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<ul><li><keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword> has announced its plans to expand its sales and service infra to 10,000 outlets.</li><li>The company said it plans on reaching this by the end of 2025 and has initiated a network partner programme.</li><li>The programme is aimed at pushing sales into tier-2 and tier-3 cities.</li></ul>Bhavish Aggarwal-led Ola Electric on Thursday said it will establish 10,000 sales and service outlets by the end of 2025 to expand its reach across smaller cities and towns. The electric two-wheeler maker said it has initiated a network partner programme aimed at taking EV sales further into tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including urban pockets where EV penetration remains low. Under the initiative, the company has reportedly on-boarded 625 partners to expand its sales footprint across India, it said in a statement. The company further plans to have 1,000 partners ahead of the festive season this year, it added. <div type="twitter" handle="bhash" handlename="bhash" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1839215479480549447"></div> Ola Electric said it aggressively plans to expand its network by on-boarding 10,000 partners, across sales and service, by the end of 2025. This, the company claims will give it an edge over its competitors. The company currently has around 800 company-owned stores, and with the network partner programme, it will have nearly 1,800 sales and service touch points ahead of the upcoming festive season. "Our D2C model has been extremely successful in driving sustainable business growth. The Network Partner Program will further amplify the benefits of our D2C network as it requires limited capital investment from partners and can be scaled up really fast," Ola Electric Chairman and MD Bhavish Aggarwal stated. While the company-owned stores will be the anchors of sales and service network, this programme will be instrumental in expanding the EV footprint deeper into the urban and rural markets, he added. "We will continue to expand and invest in our front-end network to accelerate EV adoption to #EndICEAge, and by the end of next year, will have 10,000 Network Partners across the country," Aggarwal said. Ola Electric sells electric scooters and bikes priced from ₹74,999 to ₹1,99,999. Ola Electric reported a sale of 27,506 units in August 2024, up from 18,749 vehicles sold in August 2023, reporting a 46.7% year-on-year growth. This is however lower than its July 2024 sales of 41,711 vehicles. The sale of <keyword id="19895203" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicles" source="keywords">electric vehicles</keyword> has slowed down, amid reduced subsidies, an increase in customer issues with the vehicles and more. With inputs from agencies. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/airtel-is-using-ai-powered-technology-to-block-spam-calls-and-messages/articleshow/113691942.cms">Airtel is using AI-powered technology to block spam calls and messages</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/webstories/diffusion-engineers-ipo-quick-review-ipo-gmp-risk-factors-and-more/slidelist/113687580.cms">Diffusion Engineers IPO quick review – IPO GMP, risk factors and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/manba-finance-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/113667907.cms">Manba Finance IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a>

Ola Electric plans to expand sales and service infra to 10,000 outlets by 2025-end

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Critical Role's new podcast series "Moonward" on August 7.</li><li>"Moonward" will see CR's Marisha Ray and Liam O'Brien, embarking on a new adventure to a wrecked moon.</li></ul>Critical Role's new expansion into the podcasting business is nearly here, accompanied by a brand-new trailer.As Business Insider reported on July 11, CR is bringing not one but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-expands-further-into-podcast-business-moonward-obrien-ray-2024-7">two of its cofounders to</a><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-expands-further-into-podcast-business-moonward-obrien-ray-2024-7"> this fresh storytelling venture,</a> "Moonward."Creative director Marisha Ray and the CR crew's resident <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-candela-obscura-liam-obrien-gothic-horror-gaming-2024-4">heartbreak prince</a>, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-6-hour-candela-obscura-liam-obrien-finale-twitch-2024-4">Liam O'Brien</a>, are embarking on a cosmic sojourn to discover the secrets of a wrecked lunarscape. The two are playing all-new characters in this stand-alone series set in the world of <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/critical-role-acquires-midst-podcast-1235567942/">"Midst,"</a> an experimental audio drama <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/critical-role-acquires-midst-podcast-1235567942/">Critical Role acquired in 2023</a>.This summer podcast release marks the halfway mark of one of Critical Role's biggest years. The crew's working on two Amazon-backed animation series, launched new role-playing games, and started its own in-house streaming platform, <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-beacon-subscription-service-twitch-membership-2024-5">Beacon</a>.The third season of the company's Amazon-backed animation series, <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matt-mercer-critical-role-tease-legend-of-the-mighty-nein-2024-4">"The Legend of Vox Machina,"</a> is now slated for an October 3 release. Meanwhile, CR's business expansion continues with two games: <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-candela-obscura-liam-obrien-gothic-horror-gaming-2024-4">Candela Obscura,"</a> CR's gothic horror offering, and the <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/critical-role-launches-daggerheart-disruptor-dungeons-and-dragons-2024-3">"Daggerheart" open-beta.</a>In the meantime, fans get to enjoy this renewed push into the podcasting business, something the team has been working on since it started working with the creators of "Midst."Check out the art for Vesta Sterling, Ray's new character, and Walden Orlock, who O'Brien is playing.<div type="image" title="A composite image of character art from Midst. There is a woman with platinum hair on the left wearing a yellow shirt and green pants. There is a man on the right wearing an orange and purple patterned shirt, with green pants." height="768" width="1024" msid="111996041" hostid="261" sizebytes="49464"></div>The new podcast expansion also features the original, previously anonymous cast of "Midst" — Xen, Sara Wile, and Matt Roen.The first episode of "Moonward" will air on August 7 at 7 p.m. Pacific on Spotify and Apple Podcasts and Critical Role's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitch.tv/criticalrole">Twitch</a> and <a target="_blank" href="http://youtube.com/criticalrole">YouTube channels.</a>The following episodes will be released on Wednesdays, also at 7 p.m.Beacon subscribers get access to the first two episodes on August 7 and will have full access to future episodes one week before the podcast, Twitch, and YouTube viewers do.

Here's your first look at Critical Role's 'Moonward' — the nerdworld crew's big expansion into the podcasting business

Cloud-based software giant <keyword id="20128940" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salesforce" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Salesforce" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Salesforce">Salesforce</keyword> is thinking of growing its presence in <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>, according to a PTI report quoting senior company officials. PTI reports that the company is actively seeking additional office space to support its expanding operations in the country, as revealed by Salesforce’s Chief Operating Officer, <keyword id="23233615" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="brian-millham" source="keywords">Brian Millham</keyword>, during an interview on Wednesday. Salesforce currently operates major centres in <keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword> and Hyderabad, which are integral to the company’s global functions. However, the company is now looking to scale up even further. "We are searching for new office spaces in India as part of our expansion strategy," Millham told PTI. He talked about the critical role that the Indian workforce plays in supporting Salesforce’s worldwide operations. In addition to its role as a key hub for global operations, Salesforce’s business serving the Indian market has experienced unprecedented growth. For two years running, the company's Indian arm has been the fastest-growing among all the countries it operates in, making it a significant driver of Salesforce’s overall success. “India has delivered extraordinary growth for us,” Millham noted, adding that the rapid expansion of its employee base in the country is equally impressive. "What we see in terms of employee contribution here is remarkable, and it’s a key part of our global strategy," he said, highlighting the dual importance of both growth and talent coming from India. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113054026" title="Salesforce joins the AI race, announces plans to acquire AI startup Tenyx" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> Salesforce’s commitment to India is further reinforced by plans to continue investing in its innovation hubs located in Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Srini Tallapragada, the company’s Chief of Engineering, elaborated on these plans, stating that these centres will be central to the company’s innovation efforts moving forward. Arundhati Bhattacharya, the Chairperson and CEO of <keyword id="4767524" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="salesforce-india" source="Orion">Salesforce India</keyword>, shared further insights into the company’s growth trajectory. She revealed that the number of Salesforce employees in India has more than doubled over the past two years, surpassing 13,000. While she stopped short of providing exact targets for future hiring, Bhattacharya indicated that the company plans to keep adding talent based on market demand. Bhattacharya also clarified that Salesforce does not approach its Indian workforce from a cost-saving perspective. Instead, the company focuses on the abundant talent available in the country. "We don't see any talent shortages here, and we’re committed to growing our team in India," she said. Additionally, Salesforce has been working to expand its ecosystem in India through various initiatives. One key initiative includes nurturing over 2 million "Trailblazers" — Salesforce-certified professionals in the country. Another major effort is a partnership with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), through which Salesforce plans to train more than 200,000 individuals via internships. This initiative is part of the company’s broader strategy to grow a skilled workforce capable of driving innovation and supporting Salesforce’s growing influence in the Indian market. (With PTI inputs)

"Searching for new office spaces in India, committed to growing our team": Salesforce eyes expansion

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> will co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut federal spending.</li><li>Musk said on X that he'll launch a "leaderboard" to track spending and crowdsource ideas for cuts.</li></ul>Elon Musk has officially landed the role as co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency, and he's already crowdsourcing for suggestions. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that Musk will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-tesla-spacex-x-department-government-efficiency-jobs-2024-11">head the department</a> alongside businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, with the goal of curbing government spending.In a post on X, Musk promised that the DOGE — named after the cryptocurrency — will publish all of its activity online to ensure "maximum transparency" and will "have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars."As of Wednesday morning, the post had garnered more than 26 million views, 18,000 comments, and 50,000 retweets. Business leaders were among those reacting to the news and, in some cases, offering suggestions.Ryan Petersen, CEO of supply chain management company Flexport, responded on X asking where to submit programs to cut."The US Department of Agriculture runs a foreign language school. I took a Chinese class there. Why does the department of agriculture need to teach Chinese? We have community colleges for that right?" <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/typesfast/status/1856700690480894463">Petersen wrote</a>. The USDA does not offer typical foreign language classes, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/11/15/usda-releases-language-access-plan-expand-access-department">provides access to language learning tools</a> through an internal platform.Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager and outspoken Trump supporter, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1856522503323005434">reposted Musk's announcement</a> of a leaderboard on X, writing, "It's becoming exciting again to be an American." Shuan Maguire, another outspoken Trump supporter and partner at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/shaunmmaguire/status/1856500082063094287">retweeted the president-elect's announcement</a> that Musk would head DOGE and called it "one of the greatest things I've ever read."The responses to Musk's announcement and general appointment as head of DOGE stretched across the partisan tech aisle. Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud computing company BOX who endorsed Harris, responded to Trump's announcement of the agency on X."There's a significant opportunity to make the government more capable of delivering for Americans, and ironically it will actually cost less not more," <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/levie/status/1856529079136334136">he wrote</a>. Other Democrats aren't so keen on the idea — Sen. Elizabeth Warren poked fun at the department in her own X post."The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person," <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/SenWarren/status/1856541693836734783">she wrote</a>. "Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient."In the 2024 fiscal year, the federal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">government spent $6.75 trillion</a>. Nine-tenths of that goes to federal programs, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.Almost one-quarter of the budget funds health-insurance programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Another 21% goes toward Social Security, with 13% going toward defense.It remains unclear how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-calls-zelenskyy-erdogan-influence-2024-11">expansive Musk's government</a> role will be and how much he will be able to reshape the budget in his business-friendly image.Trump's transition team and Musk did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.

Elon Musk said he will launch a leaderboard to track 'insanely dumb' government spending, and business leaders are weighing in

Small and medium enterprises (<keyword id="20086849" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SMEs" source="keywords">SMEs</keyword>) are driving a major surge in <keyword id="21881529" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="job-applications" source="keywords">job applications</keyword> across key sectors, with more than 35 million job applications recorded in the first eight months of 2024, according to a report by jobs and professional networking platform apna.co. The growth is fueled by rising demand in sectors like BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance), BPO (Business Process Outsourcing), and hospitality. The report highlights that the surge in job applications is largely for roles such as Sales &amp; Marketing Managers, Accounting Technicians, Telecallers, Back Office Executives, and Business Development Associates. These positions are critical for the expansion of businesses in these sectors, and the growing demand reflects a strong upward trend in hiring. "SMBs and MSMEs employ more than 110 million people, making them the backbone of our economy. Their success is crucial for our nation's journey towards achieving a USD 5 trillion economy," said Nirmit Parikh, Founder &amp; CEO of apna.co. Parikh emphasised that the demand for skilled workers in these sectors is expected to continue growing, creating vast opportunities for <keyword id="20019820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="job-seekers" source="keywords">job seekers</keyword> across India. <h2>Major growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities</h2>An interesting trend noted in the report is that over 55% of the total job applications for SMB roles came from tier-2 and tier-3 cities, including Jaipur, Indore, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Kochi, and Bhubaneswar. As businesses expand into these cities, the talent pool is evolving to meet the growing demand, fostering a symbiotic relationship between employers and job seekers. Out of the 35 million job applications received, 14 million came from women, marking a 30% year-on-year increase in female participation. Women are increasingly taking on roles across diverse fields like finance, accounts, marketing, and graphic design, reflecting their rising involvement in the workforce. As SMEs and MSMEs continue to grow, the <keyword id="19972727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="employment-opportunities" source="keywords">employment opportunities</keyword> they generate are set to further contribute to India’s economic goals, fueling progress toward the USD 5 trillion economy target. (With inputs from PTI)

Small businesses generated 35 million job applications till Aug 2024, 14 million were from women: Report

<keyword id="19896380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reliance-Industries" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reliance Industries" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reliance Industries">Reliance Industries</keyword>, under the leadership of <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, showcased its vision for the future during the company’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) that was held today (August 29). During the AGM, <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> laid out ambitious plans that span across its diverse businesses. The conglomerate, which has interests ranging from oil to telecom to retail, is positioning itself as a key player in India’s growth story, with a particular focus on <keyword id="20239522" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technological-innovation" source="keywords">technological innovation</keyword>, energy security, and retail expansion. <h2>Not chasing short-term profits</h2><keyword id="19898589" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ambani" source="keywords">Ambani</keyword>, during his speech, said that Reliance is not merely chasing short-term profits but is dedicated to creating long-term wealth for the nation. He reiterated the company’s commitment to providing high-quality products and services that enhance the lives of Indian consumers. The chairman announced that the company’s board will consider issuing bonus shares on September 5, further rewarding shareholders as Reliance continues to grow. <h2>Transforming into a deep-tech company</h2>A major theme of the AGM this year was Reliance’s transformation into a deep tech company, with advanced manufacturing capabilities at its core. Ambani described this shift as essential to securing a place in the global top-30 companies in the near future. He highlighted the company’s strategic adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), calling it one of the most transformative events in human history. AI, he noted, opens up new avenues to address complex problems, making Reliance a net producer of technology. Reliance has been making significant strides in R&amp;D, with over ₹3,643 crore invested in FY24 alone, taking the total research expenditure to over ₹11,000 crore in the last four years. This investment is driving innovations in various areas, including bio-energy, solar power, green energy, and high-value chemicals. The company has also been active in digital research, filing patents in 6G, 5G, AI, and IoT, among others. Ambani assured that this tech-driven transformation would propel Reliance into a new phase of hyper-growth, multiplying its value in the coming years. <h2><keyword id="20337020" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="retail-business" source="keywords">Retail business</keyword> to double</h2>In addition to technological advancements, Reliance Retail, the company’s retail arm, is set to double its business in the next three to four years. Isha Ambani, Director of Reliance Retail, shared that the retail segment recorded a gross revenue of ₹3.06 lakh crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2024, marking a 17.8% growth over the previous year. The retail business has rapidly expanded, with Reliance opening 1,840 new stores in the past year, bringing the total to 18,836 stores across 79 million square feet of retail space. This growth has positioned Reliance Retail among the top-5 global retailers in terms of store count and among the top-10 in market capitalization globally. Isha Ambani emphasised that much of this growth is driven by a focus on smaller towns, where two-thirds of the new stores have been opened. Reliance Retail is also focused on creating high-quality, affordable products through its Consumer Brands business, which has seen the re-launch of popular brands like Campa, Lotus Chocolates, and Sosyo. Mukesh Ambani concluded by underscoring Reliance’s mission to provide energy security to India while also contributing to a cleaner and greener world. As the global landscape becomes increasingly uncertain, he expressed confidence in India’s role as a key growth engine in the global economy. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects that India will become the world’s third-largest economy by 2027, surpassing Japan and Germany. Ambani affirmed that Reliance will continue to be a driving force in India’s march toward becoming a developed nation.

Reliance AGM 2024: Company aims to double retail business, Mukesh Ambani says not pursuing short-term profit

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia is spending over twice as much on expanding its cemeteries than in 2020, according to the Moscow Times.</li><li>Thousands of Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine, in part due to mass deployment and attrition.</li></ul>Russia more than doubled spending on cemetery expansion projects during the first two years of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine compared to the two years preceding it, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/07/22/russian-spending-on-cemetery-expansion-triples-since-ukraine-invasion-a85786">The Moscow Times</a>.The outlet cited data from the Kremlin's own official state procurement portal.It reported that Russian regions spent over $2.5 million on cemetery expansion in 2023, and around $1.3 million in 2022, for a total of about $3.8 million.In the first half of 2024, they spent a combined $1.5 million, it said.By comparison, cemetery expansion projects cost just $432,000 in 2020, and $1.4 million in 2021.Russia has suffered mounting deaths since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022.The UK's Ministry of Defence <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-hits-record-daily-casualty-average-ukraine-uk-intel-2024-3">reported</a> in March that Russia averaged nearly 1,000 casualties a day in February, which included both killed and wounded soldiers, likely due to Russia's attritional warfare.Last year, independent Russian outlets Important Stories and the Conflict Intelligence Team <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/average-time-russian-draftee-die-4-months-ukraine-report-2023-9">estimated</a> that life expectancy on the battlefield for Russian soldiers was about four and a half months.In February, the Institute for the Study of War <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-losses-avdiivka-exceed-10-year-soviet-afghan-war-isw-2024-2">said</a> more Russian soldiers had probably died seizing the town of Avdiivka than in the 10-year Soviet-Afghan war.Ukrainian military officials <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-february-18-2024">estimated</a> that up to 47,000 Russians were killed or injured in the fighting there.And in an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-has-likely-suffered-480k-casualties-in-ukraine-uk-intel-2023-10">intelligence update</a> released late last year, the UK MOD estimated Russia had likely suffered up to 290,000 soldiers killed or wounded since the conflict began.Satellite <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-russia-war-death-toll-satellite-images-expanding-gravesites-maxar-2024-2">imagery</a> of Russian gravesites from Maxar Technologies, a private US-based satellite company, shared with Business Insider in February show new grids of gravesites appearing over the course of the war.However, according to demographer Yan Bride, the conflict in Ukraine is just one of the factors contributing to the expansion of cemeteries.Bride told The Moscow Times that natural causes like an aging population, alcohol-related deaths, and a growing number of deaths among young people, have also played a role."The intensification of deaths at younger ages has also led to a growing demand for funeral services to create new territories," he said.

Russia's spending on cemetery expansion  more than doubled since the start of its invasion of Ukraine: report

Leading <keyword id="34523" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="fmcg" source="Orion">FMCG</keyword> and ayurvedic products maker <keyword id="62997" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dabur" source="Orion">Dabur</keyword> is planning to set up a new <keyword id="6368585" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="factory" source="Orion">factory</keyword> in <keyword id="6355466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="south-india" source="Orion">South India</keyword> in less than a year's time, as its <keyword id="6355515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="business" source="Orion">business</keyword> scales in the region, according to company's CEO Mohit Malhotra. Dabur, which now gets 20 per cent of its domestic sales from South India with its business there doubling in the last 5-6 years, is identifying gaps and usages to launch products customised to the markets, he told PTI in an interview. The company, having 13 manufacturing units across the country, is augmenting its capacity further to meet the demand and is diversifying its manufacturing activities by adding new lines, he added. Dabur India, which has an annual capex of around Rs 350-450 crore, also plans to expand its manufacturing activities in the international markets catering to regions such as the Middle East and Europe. Besides, the company is consolidating its manufacturing operations and has shut down some units where tax sunsets are coming in, and opening new units where GST regime is coming in, Malhotra added. On Dabur's business in South India, Malhotra said,"We have made substantial progress in South India... it now contributes 19 to 20 per cent of Dabur's domestic business. This was not even 10 per cent around seven to eight years back and thus contribution from the Southern region has doubled." When asked about the new plant in South India, Malhotra said,"I do not think it's a few years away. Maybe it is a year away .Within a year, we might plan something for South of India as business scales up." Dabur's last investment to open a new unit was at Indore, where it had invested around Rs 350 crore. In the southern market, several FMCG makers, including Wipro have jumped into the food segment with relevant regional offerings. Dabur is identifying gaps there to launch customised products. "We are creating a framework in the company where we can create products which are exclusively meant for the South of India for which we have got this framework called RISE, which is regional insights, speed and execution," said Malhotra. Some brands such as Dabur Red, contribute 40 per cent of its business in South India and Dabur Honey and Odonil are very salient there, he added. "So we are looking at a lot of pollination of products in South of India to increase our saliency," he said. However, Malhotra also added that in comparison with other FMCG makers having a saliency of 30 per cent, Dabur's salience is in the range of 20 per cent. "So there is a huge gap of 10 to 15 per cent to be covered in the South. That is an area that will be our focus for geographical growth," he added. Talking on international markets, he said MENA (Middle East &amp; North Africa) is the largest market and a "growth frontier". It has a manufacturing facility in the UAE and uses the Greater Arab Free Trade Area Agreement (GAFTA) to cater to Saudi Arabia. "If Saudi Arabia opens up and scales up, we might look at a manufacturing unit even in Saudi Arabia. We have another second unit in Egypt, which is the second largest market after Saudi Arabia," he said. Dabur uses Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) while manufacturing in Egypt and supplying to East Africa. Dabur also has a factory in Turkiye, which ships to European markets. It also has a factory in South Africa which caters to SADC (Country / Southern African Development Community) markets of 12 countries. While in the US, it has a contract manufacturer, which also caters to the Canadian market. "Business is doing well in international markets. There is a recovery after Covid but geopolitical issues are always there," said Malhotra while referring to trouble brewing in the Middle East, and the Russia-Ukraine War.

Dabur plans to open manufacturing unit in South India; portfolio expansion in the offing

India’s <keyword id="20312255" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Process-Management" source="keywords">Business Process Management</keyword> (<keyword id="700088" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpm" source="Orion">BPM</keyword>) industry is defying predictions that generative artificial intelligence (Gen-<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ai" source="Orion">AI</keyword>) could pose challenges for them. Instead, the sector is making a bold bet on AI and skilled talent to fuel its resurgence. With significant investments underway, industry leaders are confident that these efforts will show results within the next 3-5 years. “All of us are investing. And, the ROI will start coming in the next 3-5 years,” Harita Gupta, Head of Global Experience, SVP Global Business Operations Solutions and Support at Sutherland and the chairperson of <keyword id="19955786" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nasscom" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nasscom" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nasscom">Nasscom</keyword> BPM Council. She shared these insights during a panel discussion on “Data, Technology, Skill and Customers – The New Value Levers for BPM in India,” hosted by Business Insider India. Leaders in the <keyword id="21482461" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BPM-industry" source="keywords">BPM industry</keyword> are confident about <keyword id="19985355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-AI" source="keywords">Gen-AI</keyword>’s potential to create markets that have never existed before, help them do what they have already been doing for a decade more efficiently, and transform their companies into AI-driven enterprises. The Indian BPM industry generated $48.9 billion revenue as of FY24. <div type="Youtube" id="utbJS9i9RgA" title="Unlocking New Value Levers For BPM In India: The Role Of Data, Tech, Skill And Customers" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/utbJS9i9RgA/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utbJS9i9RgA]]></url></div> <h2>Tapping into emerging <keyword id="21859797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="talent-hubs" source="keywords">talent hubs</keyword></h2> Traditionally, it is present in India’s metro cities, like Delhi, Bombay, Bombay and Pune. In its second innings, the BPM industry has shifted its focus to Tier-II and Tier-III cities, which offer a wealth of talent, lower operational costs and more accommodative regulations. “The industry has started to take jobs to where the talent is rather than the other way around,” remarked Sapna Bhambani, the Senior VP of Operations and Geo Leader at TaskUs. She highlighted that over half of TaskUs’ business is now based out of Tier-II cities with Indore and Mohali leading the way. “The states where the government is extending a helping hand are the most successful emerging hubs,” Bhambani added. Nasscom too is keen on Tier-II and Tier-III cities for the expansion of the BPM industry, identifying Lucknow, Kanpur, Coimbatore, Trichy, Indore, Bhopal, Vizag and Vijayawada as notable emerging hubs. Gupta emphasised that the industry body will be working hand-in-hand with the universities and institutions in the area to build talent pipelines and garner support. And hiring from Tier-II cities is not just about tapping into new talent pools; it’s also improving employee retention, which has been a pain point for the industry in recent years. Tech Mahindra has tried to counter this by hiring for non-frontline roles from within the company, rather than hiring new talent. However, as Venkatesh Korla, the CEO of Americas at Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) pointed out, a cultural shift is still needed to rebrand BPM jobs. “It’s changing. It’s not 100 percent there yet… They’ve realised there’s a lot more stickiness and a lot more opportunity in the BPM space, and we see talent also want to take on these jobs,” Korla explained. <h2>Creating new markets</h2>Most AI processes are trained using large language models (LLMs). Many, GPT-Neo and BERT, are open-source, which means they’re free for anyone to use. However, enterprises are looking to build their own LLMs in-house to train their AI products primarily to maintain control over proprietary data – a move that opens up new opportunities for BPM firms. “Large SAS companies want to integrate their own LLM in their products and they require the same BPM services to actually train their models. That’s a huge opportunity,” Birendra Sen, the President of Business Process Services at Tech Mahindra, told Business Insider. <h2>The need for experimentation</h2>While the use of Gen-AI in the BPM industry is widespread, many initiatives are still in the Proof of Concept (POC) stage. This implies that while there is investment, both in terms of money and manpower, directed at creating more Gen-AI led solutions, they may not necessarily succeed. “If something fails, we just fail fast and move,” Gupta told Business Insider. Moreover, leaders like Venkatesh Korla view AI as a transformative tool that complements human expertise rather than replacing it. “AI is going to help in coaching, compliance, and in quality control. I call this the Iron Man's suit or the J.A.R.V.I.S. for Iron Man because it never replaces the human inside the suit. So, that's really how we need to look at it,” Korla remarked. India’s BPM sector has demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of previous challenges, such as the rise of automation and the shift towards digital services. It is now poised to reinvent itself, this time by integrating AI with human expertise and expanding into new talent hubs. With a strong focus on innovation and upskilling, industry leaders are optimistic about the future, anticipating that these strategic moves will secure India’s position as a global leader in the BPM landscape over the next few years. This article is part of a four-part webinar series in partnership with Nasscom. These monthly webinars aim to delve deep and offer insights into the evolving BPM landscape. You can watch the full video of the first session <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utbJS9i9RgA">here</a>. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on insiderstudios@businessinsider.in

The future of BPM in India: AI, talent hubs and a new growth strategy

State-owned <keyword id="20039950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharat-Petroleum-Corporation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Bharat Petroleum Corporation" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="Bharat Petroleum Corporation">Bharat Petroleum Corporation</keyword> plans to invest Rs 1.7 lakh crore over the next five years to grow its core oil refining and fuel marketing business as well as in 'future big bets' of <keyword id="20115883" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petrochemicals" source="keywords">petrochemicals</keyword> and <keyword id="19895435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="green-energy" source="keywords">green energy</keyword>, its chairman G Krishnakumar has said. At present, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (<keyword id="19908646" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="BPCL" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="BPCL" meta.hostid="153" meta.entityid="BPCL">BPCL</keyword>) owns about 14 per cent of India's oil <keyword id="20064251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="refining-capacity" source="keywords">refining capacity</keyword> and about a quarter of the fuel retailing network. It plans to grow these businesses while foraying into newer areas. The firm is now implementing the first phase of a multi-decade aspirational journey in the form of '<keyword id="22826627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="project-Aspire" source="keywords">Project Aspire</keyword>' - its five-year strategic framework that is based on two fundamental pillars - 'Nurturing the Core' and 'Investing in Future Big Bets', he said in the company's latest annual report. "Our mid-term strategy is on a continuum. While we remain committed to growing our core businesses, which include refining and marketing <keyword id="20037698" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="petroleum-products" source="keywords">petroleum products</keyword> and upstream, we are equally focused on our big bets comprising petrochemicals, gas, green energy, non-fuel retail, and digital. "Project Aspire, with a planned capex outlay of around Rs 1.70 lakh crore over five years, will enable us to create long-term value for our stakeholders while preserving our planet for future generations," he said. "A cornerstone of our long-term strategy, Project Aspire, with a Rs 1.70 trillion investment, marks the initial phase of our multi-decade odyssey to shape the energy of tomorrow. This, coupled with our robust balance sheet, fuels our ambition to lead the <keyword id="19951336" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="energy-transition" source="keywords">energy transition</keyword>." The company is targeting net zero carbon emissions from its operations by 2040. "BPCL has drawn a net-zero roadmap, which encompasses renewable power, green hydrogen, compressed biogas, carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), efficiency improvement and the offsets procurements. This would require a phased capital outlay of approximately Rs 1 lakh crore till 2040, and the company is geared for the same," he said. The firm's bet on continuing investing in core businesses is based on the premise that India's booming economy will drive a 4-5 per cent annual increase in energy demand and petroleum product consumption. Also, the demand for major petrochemical products is expected to rise by 7-8 per cent annually. "This presents a strategic opportunity to expand refining capacity alongside the development of integrated petrochemical complexes," he said. BPCL is implementing new petrochemical projects at two of its three oil refineries. A Rs 49,000 crore ethylene cracker project is being implemented at the Bina refinery in Madhya Pradesh, alongside raising oil refining capacity from the current 7.8 million tonnes to 11 million tonnes annually by 2029. A polypropylene project is being set up at Kochi refinery in Kerala by 2027. "To meet the anticipated demand beyond our planned expansions in Bina and Kochi, we are actively evaluating options for setting up additional integrated refining and petrochemical capacities within the next 5-7 years," Krishnakumar said without disclosing either the investments or the location of such a project. Andhra Pradesh is being speculated as the likely site after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP and regional party TDP stormed to power in the state in recently concluded assembly elections. TDP has been demanding the implementation of a refinery-cum-petrochemical complex that was promised as part of the package when the state was split more than a decade back. "Our investment in the petrochemical project is consistent with our aspiration of becoming a dominant player in India's petrochemical growth story," Krishnakumar said. On energy transition, he said BPCL is targeting to build 2 gigawatts (GW) of <keyword id="19895602" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy" source="keywords">renewable energy</keyword> capacity by 2025 and 10 GW by 2035. "We are investing nearly Rs 1,000 crore to establish two 50 MW captive wind power plants in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, which will support our refineries in Mumbai and Bina." The firm is also investing around Rs 300 crore in 72 MWp of solar project in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. "Concomitantly, we are executing green hydrogen projects aligned with the National Green Hydrogen Mission. These projects include a 5 MW electrolyser plant at Bina refinery and a green hydrogen refuelling station with an indigenously developed electrolyser at Kochi," he noted. BPCL, he said, is committed to supporting the transition to electric mobility through a robust and accessible charging infrastructure. The company has installed over 3,000 charging stations, including fast chargers for cars and two-wheelers. 900 fast chargers are installed across 120 highway corridors, which helps address the range, discovery and time anxiety of electric vehicle (EV) owners. "Over the next five years, we aim to install 4-wheeler fast chargers at approximately 6,000 retail outlets across 400 highway corridors, prioritising high-traffic corridors like the Golden Quadrilateral and N-S/E-W highways," he said. On biofuels, he said BPCL sells petrol with 20 per cent ethanol blend at 4,279 out of its over 22,000 petrol pumps. It is also building compressed biogas plants using municipal solid waste to make gas that can be used as CNG in automobiles. The firm is also exploring partnerships in the arena. "These combined efforts, along with the upcoming commissioning of a bio-ethanol refinery, positions BPCL as a key player in India's transition to a greener fuel mix, creating a robust ecosystem for the adoption of cleaner fuels across the country," he added. BPCL is establishing a corporate venture capital fund to invest directly in promising startups. "In order to thrive in this complex and challenging business landscape, we will leverage our agility and focus on operational excellence to ensure continued success. Safety and reliability will remain our top priorities, guiding all our actions. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance," he added. He said the energy sector of India stands at an inflection point. "The nation has an ambitious vision of becoming a USD 30 trillion developed economy by 2047. 'Viksit Bharat @2047' will necessitate an almost fourfold increase in primary energy demand." India's exponential growth trajectory will propel it to a pivotal role in the global energy market, accounting for roughly 12 per cent of world energy consumption by 2047. "The key strategic objectives for India in the energy sector will entail significant expansion in refining capacities, raising the share of gas in the energy basket from about 6 per cent to 15 per cent, establishing leadership in petrochemical exports, and sharply reducing energy imports from current levels of 47 per cent to below 25 per cent by 2030 and to zero by 2047," he said. India is targeting 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity, sourcing half of its energy needs from renewables, reducing carbon emissions by 1 billion tonnes and lowering carbon intensity by 45 per cent by 2030 with the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions by 2070. "Building on its strong Indian energy presence, BPCL aspires to meet 7-10 per cent of the nation's primary energy demand by 2047," he said.

BPCL planning Rs 1.7 lakh crore spend to expand core business, new energy foray over next five years

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Harris has proposed expanding the small business tax credit from $5,000 to $50,000.</li><li>Experts told BI the proposal would shift the timing of deductions and isn't all that pricey.</li></ul>Patricia Oswlad, 55, and her husband have spent years building up their retirement fund. But when Oswald decided to launch a small business in the fall of 2022, the couple liquidated some of their assets to fund the company, throwing their financial planning to the wind.With fewer than five weeks until Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris is <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-small-businesses-tax-breaks-cut-red-tape-2024-9">making a targeted pitch to entrepreneurs</a> like Oswald, who are burdened by startup expenses. She even mentioned a key proposal in her opening answer at the presidential debate: expand the small business tax credit 10-fold, from $5,000 to $50,000.In a pamphlet on her economic plan, dubbed the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-kamala-harris-opportunity-economy-2024-9">"Opportunity Economy,"</a> Harris explains that she would let business owners take advantage of the $50,000 tax deduction right away or a few years after launching, to help lower taxes once they start turning a profit. The proposal, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-added-policy-website-before-trump-debate-venture-capital-startups-2024-9">like many of her others</a>, would need <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-senate-races-ted-cruz-rick-scott-2024-9">congressional</a> approval.Oswald told Business Insider the credit would have been "invaluable" in getting Brisa Systems, which offers powered drying racks, off the ground.<h2 id="7006e4c2-613d-4eb9-8fc4-ad020faacaad">Harris' proposal shifts the tax timeline for entrepreneurs.</h2>Tax experts told BI that enacting the credit would mean a change in timing more than anything else. Under current law, small businesses can deduct up to $5,000 in expenses immediately and must deduct any future expenses against their income over 15 years. Harris' proposal would let entrepreneurs deduct more money quickly.Owners have expenses before even launching their business, and the deduction would help cover those costs.Rhett Buttle, the co-executive director of Small Business Roundtable and a former business advisor for President Joe Biden, told Business Insider that startup costs accumulate in three primary areas: marketing, basic equipment, and hiring.For Oswald, most early costs have been in manufacturing and intellectual property services. Taylor McCleneghan, who launched her product development company, Small Shop LLC, in 2018, named inventory and marketing as the biggest upfront costs. Both women are based in the Chicago area.<div type="image" title="Kamala Harris at a campaign event about small businesses" height="3439" width="5159" msid="113963121" hostid="261" sizebytes="769310"></div>Brett Theodos, a senior fellow at Urban Institute who specializes in small business loans, told BI that entrepreneurs would "love" to be able to deduct more of those expenses right away. Moving up the timeline would, he said, make many feel less strapped for cash from the very outset.And there's another potential upside, according to Garret Watson, a senior policy analyst at the nonpartisan Tax Foundation. Small businesses would likely benefit from getting the deduction more quickly because of inflation, he said.Many entrepreneurs are psyched about the effort. Theodos struggled to think of a reason why they wouldn't want this, and Buttle said that those he works with are overwhelmingly excited about the plan.McCleneghan, of the Small Shop, said having access to a $50,000 tax deduction early on would have allowed her to do better long-term planning. With the expanded tax deduction, Oswald said she might not have had to divest retirement funds or take out lines of credit."Getting money in the hands of entrepreneurs sooner is going to allow them to hire, to get equipment, to get a space, to pay off some debt, to pay themselves," Theodos said. "So it's meaningful to allow them to accelerate the deduction of startup expenses."But while small business owners may jump at the opportunity for more early cash flow, where this money would come from is more unclear. McCleneghan herself acknowledged that the details seem hazy.<h2 id="af50011b-34e9-4f5e-9a3b-b001ea7f148b">Despite the flashy numbers, the proposal likely wouldn't have a significant impact on the federal budget.</h2>Though $50,000 sounds like a big-ticket promise, the experts BI spoke to said Harris' proposal actually wouldn't make a big dent in the federal budget. The Tax Foundation, where Watson works, examined cost estimates from prior expansions and found that the proposal would cost about $24.5 billion over 10 years."Relative to the federal government's budget and spending, it's very small," Watson said. "This $25 billion number is in the context of a tax plan for the Harris campaign that would raise about $5 trillion over 10 years. So you're talking about orders of magnitude more money on the tax hike side."<div type="image" title="Kamala Harris and Mike Johnson during the State of the Union speech" height="4000" width="6000" msid="113963120" hostid="261" sizebytes="522916"></div>Some of the loss, he said, stems from the likelihood that certain entrepreneurs will use the deduction and then go out of business. Since the proposal changes when businesses can deduct rather than how much they deduct, it will cost some money, but not "big money," Theodos said.And the proposal could help spur growth, if it becomes law. According to a study from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/04/22/a-look-at-small-businesses-in-the-us/">Pew Research Center</a> published in April 2024, small businesses employ nearly half of the country's private sector employees.Theodos called small businesses "essential" for the US economy, and Buttle said they're a<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/harris-sec-ftc-khan-gensler-crypto-regulation-biden-warren-2024-9"> crucial source of innovation</a>. But the tax experts said the full potential economic impact of the proposed expansion is still up in the air."The question is, will this significantly contribute to a startup boom or really change the needle there or move the needle there? I think that's a reasonable question. It's up for debate, particularly because this is such a narrow provision," Watson told BI, while noting that giving businesses deductions is generally a good policy.If the policy did spur more development, though, Mary Hansen, an economics professor at American University and co-director of the nonpartisan Institute for Macroeconomic and Policy Analysis, said it would eventually have a net positive impact on government revenue.As of now, Harris' promise is just that — a promise.Should she win the election, Congress would need to pass legislation to turn her expanded tax deduction idea into a reality. Despite the prevailing congressional gridlock, all of the experts BI spoke with said small businesses are a rare point of potential bipartisan agreement. Watson predicted that lawmakers would likely tie the proposal to their actions on the expiring 2017 tax provisions.<div type="image" title="Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff go shopping to support Small Business Saturday" height="3788" width="5973" msid="113963117" hostid="261" sizebytes="2365956"></div>Should Congress ever pass the expanded tax deduction, all startups and small businesses would access the same amount of money — but the experts told BI that some would feel the impact more than others. Entrepreneurs with less initial cash flow would disproportionately benefit from the change, they said.Buttle said it would help women and people of color who have a harder time accessing capital. The Pew Research study found 61% of small businesses are majority-owned by men and, as of 2021, 85% were majority-white owned."We're talking about community businesses, micro-businesses, businesses where the founder doesn't have as much net worth," Theodos told BI. "Everybody can benefit from $45,000, but the question is, who is that making the critical difference for?"

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