISRO strengthens our commitment to delivering a unique experience to our valued customers. Hosting the space festival is a tribute to India's remarkable strides in space exploration. It seeks to ignite curiosity and encourage involvement, particularly among the younger generation.” said Mr Sunil Shroff, Head – Property Management, Lake Shore India.

It is an incredible opportunity to embark on a cosmic adventure and celebrate the spirit of discovery and joy this holiday season with a nominal entry fee. Mark your calendars for the “Mission to Space” at Airia Mall from December 15th to December 31^st 2023.