MxMIndia

Tag: India Inc

  • CNBC-TV18 presents Boardroom, the premier show which provides comprehensive earnings analysis of the India Inc

    India Inc prepares for earnings season, expectations muted: CNBC-TV18

    By A Correspondent

     

    It has been a tough 12 months for India Inc. and expectations are subdued from the Q4 results. Political uncertainties continue to plague the markets, revenue and margin are under pressure and the rupee is on tenterhooks. Investors and analysts are not expecting any positive surprises this time around. A disappointing Q4 may lead to a loss in confidence and money moving out of the markets. Questions are already being asked if Indian growth story is losing its sheen and investors are hoping that there is no further negative news.

     

    As the earnings season looks set to provide the barometer for the market sentiment of the nation’s economy, CNBC-TV18 presents ‘Boardroom’, the premier show which provides comprehensive earnings analysis of the India Inc. at the end of this financial year.

     

    The earnings season will start with earnings estimates, analyst views and brokers polls. The day of the results will feature management interviews and stock update of some ofIndia’s largest companies. This will be followed by analysis on Boardroom with the company board, top management, CEOs, noted analysts and fund managers.

     

    CNBC-TV18’s editorial team will go behind the numbers and aim to bring the definitive insights that help to make the best investing decisions. Join the team led by Udayan Mukherjee & Mitali Mukherjee as they discuss the annual number and how this may set the tone for the next move in the markets.

     

    The show kicks off with the Infosys earnings numbers on April 13, and will continue to track the market defining companies through the earnings season.

     

    CNBC-TV 18, an English business news channel, has been an integral part of the Indian economic story, spearheading and mirroring these enterprising times. The channel’s coverage extends from corporate news, financial markets coverage, expert perspective on investing and management to industry verticals and beyond.

     

    The Network18 Group is a media and entertainment company with interests in television, internet, filmed entertainment, e-commerce, magazines, mobile content and allied businesses.

     

  • Across India Inc, Twitter has fast transformed from an individual tool into a key platform to create and sustain brand buzz

    Nokia, Reckitt etc outsource @Twitter to woo consumers

    By Shelley Singh

     

    Abhishek Roy, a 25-year-old commerce graduate from Delhi University and a diehard believer in social media, has more than 100 followers to his Twitter account. But that’s not the only account the heavy-metal addict operates on the social networking and micro-blogging service. Mr Roy also tweets for a living.

     

    As an employee of Bloggers Mind, a social media-focused start-up that promises to ‘multiply your brand buzz’, Mr Roy spends his working day putting out tweets that typically promote products and services of companies. One of the companies that keeps Mr Roy busy is Nokia, which has outsourced its Twitter handle to Bloggers Mind.

     

    “A great app to become an amazing cook! bit.ly/zo6bvd. Here’s a review of the app from @mynokiablog,” is just one of Mr Roy’s tweets that go out to some 15,000 followers of Nokia India.

     

    In Mumbai, 26-year-old Upasana Sanyal’s typical day is no different. Ms Sanyal, who joined technology services provider Mahindra Satyam six months ago, sends out 300-400 tweets a month. A recent one was on the company’s quarterly results.

     

    Q3, Re dip gains mixed; volatility high,” was the cryptic but crisp message to the twitterati following the company. “Tweets spike around results time or key announcements. It’s a good deviation from the mundane,” said Ms Sanyal, a consultant with Mahindra Satyam.

     

    At Dell India, Suyesh Shankar, 39, a marketing manager for consumer and small- and mid-sized businesses, spearheads the US firm’s social media agenda, which comprises a Twitter team that sits out of the company’s Bangalore-based Social Media Command Centre.

     

    Roy, Sanyal and Shankar are the communicators with the mandate to capture consumer attention in 140 characters. While Mr Roy is with a specialist social media services provider, the latter two are key members of in-house Twitter teams.

     

    Across India Inc, Twitter has fast transformed from an individual tool into a key platform to create and sustain brand buzz. The communications range from customer feedback and new jobs announcements to customer grievances and no-holds barred promotional blitzes.

     

    While companies such as Nokia India, Kotak Securities, Reliance Digital, Reckitt Benckiser and TripAdvisor outsource their Twitter handles, others such as ICICI Bank, Dell, IBM and Flipkart manage it in-house. Other agencies, such as Bloggers Mind, that provide third-party tweets include Convonix, Interactive Avenues and OgilvyOne.

     

    Twitter for most corporates is one link in an integrated marketing chain. “Our Twitter team is an extension of our ‘khayaal aapka’ effort and brings to life our commitment to be where our customers are,” said Anita Pai, senior general manager, ICICI Bank. In a typical month, ICICI Bank monitors 200,000 social media mentions, out of which 70,000 are tweets.

     

    Handset major Nokia India manages between 400 and 700 tweets a month via Bloggers Mind. “We use Twitter to engage with consumers on a real-time basis, share tips, information and address feedback or queries,” said Viral Oza, director (marketing), Nokia India. Bloggers Mind has a nine-member team for Nokia and four for Reckitt Benckiser.

     

    Aditya Vaidyanathan, account director for Nokia at Bloggers Mind, said: “We have a weekly planner with clients as to what messages to send out and how to address queries.” This includes promotional trivia such as: “Did you know that 360,500 text messages are sent out from Nokia phones every second”; or answering queries like: “How do I add new dictionary words to Nokia Lumia?”

     

  • Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm

    Anil Thakraney: India Inc needs Narendrabhai

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    If there’s one CM most industrialists adore, it’s Narendra Modi. Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani have been pretty vocal in their appreciation of Mota Bhai. Can’t fault them. Modi, being a Gujarati, has dhanda engraved in his genes; he understands business more than any other desi politician. In any case, he stands out big time amongst the chief ministers because the rest are either corrupt (we all know of them, don’t we?) or angsty (Bengal) or inefficient (most of them except perhaps Nitish Kumar).

     

    And so, Gujaratis flourishing in terms of industrial growth, there has been a lot of development in that state since Modi took charge. This is an undeniable fact. Which is why I am quite sure the corporate world would want Modi to run the entire country in the near future.

     

    Projects will get cleared faster, infrastructure will get a serious boost and most importantly, whether you like Modi or not, he is not known to be a corrupt man. At least, so far there’s been no evidence to the contrary. He would most likely kick people like Raja and Kalmadi out of the cabinet the moment there’s a whiff of chori.

     

    Yup, he is a doer (Manmohan Singh is a pure theorist) and India Inc needs such a man at the helm. As a case in point, I don’t see projects like FDI in multi-brand retail being so easily knocked off the radar under Modi’s regime.

     

    However, there’s a big impediment to Modi’s progress beyondGujarat: his massive ego. Okay, so the SIT commissioned by the Supreme Court has exonerated him of direct involvement in the post-Godhra riots, but that still doesn’t change the fact that the violence happened under his watch. That, hundreds of people got killed right under his nose. Just for that, Modi must unconditionally accept his failure and apologize. And move on. That done, who knows, people may move on as well and he could get that black mark erased from his otherwise healthy resume. And look to moving toDelhiwith a larger mandate.

     

    I really thinkIndia’s industrialists, for their own good, must meet Mota Bhai over chai and dhoklas, and educate him on the importance of ego management.

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Blast from the past! Can you even imagine such an ad being allowed to run in 2012. Kahaan gaye woh din? 🙂

  • The multiple financial scams under the UPA-2 rule have not just tarnished the nation’s image, they have made India a highly suspect destination for business

    Anil Thakraney: An open letter to the PM

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Dear MMS,

     

    You complain that India Inc’s negative comments are disappointing. You are apparently displeased about what the suits have to say about your government. That the UPA’s policies are quite depressing for business in India.

     

    Well, Sirji, the industry leaders have every reason to feel disheartened and negative about theIndiastory. If at all, I would say they are being pretty mild and cautious in their observations, because they can’t afford to upset the assorted politicians and bureaucrats in your team. Backlash from an upset government can be rather hurtful.

     

    Before you sulk over their comments, let’s examine your own track record since UPA-2 came to power: In the last one year alone, fuel prices have spiralled out of control, sending the economy for a toss and making the inflation figures go through the roof.

     

    As if that was not bad enough, the rupee is getting weaker by the day, and has now hit an all-time low. What is particularly pathetic, is that all this is happening under the leadership of a man touted as a master economist.

     

    I am not going to discuss the crashing infrastructure in the metros (many firang suits are known to take a sharp U-turn the moment they emerge from the Mumbai airport) because it’s too damn depressing. But I must point out that the multiple financial scams under your rule have not just tarnished the nation’s image, they have made India a highly suspect destination for business.

     

    In fact, the Anna Hazare campaign has made India look like a global clown on the world stage. And by the way, your complete mishandling of the Anna team hasn’t helped matters at all.

     

    And oh, just what happened with the FDI in multi-brand retail idea? You did not have the skills and means to push it through. At the very first sign of protest from the opposition leaders you ducked for cover. How encouraging is that for India Inc? It doesn’t end here. Your various ministers are often at war with each other, and as a leader you seem to have no control over their bickering.

     

    Sir, it’s a long list of gripes, and frankly I don’t want to put out the laundry list and destroy the New Year festive mood. But let me just say this: Instead of feeling bad, you should be thrilled that despite your government’s abysmal performance and dubious policies, many business leaders continue to be bullish on India.

     

    Thank them rather than complain. Happy New Year!

     

    * * *

     

    PS: Fantastic presentation at the BAFTA by acclaimed screenplay writer Charlie Kaufman. Totally from the heart, and an eye-opener. A must watch not just for those in the movie business but for all creative people.

     

    Link: http://video.bafta.org/services/player/bcpid1089742060001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAABxWZS7k~,uLPjGIDNpTm4SaHbu0n1-QlyJhJ3l3ls&bctid=1314090439001