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<ul><li><keyword id="468884" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neeraj-Arora" source="Orion">Neeraj Arora</keyword>, the former chief business officer of <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="WhatsApp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> has said that he regrets the sale to Facebook. </li><li>Arora, who helped in negotiations with Facebook says WhatsApp today is a shadow of its earlier versions. </li><li>WhatsApp is currently Meta’s second biggest platform. </li></ul>Popular messaging app WhatsApp was acquired by Mark Zuckerberg-led Facebook (now known as Meta) in 2014 for around $22 billion in cash and stock. The messaging app’s former chief business officer Neeraj Arora who helped in the negotiations now says that he regrets it. Facebook had acquired WhatsApp in a multi-billion dollar deal, making it the biggest acquisition for the company. The acquisition happened around five years after WhatsApp was launched and three years after Arora joined the company. In a series of <a href="https://twitter.com/neerajarora/status/1521964283466113024">tweets</a>, Neeraj Arora talks about the circumstances around the deal and the promises made by Facebook to convince WhatsApp’s founder Brain Acton to sell the app to the social media giant. “In 2014, I was the Chief Business Officer of WhatsApp and I helped negotiate the $22 billion sale to Facebook. Today, I regret it,” Arora said on Twitter. According to Arora, Facebook had approached WhatsApp for acquiring the messaging app in 2012/2013 and the latter had rejected the offer. However, Facebook approached WhatsApp once again in 2014. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Promises made by Facebook" comment="subhead" text="Promises made by Facebook">Promises made by Facebook</cmsannotation> Arora claims that Facebook’s offer in 2014 sounded like a partnership due to the promises made by the Zuckerberg led company. <ul><li>Full support for end-to-end encryption. </li><li>No ads. </li><li>Independence on product decisions. </li><li>Board seat for Jan Koum (WhatsApp cofounder and former CEO). </li><li>Office in Mountain View. </li></ul>Arora added that Facebook claimed that it supported WhatsApp’s mission of offering a service without any ads, games or gimmicks. He also added that Facebook had agreed to WhatsApp’s following terms – no mining user data, no ads and no cross-platform tracking. “Of course, that’s not what happened,” says Arora. The final nail in the coffin was the Cambridge Analytica scandal which revealed that personal data of millions of Facebook users was collected by Cambridge Analytica without user consent. Brian Acton had shared a tweet, asking people to delete Facebook. <div type="twitter" handle="brianacton" handlename="Brian Acton" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/85157243/acton_normal.jpg" favoritecount="32506" retweetcount="12064" status="It is time. #deletefacebook" createdat="1521586819000" id="976231995846963201"></div> “Today, WhatsApp is Facebook’s second largest platform (even bigger than Instagram or FB Messenger). But it’s a shadow of the product we poured our hearts into, and wanted to build for the world,” says Arora. In an attack on Facebook’s policies around user data, Arora said, “Nobody knew in the beginning that Facebook would become a Frankenstein monster that devoured user data and spat out dirty money. We didn’t either.” Arora is the cofounder of <keyword id="13828131" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HalloApp" source="Orion">HalloApp</keyword>, which has raised funds from Sequoia Capital, Brian Acton, former Facebook board director Jim Breyer and others. HalloApp intends to charge a subscription fee to its subscribers, which is expected to be between $2 to $5 per month. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-called-out-apples-app-store-fee-saying-its-like-having-a-30-tax-on-the-internet/articleshow/91324986.cms">Elon Musk called out Apple's App Store fee, saying it's 'like having a 30% tax on the Internet'</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/facebook-whistleblower-is-optimistic-about-elon-musks-twitter-takeover-and-says-musk-can-take-feedback-better-than-mark-zuckerberg/articleshow/91213942.cms">Facebook whistleblower is optimistic about Elon Musk's Twitter takeover and says Musk can take feedback better than Mark Zuckerberg</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/facebook-parent-meta-soars-17-after-q1-results-show-user-growth-recovery-and-mark-zuckerberg-reins-in-metaverse-spending/articleshow/91151852.cms">Facebook parent Meta soars 16% after Q1 results show user growth recovery, and Mark Zuckerberg reins in metaverse spending</a>

Neeraj Arora, former chief business officer of WhatsApp regrets sale to Facebook

<ul><li>Ex IITian can be the next CEO of <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="468884" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Neeraj-Arora">Neeraj Arora</keyword> is a ex-googler.</li><li>Neeraj graduated from IIT-Delhi in 2000 and did his MBA from <keyword id="6357275" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="indian-school-of-business">Indian School of Business</keyword> in 2006.</li></ul> Neeraj Arora, a 39 year old IITian may <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/business/meet-neeraj-arora-the-iitian-who-could-be-elevated-to-whatsapp-ceo-1846667" data-type="tilCustomLink">step up</a> to the CEO position at WhatsApp after <keyword id="1983269" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jan-Koum">Jan Koum</keyword> stepped down earlier this week. The former CEO resigned from the company due to differences with its parent company, <keyword id="6354576" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook">Facebook</keyword>. With 1.5 million monthly users, WhatsApp is the biggest mobile messaging service in the world. Also, over 3 million people are actively using WhatsApp Business app. Arora has being associated with WhatsApp for the past seven years, according to his <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/neerajarora/">LinkedIn profile</a>. He is the head of “All Things Business” at WhatsApp in the San Francisco Bay area. According to reports, Arora is considered the “number four” person at WhatsApp. This plus his extensive experience of working with some of the top tech companies is why he is being considered for the position. He started his career in 2000 as a product manager with the private cloud sharing and governance platform Accellion Inc. Prior to working with WhatsApp, he served as a board member for Paytm for a period of nearly three years. Arora has also worked with <keyword id="6355629" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="google">Google</keyword> in the past. He worked as a corporate development manager for nearly three years before being promoted to lead the company's corporate development team where he lead acquisitions and strategic investments across products and geographies. Neeraj is an IIT-Delhi 2000 batch pass-out. After his bachelors in mechanical engineering he completed his MBA in finance and strategy from the <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> School of Business in 2006.

WhatsApp may get an Indian CEO following Jan Koum’s exit

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Former <keyword id="11896250" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="whatsapp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> exec Neeraj Arora says he regrets that <keyword id="11892960" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="facebook" source="Orion">Facebook</keyword> bought the startup.</li><li>WhatsApp insiders have long bemoaned the sale, which they say saw the startup's mission unravel.</li></ul>WhatsApp's early execs have been vocal for years about their disdain for Facebook and what the company did to their startup.And on Thursday, WhatsApp's former chief business officer weighed in.Neeraj Arora joined the startup in 2011 and said on Twitter that he "helped negotiate the $22 billion sale to Facebook. Today, I regret it."The story is well-known that Facebook approached WhatsApp with an offer that Arora said looked like a partnership. One of those promises was WhatsApp leadership would retain "complete independence on product decisions." Others were that Mark Zuckerberg's company would never integrate ads and cross-platform tracking on the app and that it wouldn't mine user data."FB and their management agreed and we thought they believed in our mission," Arora said.But Facebook, WhatsApp execs have said, had other plans.Facebook considered introducing ads to WhatsApp and letting businesses communicate with the app's users, Co-founder Brian Acton told <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/parmyolson/2018/09/26/exclusive-whatsapp-cofounder-brian-acton-gives-the-inside-story-on-deletefacebook-and-why-he-left-850-million-behind/?sh=125be16b3f20">Forbes</a> in 2018 shortly after he left. The app does not have ads today. "Today, WhatsApp is Facebook's second largest platform (even bigger than Instagram or FB Messenger,)" Arora tweeted. "But it's a shadow of the product we poured our hearts into, and wanted to build for the world. And I am not the only one who regrets that it became part of Facebook when it did."Arora, who has cofounded a relatively new ad-free social platform called HalloApp, said <keyword id="6358815" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tech" source="Orion">tech</keyword> companies need to take accountability when their products and services go awry."Nobody knew in the beginning that Facebook would become a Frankenstein monster that devoured user data and spat out dirty money," Arora tweeted.Arora left WhatsApp in 2018 shortly after Acton departed the company. Acton famously kicked off a #deletefacebook campaign on Twitter after Facebook's handling of user data amid the Cambridge Analytica scandal came to light."It is time," <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-cofounder-brian-acton-tweet-time-to-delete-facebook-2018-3">Acton said in an early 2018 tweet</a>, adding the hashtag #DeleteFacebook.

Former WhatsApp exec says he regrets the startup's sale to Facebook because it became a 'shadow of the product we poured our hearts into'

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images for Breakthrough PrizeNeeraj Arora</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/whatsapp">WhatsApp's</a> chief business officer Neeraj Arora is quitting.</li><li>He's the latest in a long line of senior execs to quit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/facebook">Facebook</a>, from the cofounders of Instagram to Oculus.</li><li>Arora's departure follows ugly clashes between WhatsApp's cofounders and Facebook leadership.</li><li>He says he plans to spent time with his family.</li></ul>The chief business officer of WhatsApp is leaving, the latest in a line of high-level departures at Facebook and its associated apps.Neeraj Arora, a seven-year veteran of the encrypted messaging app, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/neerajarora/posts/10155801921937478">announced on Facebook on Monday that he was stepping down, saying he planned to spend more time with his family</a>."It is time to move on, but I cannot be more proud of how WhatsApp continues to touch people in so many different ways every day. I am confident that WhatsApp will continue to be the simple, secure &amp; trusted communication product for years to come," he wrote. "I'm going to be taking some time off to recharge and spend time with family."Arora's exit comes as Facebook lurches from scandal to scandal, and in the wake of a number of high-profile executive exits. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/instagram-cofounder-kevin-systrom-quitting-everythings-awesome-2018-10">Earlier this year the two cofounders of Instagram, Kevin Systrom</a> and Mike Krieger, left the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/10/22/oculus-co-founder-brendan-iribe-leaves-facebook.html">and Oculus cofounder Brendan Iribe made his exit in October</a>. WhatsApp has proved particularly contentious for Facebook. WhatsApp's cofounder and CEO Jan Koum bailed out in April 2018, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jan-koum-whatsapp-privacy-quit-facebook-cowardly-2018-5">reportedly as a result of privacy concerns</a>. And in September, WhatsApp's other cofounder, Brian Acton, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-cofounder-brian-acton-clashed-with-facebook-sheryl-sandberg-2018-9">went public with allegations of fiery clashes with Facebook's leadership over monetization</a>. (He has also previously called on people to #DeleteFacebook.)Do you work at Facebook or WhatsApp? Got a tip? Contact this reporter via Signal or WhatsApp at +1 (650) 636-6268 using a non-work phone, email at rprice@businessinsider.com, Telegram or WeChat at robaeprice, or Twitter DM at <a href="https://twitter.com/robaeprice">@robaeprice</a>. (PR pitches by email only, please.) You can also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-tip-business-insider-securely-guide-signal-securedrop-2017-6">contact Business Insider securely via SecureDrop</a>. WhatsApp is among Facebook's most widely-used products, though the company has moved slowly in efforts to monetize the free-to-use app.Arora, a former Google employee, joined WhatsApp in November 2011 and served as its chief business officer. After Koum's resignation, there was some speculation that Arora would be made the app's next chief exec - <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/meet-new-boss-of-whatsapp-he-is-not-neeraj-arora-but-he-has-a-big-india-connection-1229323-2018-05-09">but that role ultimately went to Chris Daniels</a>, formerly VP of internet.org, Facebook's internet connectivity efforts.<h2>Here's Neeraj Arora's full public goodbye post:</h2>"Time flies for sure but not memories. It is hard to believe that it has been seven years since Jan and Brian got me onboard at WhatsApp, and it has been one hell of a ride!"I've been blessed to work with a small set of talented people and see how maniacal focus can create something magical which is loved by billions of people. It is time to move on, but I cannot be more proud of how WhatsApp continues to touch people in so many different ways every day. I am confident that WhatsApp will continue to be the simple, secure &amp; trusted communication product for years to come."I'm going to be taking some time off to recharge and spend time with family. I am deeply indebted to Jan and Brian, who entrusted me to be their business companion for so many years and I am thankful to each one of you who has supported me along the way and made this exciting journey possible." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-go-open-3000-automated-stores-2018-9">Amazon wants to open 3,000 cashier-less grocery stores - and they'll have a major advantage over their competitors</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

WhatsApp's chief business officer is the latest exec to leave Facebook

<ul><li>Neeraj Arora and Michael Donohue, two of <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword>’s earliest employees, have launched a new private social network.</li><li>Named the <keyword id="11677784" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="halloapp">HalloApp</keyword>, the company promises that it will always be ad-free, algorithm-free and all messages are encrypted by default.</li><li>HalloApp is available for download from Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.</li></ul>At a time when gaining wide reach on social networks is commonplace, having a private social network might seem contrary to what people want. And yet, two of WhatsApp’s earliest employees have gone ahead and launched just that, a private social network called HalloApp. HalloApp is now available to download and install on <a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/halloapp/id1501583052">iOS</a> and <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.halloapp">Android devices</a>. From early impressions, it seems to be a mix of the now-defunct Path app and WhatsApp – HalloApp draws inspiration from Path when it comes to the “private social network” part, and from WhatsApp, when it comes to adding and chatting with friends – the only way you can find people is by having their phone number. As an added bonus, the app does not have any ads and all messages are encrypted by default. The two employees behind the app are Neeraj Arora and Michael Donohue. Both Arora and Donohue were with WhatsApp before and after the Facebook acquisition. While Arora was with the company until 2018, Donohue left in 2019. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Social media has turned into a ‘digital mall’, says Arora" comment="subhead" text="Social media has turned into a ‘digital mall’, says Arora">Social media has turned into a ‘digital mall’, says Arora</cmsannotation> Our social media feeds have become algorithm-driven – this applies to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, but more so for the latter two, as Twitter gives an option to switch to a chronological timeline. Even YouTube’s recommended videos are <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2018/11/how-youtubes-algorithm-really-works/575212/">tuned by algorithms</a>, with “Where you hoped to have meaningful conversations, instead you found yourself falling down the rabbit hole of blinking red notifications and an algorithmic feed of meaningless content,” Arora said in a <a href="https://halloapp.com/blog/real-relationship-network/">blog post</a>, highlighting the pitfalls of algorithm-driven feeds. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Getting to know HalloApp" comment="subhead" text="Getting to know HalloApp">Getting to know HalloApp</cmsannotation> HalloApp’s interface is pretty simple – and by some extent, barebones, right now. The app is divided into three tabs – the Home feed, groups and chats. The Home feed is where posts from your friends and family show up. Arora describes it as such, taking aim at virtually most of the major social networks out there: “No ads. No bots. No likes. No trolls. No followers. No algorithms. No influencers. No photo filters. No “feed fatigue.” No misinformation spreading like wildfire.” He also goes ahead to explain that the company will eventually offer additional features in the app at a small cost. Groups and chats are self-explanatory. Right now, the chats screen shows the people are who have signed up on HalloApp. It will be interesting to see if HalloApp gains traction at a time when the Pegasus spyware has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apples-iphone-has-a-major-blinking-red-five-alarm-fire-problem-with-imessage-security-according-to-a-cybersecurity-researcher/articleshow/84555122.cms">reportedly used with iMessage</a> and WhatsApp as two of the several attack vectors. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/india-among-top-three-countries-facing-phishing-attacks-via-whatsapp-and-telegram-reveals-report/articleshow/84401513.cms">India among top three countries facing phishing attacks via WhatsApp and Telegram, reveals report</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/youtube-shorts-begins-rolling-out-globally-as-it-looks-to-catch-up-with-tiktok/articleshow/84376695.cms">YouTube Shorts begins rolling out globally as it looks to catch up with TikTok</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/photo-editing-and-app-lock-features-android-apps-caught-stealing-users-facebook-passwords/articleshow/84136996.cms">Android apps with over 5.8 million downloads caught stealing users’ Facebook passwords</a>

Two of WhatsApp's earliest employees have launched a private, ad-free social network

A group of Indian origin Silicon Valley hotshots have joined the board of the financial technology firm <keyword id="2689416" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deal4loans">Deal4Loans</keyword>, which provides loans through its online portal. 
 Among others, the group includes <keyword id="508899" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ram-Shriram">Ram Shriram</keyword>, founding board member and one of the first investors in Google, <keyword id="468884" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Neeraj-Arora">Neeraj Arora</keyword>, the business head of Whatsapp and <keyword id="3322410" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Puru-Vashishtha">Puru Vashishtha</keyword>, who had invested on Wall Street hedge funds. All three of them have also invested unknown amounts in the company. 
 Deal4Loans, founded by <keyword id="2034824" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rishi-Mehra">Rishi Mehra</keyword> in 2009, claims that it is the first of its kind when it comes to online loan comparison and booking. Mehra told ET told that it has seen a "hockey stick growth" in the last three years, having already booked Rs 10,000 crore in loans through its customer base of 7 million. 
 
"Its deep technology edge and algorithms attracted me to invest in the company. Digitisation of banks is a reality that Indian banks will have to adapt to," Shriram told ET via mail. 
 
He also added that digitisation would require banks to have a technology partner, something which Deal4loans is capable of being.

Indian-origin leaders from Silicon Valley have invested undisclosed amounts in Deal4Loans

The BCCI has set up an organising committee for ICC World Twenty20, which will be held in India next year. 
 
The World T20 tournament, which will be hosted by the BCCI, will held from March 11 to April 3, 2016. 
 <keyword id="2955406" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="BCCI-secretary-Anurag-Thakur">BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur</keyword> informed that MV Sridhar, general manager for cricket operations at BCCI as the tournament director while former Delhi Police commissioner Neeraj Kumar, who is the chief advisor security and ACSU of BCCI will be the director of Security and ACSU for the event. 
 
While Amrit Mathur is appointed as the principal coordinator, RP Shah will be the tournament manager finance. KVP Rao, manager - game development of the BCCI has been appointed as the manager for cricket operations while Nishant Jeet Arora, media manager of the BCCI, will be the tournament media manager. 
 
N Srinivasan's assistant Mayank Parikh has been nominated as manager - logistics and hospitality for the event. 
 
Professor Ratnakar Shetty has been appointed as an advisor to the committee. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

BCCI gears up for 2016 ICC World T20, forms organising committee

With an aim to make the messaging platform more user friendly, Meta-owned WhatsApp has announced that it is rolling out new features, including emoji reactions, bigger files and groups. The company said that it is slowly rolling out the ability to add up to 512 people to a group, which, till now, allowed to add only up to 256. "We are excited to share that emoji reactions are now available on the latest version of the app. Reactions are fun, fast, and they reduce overload in groups too. We will continue improving them by adding an even broader range of expressions in the future," the company said in a blogpost. "In addition, you can now send files within WhatsApp up to 2GB in size at a time, protected by end-to-end encryption. This is an increase from the previous limit of 100MB and we think will be helpful for collaboration among small businesses and school groups," it added. WhatsApp said it recommends using WiFi for larger files and it will display a counter while uploading or downloading to let users know how long your transfer will take. A recent report said that WhatsApp is likely working on the ability to view status updates right within the chats list in a future update of the app. This feature is under development so it has not been rolled out to beta testers yet. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/neeraj-arora-former-chief-business-officer-of-whatsapp-regrets-sale-to-facebook/articleshow/91343668.cms">Neeraj Arora, former chief business officer of WhatsApp regrets sale to Facebook</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/ten-less-known-whatsapp-tips-and-tricks-to-make-texting-more-exciting/articleshow/91341009.cms">Ten less-known WhatsApp tips and tricks to make texting more exciting</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-will-soon-allow-you-to-use-the-same-account-on-multiple-phones/articleshow/91153204.cms">WhatsApp will soon allow you to use the same account on multiple phones</a>

WhatsApp update brings emoji reactions, groups with 512 members

Former Vodafone chief executive <keyword id="292871" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Arun-Sarin">Arun Sarin</keyword> could have picked any major Indian corporate boards to be a part of. After all, the 61-year-old, who is on board of corporate mammoths like Cisco, Charles Schwab and Blackhawk Networks, and has in the past worked as a senior adviser to global asset manager KKR &amp; Co. However, he chose two <keyword id="982553" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-startups">Indian startups</keyword>, and would now mentor taxi-hailing app <keyword id="6354720" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ola">Ola</keyword> and music-streaming company <keyword id="2060236" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Saavn">Saavn</keyword>. 
 
Sarin is not only signed on as an adviser for these two companies, but has also invested undisclosed amounts in them. 
 
"It's a huge trend. Everybody wants to be associated with a startup at this point, especially those that are changing the rules," Sunit Mehra, managing partner of Hunt Partners India, which is an executive search firm, told ET. 
 
In the recent past, leading Indian startups like Flipkart, Paytm, Snapdeal and Urban Ladder have attracted big names from the corporate sector and have succeeded. They now have big names that advise and mentor them, and continue to raise billions of dollars in funding. 
 
Snapdeal founders, Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal, have Akhil Gupta, who is the VC of Bharti Enterprises and executive chairman of Bharti Infratel. Similarly, Paytm, led by Vijay Shekhar Sharma recently added Neeraj Arora, WhatsApp's global business head, and Ruchi Sanghvi, former VP (Operations) at Dropbox, into its board. 
 
However, for many startup founders, it’s not only about adding glittering names to the board, but also about the connections and advices on strategy that these names carry with themselves. 
 
Decades of managerial and troubleshooting experience comes handy for startup founders, who get benefit while entering new categories and geographies and managing cash and investor relations. 
 
<a href="http://i.idnes.cz/06/112/org/LHC171655_Vodafone_Arun_Sarin_03.jpg">Image source</a>

Ex-Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin to now mentor Ola and Saavn

After retiring from Google in February 2016, <keyword id="6372293" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Amit-Singhal">Amit Singhal</keyword>, a former Google Fellow who is often regarded as the master of Google 'ranking algorithm', has decided to join the board of directors at fitness startup GOQii. Singhal was associated with Google for 15 years. 
 
In an interview to ET, Singhal stated that prior to joining the Vishal Gondal-founded firm, he had also invested in it as an angel investor in 2014. 
 
Now that he has joined the board of the start-up, he hopes to bring his expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning he brings from Google to boost GOQii, so that the service can be made more predictive and preventive. 
 
"The idea that is most intriguing about GOQii is having a human being working with artificial intelligence to motivate the user," he said. 
 
Born in Jhansi, the 47-year old also said, "It is not just some bit of learning... but there will be a lot of artificial intelligence going in the background. The interface to these things has not evolved to a point where a human being is fully comfortable with it, especially in an area like health and wellness... so a lot of science has to be worked upon. The world needs good health and it needs to be motivated about it." 
 
Singhal said that combining algorithmic-machine learning to human beings makes it a very powerful model. "I have always believed in the symphony between machines and human beings to achieve things that won't be achieved otherwise," said the PhD holder from Cornell University. 
 
Taking of the start-up, GOQii has got investments from the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Chinese mobile internet company Cheetah Mobile and DSG Consumer Partners; along with having many other Silicon Valley stalwarts, like WhatsApp’s Neeraj Arora, Flextronics’s Mike McNamara, Seagate’s Steve Luczo, Basis’s Bharat Vasan and Dr Shriram Nene as angel investors. 
 
<a href="http://www.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/styles/large/public/article_images/2015/11/star-trek-google.jpg?itok=cew2U8Xq">Image source</a>

Amit Singhal, former head of ‘Google Search’, joins fitness start-up GOQii

<ul><li>Students of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) aspiring to qualify for CA examination are protesting against May exam results. </li><li>The students took to Twitter to reveal the errors in the evaluation of examination papers, along with the hashtag #dearICAIpleasechange. </li><li>The students alleged that answer sheets have been evaluated incorrectly, deducting marks for correct answers. </li><li>Given that, the institute said that the November 2019 and May 2020 exam papers will undergo digital evaluation.</li></ul>Students of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) aspiring to qualify CA examination have been<a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/icai-protest-day-2-ca-aspirants-protest-at-200-branches-demand-right-to-revaluation-of-papers-watch/story-NqN3k42b8Nxerke6NHBygM.html"> protesting against the results</a>. The aspirants staged massive protest across 200 branches of the ICAI, demanding revaluation of the examination papers. They are protesting both online and offline. The students took to Twitter to reveal errors in the evaluation under the hashtag #dearICAIpleasechange. According to PTI, students alleged that answer sheets have been evaluated incorrectly, deducting marks for the correct answers as well. The students evaluated their own answers, based on the answer key released released by the institute. "They found that many of their correct answers had been marked as wrong and this way, many students flunked the papers. In some cases, even 12 marks have been deducted," CA Neeraj Arora, ICAI member <a href="https://www.news18.com/news/india/over-200-students-stage-protest-at-icai-claim-papers-not-evaluated-properly-2320029.html">told </a>PTI. The exam was conducted in May. Students accessed their answer copies via RTI (Right To Information) enquiries. Until 2018, the CA Act did not allow students to show the answer copies to any other person, which was scrapped after massive protests during that year. The students even want the institute to penalise examiners for the errors. In response to the student outrage, the institute had put out a notification clarifying that "It has been brought to our notice that certain adverse reports relating to the system of evaluation of answer books of CA exams are doing the rounds on social media." Given that, the institute has introduced changes in the evaluation process for the examinations scheduled for November 2019 and May 2020. The examination papers will now undergo digital evaluation to maintain transparency. It will also eliminate manual errors like totalling, variation in marks according to the examiner. In fact, the institute will also roll out OMR-based evaluation for MCQs of Elective Papers. This will keep the examination objective type, eliminating variations in the subjective answers. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mulea-magadh-university-students-protest-exam-delay-with-youtube-campaign/articleshow/68736600.cms">‘We have become zombies’, say helpless students at a 450,000-strong Indian university launching a YouTube protest against a broken system</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mbbs-doctors-need-not-take-extra-exams-for-licences-pg-admissions/articleshow/70271392.cms">Now, MBBS doctors need not take extra exams for licences, PG admissions</a>

Hundreds of India's aspiring chartered accountants are furious and protesting on the streets

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="https://twitter.com/readmark">Mark Read / Twitter</a></div></div></div>The ad holding giant WPP is merging J. Walter Thompson, one of the world's oldest ad agencies, with Wunderman, its global digital network, <a href="https://www.wpp.com/news/2018/11/wpp-forms-new-creative-data-and-technology-agency-wunderman-thompson">the company announced on Monday</a>.The new organization, called Wunderman Thompson, will be led by Wunderman's global CEO, Mel Edwards, while Tamara Ingram, the CEO of J. Walter Thompson, will become chairman.The merger comes on the heels of a similar union in September, where WPP brought together the agencies VML and Young &amp; Rubicam to create a new entity called VMLY&amp;R.It's the latest illustration of CEO Mark Read's quest to simplify WPP's various networks, revive growth, and better integrate creative, digital, and media functions."It shows that there are no sacred cows, which is a good sign for WPP," said David Jones, the former Havas chief who founded the brand-tech company You &amp; Mr. Jones.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ad-industry-executives-sound-off-on-jwt-and-wunderman-merger-2018-11">Click here</a> to read more about what the merger means for the future of the industry.In other news:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-documents-could-be-published-by-uk-mp-damian-collins-2018-11">Facebook has a bruising week ahead as British lawmakers say there's a 'high level of public interest' in releasing a cache of seized legal documents.</a> The documents could contain explosive revelations about how Facebook's privacy policy allowed Cambridge Analytica to secure the data of 87 million users.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/whatsapp-chief-business-officer-neeraj-arora-quits-2018-11">Speaking of Facebook, WhatsApp's chief business officer is the latest exec to leave Facebook.</a> Neeraj Arora is the latest in a long line of senior execs to quit <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/facebook">Facebook</a>, from the cofounders of Instagram to Oculus.<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/11/26/facebook-watch-pivoting-older-audiences-teens-tuning-out.html">Facebook Watch is reportedly shifting its strategy to focus on older users instead of teens and young adults, CNBC reports.</a> The dedicated video platform has failed to get recognition with users, who aren't used to watching long videos on Facebook.<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-with-little-fanfare-emerges-as-an-advertising-giant-1543248561">Here is a look at how Amazon is on track to become an advertising juggernaut, according to the Wall Street Journal.</a> The company's ad sales have been growing at a steady clip in recent quarters, with the ad business expected to generate more income than its cloud business in the next few years, according to analysts. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/seeking-nominations-for-the-rising-stars-of-madison-avenue-2018-11">Seeking nominations for the rising stars of Madison Avenue.</a> Please submit your ideas <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Og5VKXANxYzGQWFLYDHrUj5HgIY4pJjKka_0XCHxZvE/edit">via this survey</a> by Nov. 30, 2018.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ignition-2018-speakers-2018-8">Announcing IGNITION 2018 speakers: Don't miss Mark Cuban, Sir Martin Sorrell, Danica Patrick, Troy Carter, and more!</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/time-lapse-videos-satellite-images-china-infrastructure-change-2017-7">Beautiful time-lapse videos show how much China has changed over the years</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

What you need to know in advertising today

<keyword id="2189512" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-video" source="Orion">Prime Video</keyword> on Wednesday announced that the much-awaited second season of "Made In Heaven" will premiere on August 10. Created by <keyword id="36968" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="zoya-akhtar" source="Orion">Zoya Akhtar</keyword> and <keyword id="125922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reema-kagti" source="Orion">Reema Kagti</keyword>, the show revolves around Sobhita Dhulipala's Tara Khanna and actor Arjun Mathur's Karan Mehra, two best friends turned wedding planners navigating the world of big fat Indian weddings while dealing with conflicts in their personal lives. "Made In Heaven" season two will delve deeper into the lives of its characters who navigate the complexities of organizing and celebrating marriages while their own lives unfold in unexpected ways, a press release stated. "As seen in the first season, the new season will also feature a host of cameos, whilst taking forward the nuanced narrative on various social prejudices. Season Two will beautifully reveal the dichotomy of tradition, modern aspirations and belief systems set against the canvas of lavish Indian weddings," it stated. The seven-episode season two is directed by Kagti and Akhtar along with Alankrita Shrivastava, Neeraj Ghaywan and Nitya Mehra. Besides Dhulipala and Mathur, it also features Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora, Shivani Raghuvanshi, and Vijay Raaz. The newcomers include Mona Singh, Ishwak Singh and Trinetra Haldar. The first season of "Made in Heaven" came out in 2019 and received critical-acclaim for its storytelling and performances by the lead cast. In a statement, Akhtar and Kagti said the show holds a special place in their hearts and is a symbol of "true strength of collaboration with many creative energies aligning". "The second season of 'Made In Heaven', delves deeper into the extravagant world of Indian weddings and unearths more stories from the community. "'Made In Heaven' reflects the lives of upscale modern India, and is narrated through the eyes of two wedding planners, set against the backdrop of quintessential Indian weddings and recurring social prejudices. Our hope is that the latest one is received with as much love as the last," they added. Aparna Purohit, Head of Originals, Prime Video India, "Made In Heaven" has become a part of the "cultural zeitgeist". "The next instalment of the show will present a perfect mosaic of stories that blend tradition and modernity, coupled with a layered, immersive and an emotional narrative. It's a true privilege to work with such gifted, collaborative and passionate storytellers and we are confident that the new season of the show will not just entertain but provoke, inspire, and uplift our audiences," she added. "Made In Heaven" is produced by Excel Media &amp; Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti's Tiger Baby.

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Amit Singhal, former head of ‘Google Search’, joins fitness start-up GOQii

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What you need to know in advertising today

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